Can I know about pitch conditions

Neville YoungCoach, Australia

As I am in Australia any advice I could give you would apply to Australian pitches. What you need to do is talk to the more experienced team mates at your club about pitches. They will be able to give you advice on what the piches are like on the grounds you team will play on.

Go onto the ground and look at the pitch before the start of play and discuss what it looks like and how our team mates think it will play and then observe how it does play during the day.

Check that against the advice you have received. That way you will start to identify which team mates give the best advice. Experienced team mates will be only too happy to help, it is the way information is passed on and they will have received the same sort of advice and help during their playing time.

One of the best pieces of information I received wasn`t about the pith, but about the ground.

"This ground is a long narrow ground. Make sure you pitch the ball up. You can be protected in the field if you overpitch. If you drop short you will be iether cut, pulled or hooked and because the boundaries are so short you can`t be protected in the field and you will very quickly give away runs and you will be replaced".

I only received this gem of information because I went to the trouble of asking and because I had shown an interest this person was always ready to help wth advice or answer my many questions.

You need to establish the same sort of relationship with your team mates.

Good luck.