Rolling the Pitch During a Match (New Reg supplementing Law 9) (DROPPED)

WHAT'S THIS ABOUT?

The time has come to rewrite Law 9 about Rolling, sweeping, mowing, remarking, watering and pitch repair.

DISCUSSION

Law 9 (see below) is written for very well serviced cricket facilities with readily available equipment and willing labour. Despite many wishes and good intentions this Law simply does not reflect the reality that rollers and people to run them are often unavailable in Subbies cricket.

So it is profoundly inadequate for our game.

The classic uncertainty situation arises over pitch rolling in Semi Finals and Grand Finals. 

I think in every other game most teams hardly give pitch rolling a second thought.

The law says rolling is permitted for 7 minutes maximum in 2 situations: between innings at the choice of the batting captain and before play on day 2 between 30 and 10 minutes prior to the start of play.

All sorts of reasons come up for failing to stick to that including: no one to drive the roller, running out of fuel, busted drive chain/gearbox/starter motor etc, 7 minutes is too short and a wasted effort, and can't be bothered or some equally mundane reason/excuse.

Lack of familiarity with these rules also generates all sorts of misunderstandings and mistakes. 

Desperate batting captains in finals can get quite anxious when confronted by this tantalising rolled flat batting paradise type pitch that they imagine they will be batting on. (Or scared stiff of demons and horrors in the same pitch if there's suddenly no rolling.)

The new playing reg might simply be: "the pitch will not be rolled during the course of the match" (which is where Law 9.1 starts but then proceeds to say there are some exceptions)

A new playing regulation might have to list some new exceptions such as all those which actually occur. Eg. Over the course of a single weekend it is not unknown for a pitch to be used for up to 3 different games (Junior Saturday, Saturday Subbies, Sunday limited over etc) and there might be some rolling done for each of these matches immediately breaking the strict letter of Law 9.1

So what is normal (accepted) rolling practice.... write *that* down.

As for watering, maintenance, remarking, sweeping and other things in Law 9 we could make a similar blanket ban minus exceptions for each thing.

This is a little too close to rewriting a cricket Law but there's no other easy way to make this move forwards. 

Does this get us anywhere?

From the Laws of Cricket (2017 Code 3rd edition) (2022)	PROPOSED NEW REGULATION
	Preamble: Maintenance of Pitch, Ground and setup of playing equipment for each match is always the shared duty and responsibility of the participating teams and their clubs. It is expected that all practices and equipment used will be appropriate and done in the spirit of cricket.
LAW 9  PREPARATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE PLAYING AREA	9.6 Law 9.1 Rolling will be replaced by the following.
9.1 Rolling The pitch shall not be rolled during the match except as permitted in 9.1.1 and 9.1.2. 9.1.1 Frequency and duration of rolling During the match the pitch may be rolled at the request of the captain of the batting side, for a period of not more than 7 minutes, before the start of each innings, other than the first innings of the match, and before the start of each subsequent day’s play. See 9.1.4. 9.1.2 Rolling after a delayed start In addition to the rolling permitted above, if, after the toss and before the first innings of the match, the start is delayed, the captain of the batting side may request that the pitch be rolled for not more than 7 minutes. However, if the umpires together agree that the delay has had no significant effect on the state of the pitch, they shall refuse such request for rolling of the pitch. 9.1.3 Choice of rollers If there is more than one roller available the captain of the batting side shall choose which one is to be used. 9.1.4 Timing of permitted rolling The rolling permitted (maximum 7 minutes) before play begins on any day shall be started not more than 30 minutes before the time scheduled or rescheduled for play to begin. The captain of the batting side may, however, delay the start of such rolling until not less than 10 minutes before the time scheduled or rescheduled for play to begin.	9.7 Rolling 9.7.1 The pitch will not be rolled during the course of the match. 9.7.2 Pitch rolling may be required during a match for reasons of weather or maintenance but will only be done with the permission of match umpire(s) or (in the absence of a match umpire) agreement from BOTH captains.
9.2 Clearing debris from the pitch 9.2.1 The pitch shall be cleared of any debris 9.2.1.1 before the start of each day’s play. This shall be after the completion of mowing and before any rolling, not earlier than 30 minutes nor later than 10 minutes before the time or any rescheduled time for start of play. 9.2.1.2 between innings. This shall precede rolling if any is to take place. 9.2.1.3 at all intervals for meals. 9.2.2 The clearance of debris in 9.2.1 shall be done by sweeping, except where the umpires consider that this may be detrimental to the surface of the pitch. In this case the debris must be cleared from that area by hand, without sweeping. 9.2.3 In addition to 9.2.1, debris may be cleared from the pitch by hand, without sweeping, before mowing and whenever either umpire considers it necessary.	9.8 Further parts of Law 9 will be followed where appropriate. 9.8.1 Clearing debris from the pitch is permitted as per Law 9.2. 9.8.2 Mowing is permitted as per Law 9.3. Wherever possible the outfield mowing should not favour one side over another from one day's play compared to another. 9.8.3 Watering the pitch during the match is not permitted as per Law 9.4 9.8.4 Re-marking creases is permitted as per Law 9.5 9.8.5 Maintenance of footholes is permitted as per Law 9.6 9.8.6 Securing of footholds and maintenance of pitch is permitted as per Law 9.7 9.8.7 Provisions for Non turf pitches in Law 9.8 are not applicable in QSDCA cricket.
9.3 Mowing 9.3.1 Responsibility for mowing 9.3.1.1 All mowings which are carried out before the match shall be the sole responsibility of the Ground Authority. 9.3.1.2 All subsequent mowings shall be carried out under the supervision of the umpires. 9.3.2 The pitch and outfield In order that throughout the match the ground conditions should be as nearly the same for both sides as possible, both the pitch and the outfield shall be mown on each day of the match on which play is expected to take place, if ground and weather conditions permit. If, for reasons other than conditions of ground or weather, complete mowing of the outfield is not possible, the Ground Authority shall notify the captains and umpires of the procedure to be adopted for such mowing during the match. 9.3.3 Timing of mowing 9.3.3.1 Mowing of the pitch on any day shall be completed not later than 30 minutes before the time scheduled or rescheduled for play to begin on that day, before any sweeping prior to rolling. If necessary, debris may be removed from the pitch before mowing, by hand, without sweeping. See 9.2.3. 9.3.3.2 Mowing of the outfield on any day shall be completed not later than 15 minutes before the time scheduled or rescheduled for play to begin on that day.
9.4 Watering the pitch The pitch shall not be watered during the match.
9.5 Re-marking creases Creases shall be re-marked whenever either umpire considers it necessary.
9.6 Maintenance of footholes The umpires shall ensure that the holes made by the bowlers and batters are cleaned out and dried whenever necessary to facilitate play. In matches of more than one day’s duration, the umpires shall allow, if necessary, the re- turfing of footholes made by the bowlers in their delivery strides, or the use of quick-setting fillings for the same purpose.
9.7 Securing of footholds and maintenance of pitch During play, umpires shall allow the players to secure their footholds by the use of sawdust provided that no damage to the pitch is caused and that Law 41 (Unfair play) is not contravened.
9.8 Non-turf pitches Wherever appropriate, the provisions set out in 9.1 to 9.7 shall apply.

ABM 12-Jun-2022

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