Study on properties of locally available clays to be used in fast and bouncy cricket pitches

Sri Lankan cricket batting line up faces a great difficulty in batting against fast bowlers in Australian “Fast” and “Bouncy” pitches. Lack of locally available fast and bouncy practicing pitches is the cause for this problem. It has been discovered that the pace and bounce of the cricket ball depends on clay mineralogy , clay and silt content, organic content, sand content and grass content of the top most clay layer in a cricket pitch. This research paper presents a comparison between results obtained through laboratory tests which were carried out in order to determine the particle size distribution, plastic characteristics, organic content, specific gravity and maximum dry density of these clayey soils. Clay sample from “Kotawehera” in Nikaweratiya region and three samples from Batticaloa, sample from a developing fast pitch in Bangalore and “Grumusol” clay from “Murunkan” in Mannar region were tested and compared with the currently used clay approved by Sri Lanka Cricket Association. Sample from Kotawehera and one sample from Batticaloa showed positive results of being a fast and bouncy pitch material by satisfying most of the criteria however, the “Grumusol” sample was highlighted from among all the other samples showing its highest potential to be used as a fast and bouncy cricket pitch material