<strong>5 Most dangerous cricket pitches: </strong>The contest between the bat and the ball, the simplest way to define cricket. Only if it was the same in operation. Several factors like weather, ground, pitch, and dew, determine the way a cricket match is to unfold. And these also lend the much required aspect of unpredictability to a game. The gentleman’s game is perhaps the most impacted by the nature of the surface you are playing on, than any other sport.

And despite the general trend of flatter pitches allover the world, there are still tracks who have retained their venom and are a challenge to the best of the batsmen. A pitch with uneven bounce or an odd behaving surface can be quite dangerous for the batting side. Batsmen allover the world can take this article as a warning or in their interests by a wise man.

<strong>The most dangerous pitches in Cricket:</strong>

<strong>1. P. Saravanamuttu Stadium, Colombo:</strong>

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2015/10/Sri-Lankan-spinner-Dilruwan-Perera-C-and-teammates-successfully-appeal-for-a-Leg-Before-Wicket-GettyImages-452838510.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class=" wp-image-39193" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Sri-Lankan-spinner-Dilruwan-Perera-C-and-teammates-successfully-appeal-for-a-Leg-Before-Wicket-GettyImages-452838510.jpg" alt="Colombo Pitch" width="457" height="303" sizes="(max-width: 457px) 100vw, 457px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-39193" class="wp-caption-text">AFP PHOTO/ LAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHI (Photo credit should read LAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHI/AFP/Getty Images)</figcaption>

India played a warm-up match against the Sri Lankan Board XI at the P. Saravanamuttu Stadium (also known as the Colombo Oval) before the real series back in 2001. The first two days were pretty normal and the Sri Lankan Board XI managed to get 326 runs on the board before being bowled out. However, on the third day, the bounce became quite odd and the ball rose almost to the shoulder level even from good length! The match was then called off just after 0.2 overs of the third day and the umpires stated that the P. Saravanamuttu Stadium pitch was not fit for play and was dangerous.

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2015/10/WACA-on-November-2-2014-in-Perth-AustraliaGettyImages-458274880.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class=" wp-image-39194" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/WACA-on-November-2-2014-in-Perth-AustraliaGettyImages-458274880.jpg" alt="WACA Perth PItch" width="459" height="306" sizes="(max-width: 459px) 100vw, 459px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-39194" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo by Paul Kane &#8211; CA/Cricket Australia/Getty Images)</figcaption>

WACA stands for Western Australia cricket association, and the ground (commonly termed as Perth) has a pitch known to add extra jump to every delivery that kisses it. Cricketers mostly have to play out of their skins to win a cricket match there (bat first or second hardly matters), and arguably the fastest pitch in the world demands more application from batsmen than anywhere else.

They say its in the clay! In south of Western Australia &#8211; there&#8217;s a place called Waroona from where curator Sam Sutherland imported the clay in a bid to revive the carry bowlers used to get at WACA pitch in the seventies. This was done after the 2010-11 Test between Australia and England. Earlier in 2000 an interstate match had to be suspended when umpires decided the pitch was too dangerous to proceed.

<strong>3. Sabina Park, Jamaica:</strong>

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2015/10/Michael-Clarke-of-Australia-inspects-the-pitch-GettyImages-476682240.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class=" wp-image-39195" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Michael-Clarke-of-Australia-inspects-the-pitch-GettyImages-476682240.jpg" alt="KINGSTON, JAMAICA" width="430" height="299" sizes="(max-width: 430px) 100vw, 430px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-39195" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)</figcaption>

Even the best of pitches if ignored by the ground staff become a graveyard for the batsmen. England found that out, much to their discomfort, in the first Test of their series in the West Indies in 1998, when they were sent packing for 51 at Sabina Park.

