Bowling Crease in Cricket Explained
What the bowling crease is, its exact position on the pitch, and how it relates to the stumps and other crease markings.
What Is the Bowling Crease?
The bowling crease is the white line on which the stumps are set at each end of the pitch. It passes through the base of the stumps and runs across the full width of the wicket, extending one foot to either side of the outside stumps. The bowling crease is distinct from the popping crease (four feet in front of it) and the return creases (perpendicular to it).
Exact Position
The bowling crease is drawn at each end of the pitch, exactly 22 yards (20.12 metres) apart. The three stumps are inserted into the ground along this line, with the middle stump positioned dead centre. The bowling crease is 8 feet 8 inches (2.64 metres) wide in total — extending 1 foot 4 inches beyond each outside stump.
Stump Position and the Bowling Crease
The stumps are placed so their front face sits on the bowling crease. The stumps are inserted into the ground at the crease position and when a bail is dislodged, a wicket is said to have been 'broken.' In terms of dismissal laws, any ball that breaks the wicket in the crease area is relevant; the bowling crease itself is the baseline reference for where the wicket stands.
The H-Shape
Together with the popping crease and return creases, the bowling crease forms part of the characteristic H-shape visible at each end of every cricket pitch. The bowling crease is the lower bar of the H (closest to the fielding side), the popping crease is the upper bar (closest to the batter), and the return creases are the verticals.
Frequently asked questions
Can a bowler bowl from behind the bowling crease?
The bowler's back foot must not land outside the return crease, but the bowling crease itself does not govern the bowler's delivery. The legal requirement is about the popping crease (front foot) and return crease (back foot).
Is the bowling crease visible during a match?
Yes — it is a permanent white marking on every cricket pitch and remains visible even as the pitch wear and footmarks develop during a match.
What happens when the bowling crease is worn away?
The stump positions are fixed regardless of whether the crease paint is visible. The umpire uses the stump position as the reference point.