https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cricket/2023/06/22/mcc-wants-soft-balls-and-climate-friendly-pitches/

MCC wants soft balls and climate-friendly pitches to save cricket’s future
Scarcity of willow and cane, the cost of equipment as well as the quality of pink balls have been identified as issues

By
Tim Wigmore,
DEPUTY CRICKET CORRESPONDENT
23 June 2023 • 3:21pm

MCC wants to invest millions of pounds into softer cricket balls, pitches better suited to climate change and bats made of alternative materials as part of a new research and development department that could be launched.

Research into how technological advancements can progress bats, balls, pitches and other equipment is being planned through the new department, which could launch as early as this year. As well as ramping up innovation within the game, the new department will also seek partnerships with companies through a ‘Dragons’ Den’-style pitching process.

MCC has identified that cricket faces a series of crises which will affect how the game is played. These include a global shortage of willow and cane, the two primary materials that bats are made from and the impact of climate change, creating an urgent need to beef-up the sport’s research and development.

The sport is also being viewed as falling behind others in the technological arms-race, with advancements made in golf identified as a prime example of where cricket should look to develop.

In a new paper produced by the MCC Laws sub-committee, it describes how “Cricket, as a sport, is poorly-placed for long-term research” and advocates for MCC to be given a research and development department with the clout to shape the game.

MCC believe that the International Cricket Council (ICC) have failed to embrace such a role, writing that the “ICC have indicated that they are also ill-equipped and disinclined to take charge of any initiative.”

Read more at https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cricket/2023/06/22/mcc-wants-soft-balls-and-climate-friendly-pitches/

RH

They're absolutely right. It needs looking into.
I also think artificial pitches have a future.

On Saturday, June 24, 2023 at 12:24:24 PM UTC+1, jack fredricks wrote:
> They're absolutely right. It needs looking into.
> I also think artificial pitches have a future.

So you would be happy if cricket was played with a soft ball? RH

On 6/24/2023 4:24 AM, jack fredricks wrote:
> They're absolutely right. It needs looking into.
> I also think artificial pitches have a future.
>

IF artificial pitches behave exactly the same in every country, cricket
will become BORING.

Differences in pitches and how they behave in bounce, swing, seam, spin
makes it challenging for batsmen and interesting and addictive to watch.

On Sunday, June 25, 2023 at 2:54:41 AM UTC+10, Robert Henderson wrote:
> On Saturday, June 24, 2023 at 12:24:24 PM UTC+1, jack fredricks wrote:
> > They're absolutely right. It needs looking into.
> > I also think artificial pitches have a future.
> So you would be happy if cricket was played with a soft ball? RH

No, I wouldn't.

OTOH, unlike you, I have the intellectual capability to READ THE FUCKING ARTICLE.

Also, unlike you, I believe in anthropogenic climate change.

On Sunday, June 25, 2023 at 4:32:27 AM UTC+10, FBInCIAnNSATerroristSlayer wrote:
> On 6/24/2023 4:24 AM, jack fredricks wrote:
> > They're absolutely right. It needs looking into.
> > I also think artificial pitches have a future.
> >
> IF artificial pitches behave exactly the same in every country, cricket
> will become BORING.
>
> Differences in pitches and how they behave in bounce, swing, seam, spin
> makes it challenging for batsmen and interesting and addictive to watch.

The weather and the pitch certainly add "character" to a match.
Sometimes, though, they add too much character.
Who hasn't been bowled by a grubber that hit a crack?

Reducing luck like this lets skill shine. I don't think that's a bad thing.
In fact, I'd say it's a very good principle for sport.

As for boring pitches... I'm confident we can do something about that.

We could have 2 ends. one for spin, one for pace. Bowler picks which end they bowl to.

I'm not pretending I have all the answers. I just think it's something worth exploring.

On Saturday, June 24, 2023 at 9:24:24 PM UTC+10, jack fredricks wrote:
> They're absolutely right. It needs looking into.
> I also think artificial pitches have a future.

we have them in Oz at Melb, Adelaide and Perth and they are getting better

iirc they started off with Packers WSC

On Sunday, June 25, 2023 at 11:04:58 AM UTC+10, wlsut...@gmail.com wrote:
> On Saturday, June 24, 2023 at 9:24:24 PM UTC+10, jack fredricks wrote:
> > They're absolutely right. It needs looking into.
> > I also think artificial pitches have a future.
> we have them in Oz at Melb, Adelaide and Perth and they are getting better
>
> iirc they started off with Packers WSC

and we even tried aluminum bats ...good on u Denis

On Sunday, June 25, 2023 at 11:04:58 AM UTC+10, wlsut...@gmail.com wrote:
> On Saturday, June 24, 2023 at 9:24:24 PM UTC+10, jack fredricks wrote:
> > They're absolutely right. It needs looking into.
> > I also think artificial pitches have a future.
> we have them in Oz at Melb, Adelaide and Perth and they are getting better
>
> iirc they started off with Packers WSC