In fact, Kingston is one of the few venues that have regularly offered support to the bowlers over the last few years: Steve Harmison took 7 for 12 here in 2004, Corey Collymore bagged 7 for 57 against Sri Lanka in 2003, and 7 for 78 against Pakistan in 2005, while Stuart Clark nailed 5 for 32 in 2008. The inconsistent bounce is very dangerous apart from the cracks that make judging the line difficult. During that Test match in 1998 between West Indies and England, many were left bruised due to the sorry state of the pitch.

<strong>4. Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi:</strong>

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2015/10/Feroz-Shah-Kotla-pitch.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class=" wp-image-39198" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Feroz-Shah-Kotla-pitch.jpg" alt="Feroz Shah Kotla pitch" width="452" height="293" sizes="(max-width: 452px) 100vw, 452px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-39198" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo Source: Getty Images)</figcaption>

Delhi has been a Traditional Test centre and Kotla is the same ground where Anil Kumble routed the Pakistanis to become only the second bowler after Jim Laker to take 10 wickets in a Test innings. But the pitch here came under severe criticism in 2009. The fifth and final ODI of a series against Sri Lanka which India had already won was called off after the pitch was deemed too dangerous for play. The pitch was later classified as unfit in the match referees report and handed a 12 month ban by the ICC. Run by the DDCA and founded way back in 1883 this was a blot on the the ground&#8217;s celebrated history. Till date it is the most controversial venues and officials think twice before awarding it a big game.

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2015/10/South-African-batsman-Rillee-Russouw-is-bowled-out-by-West-Indies-bowler-GettyImages-461627504.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class=" wp-image-39199" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/South-African-batsman-Rillee-Russouw-is-bowled-out-by-West-Indies-bowler-GettyImages-461627504.jpg" alt="South African batsman Rillee Russouw" width="420" height="257" sizes="(max-width: 420px) 100vw, 420px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-39199" class="wp-caption-text">AFP PHOTO/ANESH DEBIKY<br>RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE (Photo credit should read ANESH DEBIKY/AFP/Getty Images)</figcaption>

It has seen many batting collapses over the years and whether it come to Tests or ODIs pacers simply rule the roosts here. If we look at decade wise fast bowling averages it might have got somewhat higher but the extra grass left these days more than compensates. It is easily the fastest pitch in South Africa and probably the second fastest in the world after Perth. It is no surprise the top 8 wicket takers on this ground are all pacers. Playing here even South Africa are not privilege to the home advantage as even military medium quicks (like from India) extract plenty and trouble the strong South African batting line up.

