Cricket is a centuries-old sport that is popular all around the world. It is a physical and mental challenge and a great way to stay fit. But why do cricket players tap the Pitch / ground before every delivery? And what are the most usual reasons behind doing this? In this article, we will answer all these questions and more so that you can understand the game better.
What is tapping the Pitch?
Tap the Pitch is a term used in cricket to describe when a player taps the ball with their bat, usually to attract the umpire’s attention.
Tapping the Pitch refers to an illegal action that a player can perform to unfairly advantage themselves, which can lead to penalties like dismissal from play or loss of points. This involves pushing or striking the ball with their foot before it has reached the batsman. It’s important to be aware of this rule to avoid getting penalized yourself!
What is a Cricket Pitch & why do Cricketers Tap the Pitch?
A cricket pitch is a rectangular area of grass that is used to play the sport of cricket. The surface of the Pitch should be level so that the ball travels uniformly in all directions.
Cricketers tap the Pitch with their bats to make it bounce and slow down, making it easier for them to hit the ball. This technique is known as “tapping,” and it’s an important part of batting. It helps you judge how fast the ball moves and whether you need to adjust your batting technique accordingly.
By tapping the Pitch with their bat, cricketers can create different sounds that help them determine where the ball is going and what action will be necessary to hit it successfully.
The Importance of Tapping or Scraping the Pitch in Cricket:
When players tap the Pitch – which is when they intentionally disturb the surface of the Pitch before delivering the ball – this causes the ball to deviate in unpredictable ways, giving them an advantage over their opponents. Tapping the Pitch can also help batters time their shots more accurately, as well as gain an understanding of how the surface will behave under different conditions.
Tapping the Pitch is an important part of cricket because it allows players to play to their strengths and exploit their opponent’s weaknesses. It’s also illegal to do so if you’re batting or bowling; as this could disrupt your opponent’s ability to play cricket fairly.
3 Most Common Moments When Cricketers Tap the Pitch:
There are several moments when cricketers tap the Pitch, but three of the most common ones are:
- When trying to hit a boundary, cricketers will often tap the Pitch to confirm that their ball is going over it.
- Similarly, when looking for a six or seven, cricketers will often tap the Pitch to check whether their delivery is traveling towards the leg side or off the Pitch.
- Finally, if they believe their ball may have been LBW (Leg before Wicket), they will often tap the Pitch to determine whether it has passed through the leg side area.
Main Reasons for Tapping or Scraping the Pitch in Cricket:
There are many reasons why cricket players tap or scrape the Pitch. The most typica ones are listed below:
- To determine the ball’s depth.
- To check whether the ball has swung or not.
- To test whether the ball is sticky or not.
- To gauge how quickly the ball can be bowled.
- To judge whether to hit early or late to avoid getting hit by a return delivery.
- To find any edges on the ball.
- To get an advantage in power and trajectory when batting.
- To make it harder for the opposition to hit the ball cleanly, by giving it extra bounce.
- To distract or confuse their opponents by throwing water onto the Pitch from time to time.
- To make it harder for umpires to determine whether a particular delivery is legally bowled.
Conclusion:
From the entire article above, you can understand that several factors make players tap the Pitch. Mainly, some players have mental and emotional issues when they do not get enough time to prepare or play well. They then become frustrated and start doing tapping.
This guide has covered everything you need to know about why players tap the pitch and what some of the most common reasons behind it are. Hope you found this helpful! To know more about how someone handles sub-par performance, read our upcoming articles!
