Weather

Not the ideal weather for bat on ball - rain usually leads to play being suspended

Light, rain, heat and sunshine can all have an effect on cricket tactics, skill, the condition of the playing surface, and even whether the match can go ahead.

Spectators and players alike take a keen interest in the weather in the run-up to and during cricket matches.

Cricket grounds employ tacticians with good knowledge of the local weather.

They will be in touch with meteorologists for up-to-the-minute information so they are prepared for any type of weather which could affect play.

The teams, also, are keen to hear weather forecasts. Captains will take the weather into account when deciding whether they want to bat or field first.

The weather can affect the bounce of the ball and the way it is bowled. After very humid or wet weather, the wickets and ground may dry quickly, causing the ball to grip the ground more when it bounces, resulting in problems for batsmen.

Swing bowling, where the bowler polishes one half of the ball and literally tries to 'swing' the ball through the air, is believed to be made easier by cloudy and humid conditions.

Heat

Although sunny, dry weather is preferable for players and spectators, too much sun or heat can take its toll.

Chris Lewis was cruelly labelled "The prat without a hat" by The Sun after suffering sunstroke in the Caribbean

Former England player Chris Lewis infamously suffered sunstroke in 1994 after taking to the field in the West Indies with a freshly shaved head and no headgear.

In the often stifling heat and humidity of the Asian subcontinent or Australia, players can lose up to two litres in sweat every hour when in the field, increasing their chances of dehydration, exhaustion and heat stroke.

Such conditions in Brisbane during the 1994-95 Ashes tour caused health problems for Graham Thorpe, who ended up hospitalised on a drip.

However, of all of the Australian venues, Brisbane is actually the most likely to be affected by rain as cricket takes place there during the city's wet season, December to March, when sudden sharp showers, thunderstorms and even cyclones occur.

Cold

In the UK, bad weather often interrupts cricket matches, but it's usually in the form of rain. However, snow in June 1975 caused the abandonment of Derbyshire v Lancashire in the County Championship, and similar conditions caused havoc for fixtures in April 1999.

The coldest recorded day of Test cricket in the UK was in May 2007 when temperatures fell to 7C at Headingley during the second Test between England and West Indies.

It is perhaps unsurprising that in such cold weather the West Indians slumped to defeat by an innings and 283 runs.

Sides from warm countries typically struggle to acclimatise to the relatively cold and damp conditions at the start of the English season when they arrive on tour.

Key facts Swing bowling is believed to be made easier by humid conditions Good visibility is important when the ball is delivered at up to 100mph Players can lose up to two litres in sweat every hour when in the field

By contrast, in June 1975, the temperature reached 34C at Lord's as England took on India in the World Cup - a huge change from the snowy conditions earlier that month.

Rain

When rain stops play it can take up to 15 minutes to cover the square during a match, and longer still for play to be safe to continue after the rain has stopped.

A thick rope can be dragged over the outfield or, increasingly at better-appointed grounds, an absorbent roller can be employed, to take standing water off the surface.

The ball is damper and harder to play with after a downpour and when there is early morning dew, making conditions for the fielding side more difficult.

Visibility

Bad light is another factor. With the ball hurled towards them at speeds approaching 100mph, is it vital for safety that batsmen can see it clearly. Fielding, also, can be dangerous if the ball is hard to pick out from the background.

Poor light regularly causes play to be suspended, particularly later in the day, to the general dismay of the watching public.

Preparing the square

A good deal of preparation is required in the run-up to a cricket match.

Keeping the square - the part of the playing field on which wickets are prepared - in good condition is a science in itself.

Groundsmen typically start to step up preparation of the wicket 10 days before a major match.

The ideal pitch is an even covering of straw-coloured grass, which must not be too long or damp which would give a speed advantage to the bowler. On the other hand, if the grass is too short or the soil too dry, the ground will begin to crack.

Cricket squares always get covered both before matches and after the day's play, to minimise dampness getting into the wicket.

Groundsmen generally find that keeping the pitches in good working order gets easier as the summer progresses and the ground dries out.

However, the English summer can make the drying out of pitches unpredictable; a dry start to the season might be followed by a damp July and August.

All in all, it seems strange how such a weather-dependent game was born in a country as rainy and cloudy as England.

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