Most oppressive conditions you've played cricket in....

[Red]

Our local cricket association decided not to cancel matches on Black Saturday. Temp was about 44 degrees where we were playing, and the hot north wind was blowing about a million miles an hour. Trees were nearly touching the ground the wind was so strong. Such a surreal afternoon. We didn't realise what had happened with the fires until we finished.

Anyway, that day I distinctly recall how much fluid I drank. I'd brought along three litres of Powerade, and as well as that I drank four litres of water, and probably a litre of cordial in the four or five hours we played (we were bowling and I bowled about 15 overs). I kid you not, NOTHING came out of me that night, and I didn't need to piss until after lunch on the Sunday. Bizarre.

What is the most oppressive conditions you've played in?


* our comp has now decided that if the forecast temp is over 40 degrees, all matches are cancelled. Anything over 35 degrees is captain's discretion.

 

[uvelocity]

softcocks. over 40 we get extra drink breaks. during one heatwave they decided to allow fielders to take water on the field with them but could get penalty runs if the ball hit the bottle, which it didn't luckily.

 

[Dan]

I remember playing a match when I was 15, filling in for my dad's team. I think it was my first seniors game for which I was actually on the team sheet.

It was 40 degrees and humid, no wind whatsoever, and we got the lovely job of fielding in the conditions. I, ever so lucky, am asked to run fine leg to deep backward square for much of the day (and only deep backward square because the spinner was operating). So I'm basically running to get into position each over, let alone to field the ball - and this was a big ground.

I dropped a diving, low boundary catch and the spinner got pissed off with me. Every second over fielders were running to a tap for drinks; lucky for them they had a tap just outside the boundary on their side of the field.

So we complete our 45 overs and switch over. But during the innings break, a massive southerly comes in and starts freezing the place. Clouds roll over and there's a ****ing rain delay. My dad, not playing because he tore his calf the week before (lucky) returns from buying bags of ice and fifty or so bottles of water to completely different conditions.

Having been absolutely ****ed over by the heat, and now freezing our arses off, we get rolled and go down by a big margin. Not a fun introduction to seniors cricket.

 

[Red]

I actually don't mind the heat. We had an incident a few years ago when an older bloke from another club playing lower grade died. He was filling in, unfit and o/weight, and it was bloody hot that day. He had a heart attack. Think the comp got a bit more nervy then.

 

[Noble One]

Hardly oppressive conditions, however it started to snow lightly during a game I played approximately 7-8 years ago. It would have been during early November. Insane.

 

[IamSpartacus]

I played at a dog track where the oval was roped off quite a ways inside the track fence and they were using sprinklers on the grass surrounding the playing field which for whatever reason was creating this jock-drenching humidity which we had to bowl in. By the time we batted it had dissipated. On the bright side I took my career best figures of 4-45. I've always thought it was the conditions 'cos I never got such massive dip with my leggies before or since.

 

[adub]

I'm hopeless once it gets over 40. Twice had to retire hurt due to heat exhaustion on a couple of 42 days. First time was a semi where I was going nicely on about 40, but standing at the non-strikers end in the last over before lunch it hit me and I had to go off before I fell.

Other time was a similar day. This time made it to the break, but just went and stood in the shower with my pads still on and didn't come out.

Yeah I know - softcock. Never really been too badly affected in the field, but batting in those temps, I got nothin.

 

[Chubb]

Only played in UK and NZ. Hottest I ever played in was about 35c during a heatwave in Britain c.2006. Coldest definitely in Southland...

 

[Shri]

Bare foot cricket on the rooftops as a kid. Foot was blistered to hell most of the time in summers.

 

[VCC44]

We wouldn't face anything like those conditions in Northern Ireland, anything over 25 and we think it's a heat wave.

On the complete opposite, some of the conditions we've played in rain wise has been a joke. This summer was the wettest on record for 100 years and we ended up playing a re-arranged game on a pitch that was close to being a swimming pool while it was still bucketing down, just because we hadn't played in that long. I pity the Aussie fella who plays for us, he say in all his time back home he can only recall 1 game being called off for rain, then he moves here where we can barely get a match played.

 

[ankitj]

I have played cricket under Indian National Congress' rule.

 

[MrPrez]

I've played in heat tons - sucks big time.

Also played on a field once where woman would walk across the field to get out of the neighbouring township and into the urban areas! Same place had a dog and some monkeys run onto the field from neighbouring bushes. Strange tstl.

 

[Neil Pickup]

We wouldn't face anything like those conditions in Northern Ireland, anything over 25 and we think it's a heat wave.

On the complete opposite, some of the conditions we've played in rain wise has been a joke. This summer was the wettest on record for 100 years and we ended up playing a re-arranged game on a pitch that was close to being a swimming pool while it was still bucketing down, just because we hadn't played in that long. I pity the Aussie fella who plays for us, he say in all his time back home he can only recall 1 game being called off for rain, then he moves here where we can barely get a match played.

Yeah, this. We played one game in constant driving rain. I was stumped by a yard or two, having ended up face-first in the dirt and soaked to the skin, and it was described as "like taking guard in a chicken curry" by the last over.

 

[Eds]

Once had to appear for the 3s, and the temperature got into the mid-to-high 20s. Absolute scorcher.

 

[Migara]

Usually any game in Colombo is tough due to humidity.

The toughest I played was at Radella, where temperature was about 6 celcius in the morning, with a very strong wind. The hands just keeps stinging when the ball is fielded. It was near impossible to spin the ball as it has frozen the fingers. Then bowled some dibbly dobblies and enjoyed the swing available and in the process taking a wicket.

 

[Top_Cat]

46 degrees and 90% humidity, 1-over spells saved us from dying. Was ridic. The nurry was hot to the touch, no ****.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Watched a mate score a hundred on black saturday, 49 degrees, and he'd done a pre-season footy running session in the morning. Unbelievable effort.

 

[Daemon]

i'm just here to show off and brag, don't mind me.

try fighting a bush fire in 30-35 degrees for four hours after laying hoses for a kilometre to the nearest hydrant while wearing full bunker gear. that's just in singapore. can't imagine what the australian fire fighters must be going through when they come up against those crazy bush fires australia regularly have.

 

[Burgey]

Played a one dayer in 02-03 when the temp maxed out at 46 degrees. Lost the toss and fielded first. Rolled them cheaply and managed a win. God it was awful playing that day. Horrendous.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Amazing on super hot days how often you rock and roll a side. Sometimes the curators leave a bit of extra juice in the wicket, afraid it will dry out, plus I think that the extra drinks breaks can favour the bowling side too, more breaks in play make it harder for the batsman.