<p><strong>5 Most dangerous cricket pitches:&nbsp;</strong>The contest between the bat and the ball, the simplest way to define cricket. Only if it was the same in operation. Several factors like weather, ground, pitch, and dew, determine the way a cricket match is to unfold. And these also lend the much required aspect of unpredictability to a game. The gentleman’s game is perhaps the most impacted by the nature of the surface you are playing on, than any other sport.</p>
<p>And despite the general trend of flatter pitches allover the world, there are still tracks who have retained their venom and are a challenge to the best of the batsmen. A pitch with uneven bounce or an odd behaving surface can be quite dangerous for the batting side. Batsmen allover the world can take this article as a warning or in their interests by a wise man.</p>
<h4><strong>The most dangerous pitches in Cricket:</strong></h4>
<h4><strong>1. P. Saravanamuttu Stadium, Colombo:</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_39193" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-39193" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2015/10/Sri-Lankan-spinner-Dilruwan-Perera-C-and-teammates-successfully-appeal-for-a-Leg-Before-Wicket-GettyImages-452838510.jpg"><amp-img class=" wp-image-39193" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Sri-Lankan-spinner-Dilruwan-Perera-C-and-teammates-successfully-appeal-for-a-Leg-Before-Wicket-GettyImages-452838510.jpg" alt="Colombo Pitch" width="457" height="303" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-39193" class="wp-caption-text">AFP PHOTO/ LAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHI (Photo credit should read LAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHI/AFP/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
<p>India played a warm-up match against the Sri Lankan Board XI at&nbsp;the&nbsp;P. Saravanamuttu Stadium&nbsp;(also known as the Colombo Oval) before the real series back in 2001. The first two days were pretty normal and the Sri Lankan Board XI managed to get 326 runs on the board before being bowled out. However, on the third day, the bounce became quite odd and the ball rose almost to the shoulder level even from good length! The match was then called off just after 0.2 overs of the third day and the umpires stated that the P. Saravanamuttu Stadium pitch&nbsp;was not fit for play and was dangerous.</p>
<h4><strong>2. WACA, Perth:</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_39194" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-39194" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2015/10/WACA-on-November-2-2014-in-Perth-AustraliaGettyImages-458274880.jpg"><amp-img class=" wp-image-39194" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/WACA-on-November-2-2014-in-Perth-AustraliaGettyImages-458274880.jpg" alt="WACA Perth PItch" width="459" height="306" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-39194" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo by Paul Kane – CA/Cricket Australia/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
<p>WACA stands for Western Australia cricket association, and the ground (commonly termed as Perth) has a pitch known to add extra jump to every delivery that kisses it. Cricketers mostly have to play out of their skins to win a cricket match there (bat first or second hardly matters), and arguably the fastest pitch in the world demands more application from batsmen than anywhere else.</p>
<p>They say its in the clay! In south of Western Australia – there’s a place called Waroona from where curator Sam Sutherland imported the clay in a bid to revive the carry bowlers used to get at WACA pitch in the seventies. This was done after the 2010-11 Test between Australia and England. Earlier in 2000 an interstate match had to be suspended when umpires decided the pitch was too dangerous to proceed.</p>
<h4><strong>3. Sabina Park, Jamaica:</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_39195" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-39195" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2015/10/Michael-Clarke-of-Australia-inspects-the-pitch-GettyImages-476682240.jpg"><amp-img class=" wp-image-39195" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Michael-Clarke-of-Australia-inspects-the-pitch-GettyImages-476682240.jpg" alt="KINGSTON, JAMAICA" width="430" height="299" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-39195" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
<p>Even the best of pitches if ignored by the ground staff become a graveyard for the batsmen. England found that out, much to their discomfort, in the&nbsp;first Test&nbsp;of their series in the West Indies in 1998, when they were sent packing for 51 at Sabina Park.</p>
<p>In fact, Kingston is one of the few venues that have regularly offered support to the bowlers over the last few years: Steve Harmison took&nbsp;7 for 12&nbsp;here in 2004, Corey Collymore bagged&nbsp;7 for 57&nbsp;against Sri Lanka in 2003, and&nbsp;7 for 78&nbsp;against Pakistan in 2005, while Stuart Clark nailed&nbsp;5 for 32&nbsp;in 2008. The inconsistent bounce is very dangerous apart from the cracks that make judging the line difficult. During that Test match in 1998 between West Indies and England, many were left bruised due to the sorry state of the pitch.</p>
<h4><strong>4. Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi:</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_39198" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-39198" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2015/10/Feroz-Shah-Kotla-pitch.jpg"><amp-img class=" wp-image-39198" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Feroz-Shah-Kotla-pitch.jpg" alt="Feroz Shah Kotla pitch" width="452" height="293" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-39198" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo Source: Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
<p>Delhi has been a Traditional Test centre and Kotla is the same ground where Anil Kumble routed the Pakistanis to become only the second bowler after Jim Laker to take 10 wickets in a Test innings. But the pitch here came under severe criticism in 2009. The fifth and final ODI of a series against Sri Lanka which India had already won was called off after the pitch was deemed too dangerous for play. The pitch was later classified as unfit in the match referees report and handed a 12 month ban by the ICC. Run by the DDCA and founded way back in 1883 this was a blot on the the ground’s celebrated history. Till date it is the most controversial venues and officials think twice before awarding it a big game.</p>
<h4><strong>5. Kingsmead,&nbsp;Durban:</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_39199" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-39199" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2015/10/South-African-batsman-Rillee-Russouw-is-bowled-out-by-West-Indies-bowler-GettyImages-461627504.jpg"><amp-img class=" wp-image-39199" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/South-African-batsman-Rillee-Russouw-is-bowled-out-by-West-Indies-bowler-GettyImages-461627504.jpg" alt="South African batsman Rillee Russouw" width="420" height="257" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-39199" class="wp-caption-text">AFP PHOTO/ANESH DEBIKY<br>RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE (Photo credit should read ANESH DEBIKY/AFP/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
<p>It has seen many batting collapses over the years and whether it come to Tests or ODIs pacers simply rule the roosts here. If we look at decade wise fast bowling averages it might have got somewhat higher but the extra grass left these days more than compensates. It is easily the fastest pitch in South Africa and probably the second fastest in the world after Perth. It is no surprise the top 8 wicket takers on this ground are all pacers. Playing here even South Africa are not privilege to the home advantage as even military medium quicks (like from India) extract plenty and trouble the strong South African batting line up.</p>

