Pitch Slang: Featherbed, Road, Sticky Wicket, Shooter
Also known as: featherbed pitch, featherbed wicket, road pitch, flat road, sticky wicket, shooter in cricket, grubber delivery
A featherbed is a soft, slow pitch with predictable bounce, and a road is a very hard, flat pitch. Both are great for batting. A sticky wicket is a difficult wet pitch. A shooter is a ball that skids low after pitching, and a grubber barely bounces at all.
Players use these words to describe how a pitch is playing. On a featherbed or a road, the ball comes onto the bat at an even height. Bowlers get little help, so batters can play their shots with confidence. Big totals are common.
A sticky wicket is the opposite. The phrase comes from wet pitches that made the ball behave unpredictably. It is now also an everyday phrase for any tricky situation.
Shooters and grubbers are a danger on old, cracked or low pitches. Because the ball stays low, a batter playing across the line can be bowled or trapped LBW. A straight bat that comes down late gives you the best chance against them.
Tips by skill level
Watch the first few overs from the boundary. Notice whether the ball bounces evenly or keeps low.
On a low pitch, favour straight-bat shots and keep the bat down late. Save the pull and cut for clearly short balls.
Example
On a road in a T20, both teams pass 200. A week later on a worn pitch, two batters are bowled by shooters that barely leave the ground.
Why it matters
Reading the pitch tells you how to bat. It helps you decide when to attack and which shots are too risky that day.
Common mistakes
- Playing cross-bat shots on a low, uneven pitch
- Getting careless on a road and throwing your wicket away
- Judging a pitch only from how it looks
- Not changing your plan when the pitch wears
Frequently asked questions
What is a featherbed pitch?
It is a soft, slow pitch with predictable bounce. It gives bowlers little help and is good for batting.
What is a shooter in cricket?
A shooter is a ball that skids low after pitching instead of bouncing as expected. It often bowls batters or traps them LBW.
What does road mean in cricket?
A road is a very hard, flat pitch with true bounce. It is ideal for batting.
Sources
Related terms
- Batting on Different PitchesRead the pitch before you bat and change your game to suit it. On a green, grassy pitch, leave more and play late. On a dry, turning pitch, use your feet and the sweep against spin. On a slow, low pitch, play straight and avoid cross-bat shots. On a bouncy pitch, judge length early and leave balls rising over the stumps.
- Straight BatPlaying with a straight bat means swinging the bat vertically, in line with the ball's path. It is the safest, most orthodox way to defend and drive full or good-length balls.
- BowledBowled is a dismissal where the ball, delivered by the bowler, hits the stumps and dislodges at least one bail. It still counts as bowled if the ball first touches the batter's bat or body on the way to the stumps (Law 32.1.1).
- LBW (Leg Before Wicket)LBW is a mode of dismissal. Under specific conditions, the umpire can rule the batter leg before wicket. That applies if the ball would have hit the stumps but the batter's pad intercepts it first.
- Playing Spin BowlingTo play spin bowling, watch the bowler's hand to read which way the ball will turn and pick up the length early. Be decisive with your feet. Go right forward to smother the spin at the pitch, or right back to play it late off the pitch. Keep your bat in front of your pad and score by playing with the turn.
Cricket analysis is in development
Motion Lab does not analyze this sport yet. Keep exploring the terms in this section.