Well, the different varieties of pitches around the world can actually be innumerable if you take into account the soil composition, the amount of watering it has got, the weather around the place, amount of rolling, grass type and quantity, whether its a drop-in or a regular pitch.
But, for the sake of comparison, the types of pitches can be bracketed into the following 5 categories:
1. Fast & bouncy pitches
Typical fast-bowler's paradise.
These are usually found in places like South Africa and Australia. They have good carry and the ball doesn't lose too much pace on pitching. Balls pitching on good length can sometimes get steep bounce up to the rib-cage area.
Personally, the most exciting cricket is seen when an express fast bowler bends his back on fast pitches and gets the ball rise up to the batsman's nose.
Pitches in the West Indies used to the fast in the 70s and 80s but now are mostly low and slow.
2. Slow and low pitches
Pitches like these are found in Sri Lanka, West Indies, Zimbabwe and sometimes in Bangladesh.
These pitches have no life for fast-bowlers and offer no turn for spinners as well. Run-scoring is difficult and 250+ scores in ODIs are match-winning ones. Slow bowlers who hold a tight line and length are most effective on these.
In short, they don't offer too exciting cricket for the spectator.
3. Flat pitches
Typical batsman's paradise. Run-scoring is really easy and 300+ scores in ODIs are easily chased down. These pitches are found all over the world because it offers unlimited run-scoring and entertainment for the spectator. Mostly, sub-continental pitches are flat.
Mind you, flat pitches can be fast & bouncy pitches as well because run-scoring is also not too difficult on fast pitches provided the batsmen are of decent quality.
4. Spinning pitches
Most test pitches in the sub-continent (and sometimes, elsewhere) break-up and start offering turn by Day 4 and 5. Turning pitches help both finger and wrist spinners and can offer variable bounce as well.
Run-scoring can be difficult for batsmen not brought up on turn.
5. Seaming pitches
Easily confused with swinging conditions, these have a lot of live grass on top of the surface and offer lateral movement for seamers. Mind you, not fast bowlers, but also medium pacers and fast-medium bowlers are the people who extract the most amount of movement off the pitch.
These are mostly found in the UK (England, Scotland, Ireland), New Zealand and Canada. Weather conditions on wintry mornings can also produce the same effect in the sub-continent but that is mostly due to swing in the air.14.2k Views