<p><strong>5 Most dangerous cricket pitches: </strong>The contest between the bat and the ball, the simplest way to define cricket. Only if it was the same in operation. Several factors like weather, ground, pitch, and dew, determine the way a cricket match is to unfold. And these also lend the much required aspect of unpredictability to a game. The gentleman’s game is perhaps the most impacted by the nature of the surface you are playing on, than any other sport.</p>
<p>And despite the general trend of flatter pitches allover the world, there are still tracks who have retained their venom and are a challenge to the best of the batsmen. A pitch with uneven bounce or an odd behaving surface can be quite dangerous for the batting side. Batsmen allover the world can take this article as a warning or in their interests by a wise man.</p>
<h4><strong>The most dangerous pitches in Cricket:</strong></h4>
<h4><strong>1. P. Saravanamuttu Stadium, Colombo:</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_39193" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-39193" style="width: 457px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2015/10/Sri-Lankan-spinner-Dilruwan-Perera-C-and-teammates-successfully-appeal-for-a-Leg-Before-Wicket-GettyImages-452838510.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class=" wp-image-39193" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Sri-Lankan-spinner-Dilruwan-Perera-C-and-teammates-successfully-appeal-for-a-Leg-Before-Wicket-GettyImages-452838510.jpg" alt="Colombo Pitch" width="457" height="303" sizes="(max-width: 457px) 100vw, 457px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-39193" class="wp-caption-text">AFP PHOTO/ LAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHI (Photo credit should read LAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHI/AFP/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
<p>India played a warm-up match against the Sri Lankan Board XI at the P. Saravanamuttu Stadium (also known as the Colombo Oval) before the real series back in 2001. The first two days were pretty normal and the Sri Lankan Board XI managed to get 326 runs on the board before being bowled out. However, on the third day, the bounce became quite odd and the ball rose almost to the shoulder level even from good length! The match was then called off just after 0.2 overs of the third day and the umpires stated that the P. Saravanamuttu Stadium pitch was not fit for play and was dangerous.</p>
<h4><strong>2. WACA, Perth:</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_39194" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-39194" style="width: 459px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2015/10/WACA-on-November-2-2014-in-Perth-AustraliaGettyImages-458274880.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class=" wp-image-39194" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/WACA-on-November-2-2014-in-Perth-AustraliaGettyImages-458274880.jpg" alt="WACA Perth PItch" width="459" height="306" sizes="(max-width: 459px) 100vw, 459px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-39194" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo by Paul Kane &#8211; CA/Cricket Australia/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
<p>WACA stands for Western Australia cricket association, and the ground (commonly termed as Perth) has a pitch known to add extra jump to every delivery that kisses it. Cricketers mostly have to play out of their skins to win a cricket match there (bat first or second hardly matters), and arguably the fastest pitch in the world demands more application from batsmen than anywhere else.</p>
<p>They say its in the clay! In south of Western Australia &#8211; there&#8217;s a place called Waroona from where curator Sam Sutherland imported the clay in a bid to revive the carry bowlers used to get at WACA pitch in the seventies. This was done after the 2010-11 Test between Australia and England. Earlier in 2000 an interstate match had to be suspended when umpires decided the pitch was too dangerous to proceed.</p>
