Australian cricket player Mitchell Starc has called for a different approach to flatten out problematic foot-holes. He did so after the recent third Ashes test, during which he received two official warnings for stepping onto the protected area during his follow-throughs.

According to Starc, he did so as a foot-hole had formed exactly where he typically lands. This prompted him to adjust his bowling stance. “I didn’t want to put my foot down in someone else’s foot-hole and roll my ankle,” he explained during the post-game press conference. He pointed out that he had urged the grounds crew to flatten out the problematic foot-hole by hammering the pitch. Hammering the pitch is common practice in the preparation of cricket ovals, but Starc would prefer to see that foot-holes are filled in with soil at the end of each day’s play, like they do in England. It is a practice that is also done in many other countries. This is not the case in Australia. “I’d like to know why we don’t do it,” he said.

By raising the issue, Starc, in fact, questioned the current maintenance practices on Australian pitches.

Starc’s observations shed light on the broader implications for player safety and the integrity of the game.

The rules governing the protected area fall under Law 41 of the MCC’s official laws of cricket, which declare it unfair for bowlers or batters to encroach upon this zone without justifiable reason, such as fielding the ball.

The protected area is crucial, as it is designated to prevent bowlers from causing damage that would create advantageous marks for subsequent bowlers.