The ECB was doing come trials with a hybrid pitch too. It had some kind of "sewing" process involved.
https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/cricket/ecb-to-trial-hybrid-grass-pitches-a7803761.html

In message <3386faea-bf64-49f4-bb15-adb17494dc97n@googlegroups.com>,
"wlsut...@gmail.com" <wlsutton54@gmail.com> writes
>On Saturday, June 24, 2023 at 9:24:240 >> They're absolutely right. It needs looking into.
>> I also think artificial pitches have a future.
>
>
>we have them in Oz at Melb, Adelaide and Perth and they are getting better
>
>iirc they started off with Packers WSC

I suppose it depends on your definition of "artificial". AIUI, drop-in
pitches still use soil and grass.

There was a time when matting pitches were commonly used in countries
where producing a satisfactory "conventional" pitch was difficult, even
for Test matches. That was the case in the early days of cricket in
South Africa, and I believe was one reason why their pioneering
leg-break and googly bowlers were such a fearsome proposition and why SF
Barnes could take 49 wickets in a four-Test series. They were also used
in the 1950s and 1960s in Pakistan, I think.
--
John Hall "[It was] so steep that at intervals the street broke into steps,
like a person breaking into giggles or hiccups, and then resumed
its sober climb, until it had another fit of steps."
Ursula K Le Guin "The Beginning Place"

On 6/24/2023 4:50 PM, jack fredricks wrote:
> On Sunday, June 25, 2023 at 4:32:27 AM UTC+10, FBInCIAnNSATerroristSlayer wrote:
>> On 6/24/2023 4:24 AM, jack fredricks wrote:
>>> They're absolutely right. It needs looking into.
>>> I also think artificial pitches have a future.
>>>
>> IF artificial pitches behave exactly the same in every country, cricket
>> will become BORING.
>>
>> Differences in pitches and how they behave in bounce, swing, seam, spin
>> makes it challenging for batsmen and interesting and addictive to watch.
>
> The weather and the pitch certainly add "character" to a match.
> Sometimes, though, they add too much character.
> Who hasn't been bowled by a grubber that hit a crack?

Once in a while, it's NO big deal.

The unpredictability of the pitch is also an interesting factor.

>
> Reducing luck like this lets skill shine. I don't think that's a bad thing.
> In fact, I'd say it's a very good principle for sport.

Both teams play on the same pitch.

Batsmen shine on some pitches, bowlers shine on some pitches.

>
> As for boring pitches... I'm confident we can do something about that.
>
> We could have 2 ends. one for spin, one for pace. Bowler picks which end they bowl to.

Captains, bowlers and team management figuring out WHICH end is good for
which bowler in the current set up is way better than deliberately
preparing one end for pace and one end for spin which makes the game
BORING and PREDICTIVE.

>
> I'm not pretending I have all the answers. I just think it's something worth exploring.

On Sunday, June 25, 2023 at 12:45:43 AM UTC+1, jack fredricks wrote:
> On Sunday, June 25, 2023 at 2:54:41 AM UTC+10, Robert Henderson wrote:
> > On Saturday, June 24, 2023 at 12:24:24 PM UTC+1, jack fredricks wrote:
> > > They're absolutely right. It needs looking into.
> > > I also think artificial pitches have a future.
> > So you would be happy if cricket was played with a soft ball? RH
> No, I wouldn't.
>
> OTOH, unlike you, I have the intellectual capability to READ THE FUCKING ARTICLE.

But ...but ... the article says
MCC wants soft balls and climate-friendly pitches to save cricket’s future

ROTFL!
>
> Also, unlike you, I believe in anthropogenic climate change.

On Sunday, June 25, 2023 at 8:30:54 PM UTC+10, Robert Henderson wrote:
> On Sunday, June 25, 2023 at 12:45:43 AM UTC+1, jack fredricks wrote:
> > On Sunday, June 25, 2023 at 2:54:41 AM UTC+10, Robert Henderson wrote:
> > > On Saturday, June 24, 2023 at 12:24:24 PM UTC+1, jack fredricks wrote:
> > > > They're absolutely right. It needs looking into.
> > > > I also think artificial pitches have a future.
> > > So you would be happy if cricket was played with a soft ball? RH
> > No, I wouldn't.
> >
> > OTOH, unlike you, I have the intellectual capability to READ THE FUCKING ARTICLE.
> But ...but ... the article says
> MCC wants soft balls and climate-friendly pitches to save cricket’s future

and if climate change is so bad it impacts cricket I won't be happy.

