The Flicx Home Cricket Academy – “How does it play??”

In a previous blog post we provided the information needed to build your own Home Academy. This article will describe how the pitch played on the artificial sub surface. The sub artificial surface made from compact aggregate produced a robust surface for the Flicx cricket pitch to be rolled out on. The sub surface is only an option if your grass lawn does not provide an adequate surface for the Flicx pitch to be laid out on (ie. uneven or soft surface).

Bowling

The hard under artificial sub-base surface provided an ideal base for the Flicx Pitch. Although, a firm grass under surface with short grass will provide just as an ideal surface for a Flicx pitch.

 A regular cricket ball was bouncing to bail height off a good length which is indicative to a standard grass (club level) cricket pitch in the United Kingdom. The pitch produced consistently throughout, and both carry and bounce were reliable. The pitch allowed for realistic turn and bounce offering something for the spin bowlers too. Other balls such as wind balls and hard tennis balls will have varying bounce and carry dependant on the weight, size, and makeup of the ball used on the surface.  As replicated below the bounce was true and consistent off a good length delivery to hit the top of middle stump.

Batting

Dependent on the variation of the balls that were used on the surface, realistic conditions were produced with both turn and the occasional two paced delivery to keep the batters guessing. The Flicx pitch provided the ideal conditions for a batsman to face variation like they would on a grass wicket. The ball had a consistent bounce for the batter to rely on and play through the line of the ball.