Cricket Weather

Spectators and players alike take a keen interest in the weather in the run-up to and during cricket matches. Light, rain, wind, heat, and sunshine can all have an effect on tactics, skill, and even whether the match can go ahead.

In addition to the groundsmen, the teams are also keen to hear the weather forecasts. Prior to a match, they will be keeping a close eye on it, considering tactics and batting orders. They will want to know of any wind that could help or hinder the bowlers or predicted high temperatures, which could exhaust the players or affect the surface of the pitch. Some captains may plan their batting orders, or may decide if they want to field first, after looking at a detailed five day forecast for a five day international match.

The weather can affect the bounce of the ball and the way it is bowled. After very humid or wet weather, the wickets and ground may dry up quickly causing the ball to grip the ground more when it bounces resulting in problems for batters.

Some players feel that humidity can help with the swing of the ball. However, there is little evidence to prove this theory and the difference in the swing between humid conditions and dry conditions is actually negligible.

For the players it was even worse as they were losing an estimated two litres in sweat every hour, increasing their chances of dehydration, exhaustion, and heat stroke. Similar conditions in Brisbane during the 1994-1995 Ashes tour caused health problems for Graham Thorpe, who ended up on a drip in hospital.

Out of all of the Australian venues, Brisbane is actually the most likely to be affected by rain as the cricket season takes place during the city’s wet season (December to March), where sudden sharp showers, thunderstorms, and even cyclones can occur. Test matches in the city are often interrupted by rain, even if only for a short period of time. Incidentally, several years ago, the Colonial Stadium in Melbourne, Australia became the first place to host an international cricket series indoor, by closing its retractable roof.

Back home we have seen our fair share of weather-interrupted cricket. Most notably was probably the snow in June 1975 which fell on the 2nd of the month in many parts of the UK. The county championship match between Derbyshire and Lancashire was immediately abandoned following the snowfall. Similar conditions in 1999, but this time in April, also led to the abandonment of fixtures across the country, however, it isn’t as unusual to have snow at this time of year.