Concrete Pitch And Its Damage To Cricket Balls.

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Thivagar

Thivagar

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There is an astroturf pitch that is about 15 minute drive away from my house but I do not have an access to a vehicle daily. There is a concrete pitch that is about 7 minute walk away from my house. It is the closest net that I have access to. I'd like to go there daily and practice especially before the sun rise. The issue is that it is a concrete pitch and I don't want my cricket balls to be damaged. What can I do ? is there some kind of mat that I can use over that concrete pitch ? Any advice would be helpful. I live in an apartment and I don't really have a backyard.
 
Thivagar said:
There is an astroturf pitch that is about 15 minute drive away from my house but I do not have an access to a vehicle daily. There is a concrete pitch that is about 7 minute walk away from my house. It is the closest net that I have access to. I'd like to go there daily and practice especially before the sun rise. The issue is that it is a concrete pitch and I don't want my cricket balls to be damaged. What can I do ? is there some kind of mat that I can use over that concrete pitch ? Any advice would be helpful. I live in an apartment and I don't really have a backyard.
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I practice on concrete and tarmac and I use Hockey balls. Exactly the same weight and size and very similar bouncing properties.
 
someblokecalleddave said:
I practice on concrete and tarmac and I use Hockey balls. Exactly the same weight and size and very similar bouncing properties.
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Thanks for the suggestion. I really wanted to use cricket balls to experiment with scrambled seam and other various seam positioning. The other issue is that Field Hockey is unknown here in Canada. When you mention "Hockey" they are thinking Ice Hockey, 90% of the people don't even know there is such thing as "field hockey". Lot of the "Hockey balls" that used to play in the streets are very soft and don't bounce at all. Looks like I have to order it online from elsewhere, pay the shipping and handling fees and all. Thanks
 
Thivagar said:
Thanks for the suggestion. I really wanted to use cricket balls to experiment with scrambled seam and other various seam positioning. The other issue is that Field Hockey is unknown here in Canada. When you mention "Hockey" they are thinking Ice Hockey, 90% of the people don't even know there is such thing as "field hockey". Lot of the "Hockey balls" that used to play in the streets are very soft and don't bounce at all. Looks like I have to order it online from elsewhere, pay the shipping and handling fees and all. Thanks
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Just get cheap cricket balls then, but they'll damage and rough up really quickly.
 
Darth Spin said:
I practice on concrete so I scavenge for balls like a common thief.
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I played in a game several years ago which along one of the boundaries ran an over-grown but dry ditch, during the game at least 7 balls were lost in the ditch and only a cursory attempt at finding the balls was made by the home team before they brought another brand new ball. I watched in disbelief as we all headed back to the pavilion at the end of the game and everyone just discarded what must have been more than £50 worth of balls, all virtually brand new 10 overs old max! The next day I went back with a couple sticks and a machete to see if I could find them. Three of us looked for more than an hour having a rough idea of where the balls had gone and we didn't even find one! I was working on the logic that if we walked away leaving 7 in the ditch - surely that must happen every week.. the ditch must be ram-packed with virtually new balls, finding 7 should be easy what with all the others that had probably been discarded. Not the case, I was gutted. I wondered if after the match someone with a dog that was trained to find the balls had gone back or something as didn't find a single ball. I always go back and look for balls after the match or go to our own ground which is surrounded by very dense and very spikey bushes at the end of the season and find a few that people haven't been bothered to find.
 
I once played a game years ago when the winning runs were hit for four. Seeking used balls to practice with, I collected the ball quietly and perhaps rather selfishly did not return it. Well I was then really embarrassed as the opposition decided before going to the pub that they wanted the used ball and half the team went hunting in the bushes for it. It had got past the point where I could say, oh here it is. Eventually after a few minutes they gave up, the guilty secret stayed in my bag. I confessed later to my team mates at the pub
 
Thivagar said:
Thanks for the suggestion. I really wanted to use cricket balls to experiment with scrambled seam and other various seam positioning. The other issue is that Field Hockey is unknown here in Canada. When you mention "Hockey" they are thinking Ice Hockey, 90% of the people don't even know there is such thing as "field hockey". Lot of the "Hockey balls" that used to play in the streets are very soft and don't bounce at all. Looks like I have to order it online from elsewhere, pay the shipping and handling fees and all. Thanks
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I've just found that that the Readers Indoor 4oz plastic ball is lovely to practice with
http://www.sportsballshop.co.uk/aca...et-Ball.html?gclid=CIe00uHHm8wCFYTGGwodeQQMUQ
 
I buy 6 of these 'Upfront ' balls every Autumn, they are match weight 5.1/2 oz compacted rubber with a similar bounce to leather. Great for practising on concrete and indoor. The seams are usually worn out by now, but last me the whole off-season.

I've tried every sort of rubber and plastic ball and this is the only one (to me) that feels similar to the real thing.
'Upfront' also do them in red/white which I use for checking seam position in flight.

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