Cricket Pitch
Courts & Fields · 9 specs
Direct Answer
Official cricket pitches are regulated by MCC Law 6 and the ICC Standard Playing Conditions. The central pitch is a rectangular strip measuring exactly 22.0 yards (66.0 ft / 20.12 m) between bowling creases (wickets) and 10.0 ft (3.05 m) in width. The wickets comprise 3 wooden stumps standing 28.0 in (71.1 cm) high with a total width of 9.0 in (22.9 cm), topped by two wooden bails.
Source: MCC (Marylebone Cricket Club) Law 6: The Pitch / Law 7: The Creases / Law 8: The Wickets · Last reviewed Aug 28, 2026
Specs
| Pitch Length (Wicket to Wicket) | 20.12 m (22.0 yd / 66.0 ft between stump bases) |
| Pitch Width | 3.05 m (10.0 ft / 3.66 m overall strip width) |
| Popping Crease Distance | 1.22 m (4.0 ft in front of the bowling crease) |
| Bowling Crease Length | 2.64 m (8.67 ft centered through stumps) |
| Return Crease Length | 2.44 m (8.0 ft perpendicular to bowling crease) |
| Stump Height Above Ground | 71.12 cm (28.0 in cylindrical wooden stumps) |
| Wicket Width (3 Stumps) | 22.86 cm (9.0 in total outer spread) |
| Bail Length (2 Bails) | 10.95 cm each (4.31 in with spigots resting in grooves) |
| Boundary Radius (ICC Standard) | 59.43–82.29 m (65–90 yards from center of pitch) |
The 22-Yard Chain & Crease Markings
- The 22-Yard Historical Standard: The 22-yard distance originates from the traditional English surveyor's Gunter's Chain (invented by Edmund Gunter in 1620, equivalent to 66 feet or 1/80th of a mile), formalized into the earliest Laws of Cricket in 1744.
- Popping Crease Mechanics: The popping crease is marked 4 feet in front of the stumps and extends at least 6 feet on either side of the wicket centerline. A batsman is considered 'in ground' if their bat or foot is grounded behind the inside edge of the line.