On Sunday, June 25, 2023 at 11:40:07 AM UTC+1, jack fredricks wrote:
> On Sunday, June 25, 2023 at 8:30:54 PM UTC+10, Robert Henderson wrote:
> > On Sunday, June 25, 2023 at 12:45:43 AM UTC+1, jack fredricks wrote:
> > > On Sunday, June 25, 2023 at 2:54:41 AM UTC+10, Robert Henderson wrote:
> > > > On Saturday, June 24, 2023 at 12:24:24 PM UTC+1, jack fredricks wrote:
> > > > > They're absolutely right. It needs looking into.
> > > > > I also think artificial pitches have a future.
> > > > So you would be happy if cricket was played with a soft ball? RH
> > > No, I wouldn't.
> > >
> > > OTOH, unlike you, I have the intellectual capability to READ THE FUCKING ARTICLE.
> > But ...but ... the article says
> > MCC wants soft balls and climate-friendly pitches to save cricket’s future
> and if climate change is so bad it impacts cricket I won't be happy.

jack fredricks hides from MCC ideas ... Waiting....waiting ...RH

On Sunday, June 25, 2023 at 10:46:31 PM UTC+10, Robert Henderson wrote:
> jack fredricks hides from MCC ideas ... Waiting....waiting ...RH

What?

I can't tell if you're asking a question.

On Sunday, June 25, 2023 at 5:21:10 PM UTC+10, John Hall wrote:
> In message <3386faea-bf64-49f4...@googlegroups.com>,
> "wlsut...@gmail.com" <wlsut...@gmail.com> writes
> >On Saturday, June 24, 2023 at 9:24:240 >> They're absolutely right. It needs looking into.
> >> I also think artificial pitches have a future.
> >
> >we have them in Oz at Melb, Adelaide and Perth and they are getting better
> >
> >iirc they started off with Packers WSC
> I suppose it depends on your definition of "artificial". AIUI, drop-in
> pitches still use soil and grass.
>
> There was a time when matting pitches were commonly used in countries
> where producing a satisfactory "conventional" pitch was difficult, even
> for Test matches. That was the case in the early days of cricket in
> South Africa, and I believe was one reason why their pioneering
> leg-break and googly bowlers were such a fearsome proposition and why SF
> Barnes could take 49 wickets in a four-Test series. They were also used
> in the 1950s and 1960s in Pakistan, I think.

I played more of my cricket on matting/carpet like covered pitches than I did on grass
that's in either very outer suburbs or close country South Australia and school cricket in Hobart

On Sunday, June 25, 2023 at 11:57:57 PM UTC+10, Hamish Laws wrote:
> I played more of my cricket on matting/carpet like covered pitches than I did on grass
> that's in either very outer suburbs or close country South Australia and school cricket in Hobart

I wonder why that is. Weather? I've never played on a mat/carpet here in Brisbane. Never even seen one.
Plenty of gabbagrass (artificial turf), and plenty of real turf. But that's it.
Oh.. one school over was bare concrete!

On 25/06/2023 11:30, Robert Henderson wrote:
> On Sunday, June 25, 2023 at 12:45:43 AM UTC+1, jack fredricks wrote:
>> On Sunday, June 25, 2023 at 2:54:41 AM UTC+10, Robert Henderson wrote:
>>> On Saturday, June 24, 2023 at 12:24:24 PM UTC+1, jack fredricks wrote:
>>>> They're absolutely right. It needs looking into.
>>>> I also think artificial pitches have a future.
>>> So you would be happy if cricket was played with a soft ball? RH
>> No, I wouldn't.
>>
>> OTOH, unlike you, I have the intellectual capability to READ THE FUCKING ARTICLE.
>
>
> But ...but ... the article says
> MCC wants soft balls and climate-friendly pitches to save cricket’s future

No it doesn't - that's just the headline. The actual article says
"soft*er* cricket balls". ISTM that balls could get quite a bit softer
than they are currently without fitting the description of "soft".

--
David North

On Monday, June 26, 2023 at 12:13:25 AM UTC+10, David North wrote:
> No it doesn't - that's just the headline. The actual article says
> "soft*er* cricket balls". ISTM that balls could get quite a bit softer
> than they are currently without fitting the description of "soft".

That occurred to me too. And I'd like to stress I wasn't thinking of tennis balls when RH asked me about soft balls.
I was thinking of "not hard" balls.

On Sunday, June 25, 2023 at 3:13:25 PM UTC+1, David North wrote:
> On 25/06/2023 11:30, Robert Henderson wrote:
> > On Sunday, June 25, 2023 at 12:45:43 AM UTC+1, jack fredricks wrote:
> >> On Sunday, June 25, 2023 at 2:54:41 AM UTC+10, Robert Henderson wrote:
> >>> On Saturday, June 24, 2023 at 12:24:24 PM UTC+1, jack fredricks wrote:
> >>>> They're absolutely right. It needs looking into.
> >>>> I also think artificial pitches have a future.
> >>> So you would be happy if cricket was played with a soft ball? RH
> >> No, I wouldn't.
> >>
> >> OTOH, unlike you, I have the intellectual capability to READ THE FUCKING ARTICLE.
> >
> >
> > But ...but ... the article says
> > MCC wants soft balls and climate-friendly pitches to save cricket’s future
> No it doesn't - that's just the headline. The actual article says
> "soft*er* cricket balls". ISTM that balls could get quite a bit softer
> than they are currently without fitting the description of "soft".

