Extreme weather means more than just rain stops play these days

“Rain stopped play” is one of the most dismal phrases associated with cricket. It conjures up images of spectators raising umbrellas in unison, of those without weatherproofs scrambling to find places of refuge and of decisions to be made as to whether to stay at the ground in the hope of play resuming.

Historically, such circumstances have typified Britain. However, as professional cricket has spread, both in terms of the countries in which it is played and into seasons which carry greater risks of adverse weather conditions, the chances of disruption have increased.

Additionally, the specter of climate change has wrought even more havoc with the task of preparing pitches and outfields, as well as keeping matches in play.

Several weeks ago, I had the good fortune to speak with Mick Hunt, former head groundsman at Lord’s Cricket Ground, London. Mick began his association with Lord’s in 1969, becoming the chief in 1985 until his retirement in 2018, a total of 49 years of experience in cricket ground curation. Thus, he is well placed to reflect on the changes which have occurred. Over the last 10 to 15 years, he believes that rainstorms have become heavier and more intense, and that four to five days of continuously warm temperatures have become more common. If they occur at critical times in the preparation sequence, then problems arise.

In Mick’s view, about 80 percent of what groundkeepers should set out to achieve — a pitch that provides for an even contest between bat and ball — is determined by the weather. In 2017, the UK Climate Coalition published a Game Changer Report which examined how climate change is impacting sports in the UK. Its message was that “of all the major pitch sports, cricket will be hardest