# Artificial Cricket Pitches > Artificial cricket pitches in Ontario: practice nets, match strips, backyard lanes and indoor lanes, pitch sizes from the Laws of Cricket, and a free request. Canonical: https://artificialturfcanada.ca/services/cricket-pitches Last updated: 2026-10-24 Non-turf cricket strips for club grounds, school fields, backyard practice nets and indoor lanes, built on a firm, level base so the ball bounces true. ## At a glance - **Built to the Laws**: 22 yards between the stumps and 10 feet wide, per Law 6 of the Laws of Cricket. - **True bounce**: The base under the strip decides the bounce. It has to be firm, level and drained. - **Nets and lanes**: Practice net lanes in parks, schools, club grounds and backyards, and indoor lanes for winter. - **GTA demand**: Cricket has grown fast in Brampton, Mississauga, Toronto and across the GTA. ## Cricket in Ontario Cricket has grown fast across the GTA, with clubs, leagues, school teams and backyard players from Brampton and Mississauga to Scarborough and Markham. Brampton has hosted professional T20 cricket. What the game is short of here is good surfaces: a natural turf pitch takes a groundskeeper and a whole season of care, and most parks don't have one. An **artificial cricket pitch** gives a consistent surface that's ready to play on after rain and lasts for years with little upkeep. ## Pitch dimensions Law 6 of the Laws of Cricket, maintained by the MCC, defines the pitch as the rectangle between the two sets of stumps: 22 yards (20.12 m) long and 10 feet (3.05 m) wide. The Laws also allow non-turf pitches, used across the cricketing world for practice and for club and junior matches. An artificial strip is usually laid longer than the pitch itself, with room behind each set of stumps for the bowler's run-up and the batter's crease. ## How an artificial pitch is built 1. **Base.** The strip is only as good as what's under it. Soil comes out and a compacted stone base, often with a bound or concrete layer, goes in so the surface is perfectly level and firm. Soft spots show up as uneven bounce. 2. **Shock pad.** Many systems use a pad between the base and the surface to control pace and bounce. 3. **Surface.** A specialist cricket turf or mat, much denser and shorter than lawn turf, designed for a ball pitching at speed. 4. **Edges.** The strip is anchored and edged so it stays flat and doesn't trip anyone in the outfield. Practice nets add posts, netting and often a side lane for each strip. Indoor cricket lanes go over a level slab with a pad and roll-out or fixed mats. ## Backyard pitches and nets A full 22-yard pitch is longer than most suburban backyards, so home setups are often a shortened bowling and batting lane inside a net, built on the same kind of firm base. Measure the longest straight run you have, and leave room behind the batter for the net. A roll-out cricket mat on an existing hard surface is the budget alternative; it won't play as true as a strip on a proper base. ## Clubs, schools and municipalities Club grounds and school fields usually want one or more match strips in the middle of a grass outfield, plus practice nets. Many Ontario municipalities now build cricket pitches into park plans; projects usually go through a tender with a specification. We pass those requests to installers who have built cricket surfaces before. ## Looking after an artificial pitch An artificial strip needs far less work than a natural pitch, but not none. Keep it clear of debris, which can deflect a ball, brush it to keep the surface even, and check the edges where bowlers' feet land and batters stand. Footholds and the crease areas wear fastest; some systems allow those sections to be replaced on their own. Keep vehicles and heavy rollers off it, and in winter, leave snow to melt rather than scraping the surface. ## Timing A single backyard lane or practice strip takes a few days, most of it base work. Club and school strips are usually built in the dry months so the base can be compacted and the surface laid before the season. Municipal projects follow the tender calendar, so plan a season ahead. ## What it costs We haven't found published Ontario prices for cricket strips that we can cite, so we don't print a range. The base is the main cost, then the surface and any netting. A local installer quotes after seeing the site. ## Getting a quote Send the space you have (or the strip and net count you want), the ground it's going on, and whether it's for a backyard, a club, a school or a facility. One installer who builds cricket surfaces gets back to you. ## Questions people ask ### How long and wide is a cricket pitch? Under Law 6 of the Laws of Cricket, the pitch is 22 yards (20.12 m) between the stumps and 10 feet (3.05 m) wide. An artificial strip is usually laid longer to include the creases and run-up. ### Are artificial cricket pitches allowed in matches? The Laws of Cricket allow non-turf pitches, and they're widely used for club, junior and practice cricket. A league or competition can set its own rules on what's acceptable. ### Can I build a cricket pitch in my backyard? A full 22-yard pitch rarely fits, but a shortened lane inside a practice net often does. It needs a firm, level base so the ball bounces true. ### Is a cricket mat the same as an artificial pitch? A roll-out mat is portable and cheaper, laid on an existing surface. A fixed artificial strip is built on its own engineered base and plays much more consistently. ## Related - [Artificial Turf Installation in Brampton](https://artificialturfcanada.ca/areas/brampton) - [Artificial Turf Installation in Mississauga](https://artificialturfcanada.ca/areas/mississauga) - [Synthetic Turf Sports Fields](https://artificialturfcanada.ca/services/sports-field-turf) - [Indoor Turf for Gyms and Facilities](https://artificialturfcanada.ca/services/indoor-turf)