>
> --
> David North

What would be your definition of softer balls ... RH

On Sun, 25 Jun 2023 15:13:20 +0100, David North
<nospam@lane-farm.fsnet.co.uk> wrote:

>On 25/06/2023 11:30, Robert Henderson wrote:
>> On Sunday, June 25, 2023 at 12:45:43?AM UTC+1, jack fredricks wrote:
>>> On Sunday, June 25, 2023 at 2:54:41?AM UTC+10, Robert Henderson wrote:
>>>> On Saturday, June 24, 2023 at 12:24:24?PM UTC+1, jack fredricks wrote:
>>>>> They're absolutely right. It needs looking into.
>>>>> I also think artificial pitches have a future.
>>>> So you would be happy if cricket was played with a soft ball? RH
>>> No, I wouldn't.
>>>
>>> OTOH, unlike you, I have the intellectual capability to READ THE FUCKING ARTICLE.
>>
>>
>> But ...but ... the article says
>> MCC wants soft balls and climate-friendly pitches to save cricket’s future
>
>No it doesn't - that's just the headline. The actual article says
>"soft*er* cricket balls". ISTM that balls could get quite a bit softer
>than they are currently without fitting the description of "soft".

Balls for a purpose like lasting for 90 overs and all the associated
deterioration probably don't need any improvement.
The wembley trophy was a fantasic improvement on what went before.
A kwik cricket ball hurts whenever you get hit with it.
Why do they want a softer ball?

max.it

On Monday, June 26, 2023 at 12:03:44 AM UTC+10, jack fredricks wrote:
> On Sunday, June 25, 2023 at 11:57:57 PM UTC+10, Hamish Laws wrote:
> > I played more of my cricket on matting/carpet like covered pitches than I did on grass
> > that's in either very outer suburbs or close country South Australia and school cricket in Hobart
> I wonder why that is. Weather?

I think it was largely cost.
In SA I was playing for and around Willunga which is a small town about 50km out from the center of Adelaide.

In Hobart I was playing junior cricket for University and school cricket in the private schools comp, the 1st and 2nd XIs largely played on grass pitches but grades 8, 9 & 10 were on matting (I played in the 2nd XI in the 2nd half of grade 10 and apparently would have been the 2nd XI captain in grade 11 if I had stayed at the school)
I think most of the schools had 1 ground with a turf pitch and others with matting, the first XI had priority for it if they were playing a home game but the 2nd XI got it if they were home and the 1sts were away (or had a bye)

The junior competition was largely with country sides, 20 to 50km out from Hobart and again I suspect that finances made multiple grounds with turf wickets tough so the juniors didn't get on them.

>I've never played on a mat/carpet here in Brisbane. Never even seen one.
> Plenty of gabbagrass (artificial turf), and plenty of real turf. But that's it.
> Oh.. one school over was bare concrete!

I'll note that the university club nets were mostly done on pitches that weren't turf, it might have been what you're calling gabbagrass but it's over 30 years ago so I'm not sure and the pictures I found on a search for gabbagrass don't match my recollection

On Monday, June 26, 2023 at 3:37:13 AM UTC+10, max.it wrote:
> Why do they want a softer ball?

You're doing an RH.

The MCC doesn't WANT softer balls.

They want an alternative developed and ready for deployment if they ever NEED an alternative, eg if climate change or market forces result in a cork shortage.

https://www.corklink.com/index.php/low-cork-harvest-in-2022-pushes-cork-prices-higher/

On Sun, 25 Jun 2023 19:18:25 -0700 (PDT), jack fredricks
<jzfredricks@gmail.com> wrote:

>On Monday, June 26, 2023 at 3:37:13?AM UTC+10, max.it wrote:
>> Why do they want a softer ball?
>
>You're doing an RH.
>
I am responding to the headline cockbreath.

Fuck off.
>
>The MCC doesn't WANT softer balls.
>
>They want an alternative developed and ready for deployment if they ever NEED an alternative, eg if climate change or market forces result in a cork shortage.
>
>https://www.corklink.com/index.php/low-cork-harvest-in-2022-pushes-cork-prices-higher/

On Monday, June 26, 2023 at 5:19:14 PM UTC+10, max.it wrote:
> I am responding to the headline cockbreath.

That's a very RH thing to do!