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[AlanB]

Following a match played on a fairly wet day on Saturday, was thinking what was learned from the experience, to help deal with the conditions better next time.

It was one of those days of sunshine and showers, which were forecast days ahead. The track and outfield were dry before the match commenced. The pitch did not have covers (usually the case). We batted second.

We were off 4-5 times across both innings and 10 overs were lost from the maximum of 90. Towards the end of our innings the track was requiring regular sawdust, the ball was pock-marking the surface where it pitches and my bat was slipping in the crease which was a mini mud slide.

I took two pairs of spikes, one for fielding, one for batting. Despite this, my batting spikes became compacted with soil and grass. So much so I was stumped as I was off balance with weight on my left leg whilst trying to hit a fairly wide ball down leg side. Couldn't get any traction to try and make it back. With hindsight, should have tried to clear the soles more frequently but easier said than done during a match and not much better by hand afterwards. They looked like they had a turf on the base of each foot and need to be soaked to get it all off. Another pair would have been useful, changing in the rain break.

Any other tips and advice for preparing for and dealing with such conditions?

[Abighugeappl]

Watched some player the other night on tv, scraping the bottom of his boots with one of the bails. Not sure what the other team would make of it, buts its an option.

[Blazer]

http://www.sportsdirect.com/dunlop-opti-brush-870363?colcode=87036390

[Seniorplayer]

I take to the crease a cloth and a small wooden spatula  its ideal for scraping  soil and grass from studs and marking your guard.

[Neon Cricket]

I take to the crease a cloth and a small wooden spatula  its ideal for scraping  soil and grass from studs and marking your guard.

Where do you put the spatula? Tbf in our league that would be begging to get sledged haha

[Giraffe208]

I take to the crease a cloth and a small wooden spatula  its ideal for scraping  soil and grass from studs and marking your guard.

The way I'm batting at the moment it feels like I take a spatula to the crease too!

[AlanB]

Thank you for the advice. This is relevant to club players where the tracks are not covered.

One further shower and we may have been off for good, it was getting difficult for both batters and bowlers.

Any other advice, on footwear or generally, would be interesting.

[Seniorplayer]

Neon cricket i play in your league and you are right i do get sledged.

[Rob580]

Thank you for the advice. This is relevant to club players where the tracks are not covered.

One further shower and we may have been off for good, it was getting difficult for both batters and bowlers.

Any other advice, on footwear or generally, would be interesting.

Have had similar problems before (usually in some god forsaken hole in the middle of nowhere) and have found, obviously, longer spikes do help this considerably, but also the main one i've found is that the smoother the bottom of the shoe (other than the spikes!) the less mud they hold onto. Lots of spikes these days seem to have trainer bottoms on them with loads of little knobbles which hold onto the mud. But traditional, smooth bottomed ones don't hold it at all!
Hope thats of some use, or at least makes sense!

[AlanB]

Indeed this was the case, was using Asics Advance 2s and the sole pattern was not helping at all.