<h4><strong>3. Sabina Park, Jamaica:</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_39195" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-39195" style="width: 430px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2015/10/Michael-Clarke-of-Australia-inspects-the-pitch-GettyImages-476682240.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class=" wp-image-39195" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Michael-Clarke-of-Australia-inspects-the-pitch-GettyImages-476682240.jpg" alt="KINGSTON, JAMAICA" width="430" height="299" sizes="(max-width: 430px) 100vw, 430px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-39195" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
<p>Even the best of pitches if ignored by the ground staff become a graveyard for the batsmen. England found that out, much to their discomfort, in the first Test of their series in the West Indies in 1998, when they were sent packing for 51 at Sabina Park.</p>
<p>In fact, Kingston is one of the few venues that have regularly offered support to the bowlers over the last few years: Steve Harmison took 7 for 12 here in 2004, Corey Collymore bagged 7 for 57 against Sri Lanka in 2003, and 7 for 78 against Pakistan in 2005, while Stuart Clark nailed 5 for 32 in 2008. The inconsistent bounce is very dangerous apart from the cracks that make judging the line difficult. During that Test match in 1998 between West Indies and England, many were left bruised due to the sorry state of the pitch.</p>
<h4><strong>4. Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi:</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_39198" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-39198" style="width: 452px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2015/10/Feroz-Shah-Kotla-pitch.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class=" wp-image-39198" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Feroz-Shah-Kotla-pitch.jpg" alt="Feroz Shah Kotla pitch" width="452" height="293" sizes="(max-width: 452px) 100vw, 452px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-39198" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo Source: Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
<p>Delhi has been a Traditional Test centre and Kotla is the same ground where Anil Kumble routed the Pakistanis to become only the second bowler after Jim Laker to take 10 wickets in a Test innings. But the pitch here came under severe criticism in 2009. The fifth and final ODI of a series against Sri Lanka which India had already won was called off after the pitch was deemed too dangerous for play. The pitch was later classified as unfit in the match referees report and handed a 12 month ban by the ICC. Run by the DDCA and founded way back in 1883 this was a blot on the the ground&#8217;s celebrated history. Till date it is the most controversial venues and officials think twice before awarding it a big game.</p>
<h4><strong>5. Kingsmead, Durban:</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_39199" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-39199" style="width: 420px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2015/10/South-African-batsman-Rillee-Russouw-is-bowled-out-by-West-Indies-bowler-GettyImages-461627504.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class=" wp-image-39199" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/South-African-batsman-Rillee-Russouw-is-bowled-out-by-West-Indies-bowler-GettyImages-461627504.jpg" alt="South African batsman Rillee Russouw" width="420" height="257" sizes="(max-width: 420px) 100vw, 420px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-39199" class="wp-caption-text">AFP PHOTO/ANESH DEBIKY<br>RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE (Photo credit should read ANESH DEBIKY/AFP/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
<p>It has seen many batting collapses over the years and whether it come to Tests or ODIs pacers simply rule the roosts here. If we look at decade wise fast bowling averages it might have got somewhat higher but the extra grass left these days more than compensates. It is easily the fastest pitch in South Africa and probably the second fastest in the world after Perth. It is no surprise the top 8 wicket takers on this ground are all pacers. Playing here even South Africa are not privilege to the home advantage as even military medium quicks (like from India) extract plenty and trouble the strong South African batting line up.</p>

5 Most dangerous cricket pitches

5 most dangerous pitches in Cricket: The contest between the bat and the ball, the simplest way to define Cricket. Only if it was the same in operation.....