Toss (cricket)

In the sport of cricket, a coin is tossed to determine which team bats first. This is known as the toss.

Related Topics:
Cricket - Coin - Tossed

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Before play begins, the captain of each side will inspect the pitch. Based on the pitch and weather conditions, the captains select their final 11 players. If the pitch is soft or dusty, the captain will tend to select more spin bowlers; if the pitch is hard, the choice tends to favour fast bowlers at the expense of spinners.

Related Topics:
Captain - Pitch - Spin bowlers - Fast bowlers

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Half an hour before the start of play, the two captains convene and exchange team selection sheets. These list the composition of each side, which cannot be changed for the duration of the match. Then, under the supervision of the umpires, a coin is tossed to determine who bats first. The captain who wins the toss gets the option either to bat or bowl.

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The decision to bat or bowl first is of great tactical importance, and the captain will have considered many variables before arriving at his decision. Because of the different natures of the games, it is considerably more common to bat second in one-day cricket than it is in first-class cricket.

Related Topics:
One-day cricket - First-class cricket

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