A lot of people incorrectly say the wicket when in fact they mean the pitch. Just listen to the Sky Sports Commentators, well one or two of them?

This page is therefore here to enlighten you on the pitch, which law xx

The wicket or wickets is the set of stumps with bails on at each end of the Cricket Pitch.

The Brit Oval Picture Courtesy of Paul Griffiths

1. Area of pitch
The pitch is a rectangle, its size should be 22 yards/20.12m in length and 10ft/3.05m in width. It is bounded at either end by the bowling creases and on either side by imaginary lines, one each side of the imaginary line joining the centres of the two middle stumps, each parallel to it and 5ft/1.52m from it. See Laws 8.1 (Width and pitching) and 9.2 (The bowling crease).

2. Fitness of the pitch for play

The umpires shall be the final judges of the fitness of the pitch for play. See Laws 3.8 (Fitness of ground, weather and light) and 3.9 (Suspension of play for adverse conditions of ground, weather or light).

3. Selection and preparation
Before the match, the Ground Authority shall be responsible for the selection and preparation of the pitch. During the match, the umpires shall control its use and maintenance.

4. Changing the pitch
The pitch shall not be changed during the match unless the umpires decide that it is unreasonable or dangerous for play to continue on it and then only with the consent of both captains.

5. Non-turf pitches
In the event of a non-turf pitch being used, the surface area should be:
Length - a minimum of 58ft/17.68m
Width - a minimum of 6ft/1.83m