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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.
Cricket grounds employ
tacticians who will probably have very good local knowledge
and be expert in the local weather. They will be in touch
with meteorologists for up-to the minute information so they
are prepared for any type of weather which could affect play.
 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 which 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 as the ball swings more. Humidity
is also said to help the swing of the ball through the air
as it is more dense than dry air, increasing the drag on the
ball, and therefore increasing the swing.
The heat can be a major
problem for the players and spectators. During England’s recent
tour of Sri Lanka, temperatures in the mid to high 30’s made
it quite uncomfortable for those watching the match in the
strong sunshine. 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, the
Colonial Stadium in Melbourne, Australia, last year became
the first place to host an international cricket series indoor,
by closing its retractable roof.
By contrast, Pakistan
is the driest location for Test cricket. Places such as Hyderabad
have about a quarter of the amount of rainfall in a year than
what we would experience at grounds such as Lords in London.
Matches in Pakistan are rarely interrupted by rain. However,
in northern Pakistan, it has been known for Test matches to
be abandoned even though it hasn’t rained due to high pollution
levels in cities such as Faisalabad, which make visibility
very poor.
Back home and we’ve
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.
In comparison, the
hottest Test match day in this country was not long after
the snow in June 1975. Temperatures at Lord’s reached 34C.
Ten years prior to that, -8C was recorded at Edgbaston in
1965, making it the lowest temperature recorded for a test
match in England.
Useful link
BBC
Sport's Cricket section
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