The protected area of a cricket pitch is one which must be kept free from any damage. This area is also called the danger zone. It is two feet wide and located five feet away from the popping crease on both sides of the pitch.
It is called the protected area because it is ensured by the officials that players do not tread on that area and damage the pitch with their movements. Should there be any such intrusion, then the pitch can roughen up, leading to the ball travelling wayward when it pitches in that region. This gives an unfair advantage to the bowlers.
Bowlers themselves have to be aware of the protected area while bowling. After releasing the ball, their follow-up movement must be directed away from the stumps to ensure that they don’t encroach the protected area. If they do so, the footmarks of the bowler scuff the pitch.
It is the duty of the on-field umpires to ensures that neither the batters nor the bowlers intentionally invade the protected area.
While bowlers scuff the pitch, batters too can intentionally roughen the danger zone to provide an opportunity for bowlers of their side to turn the ball by pitching on this area. However, such cases are a rare sighting in international cricket.
A batter or bowler can get a maximum of two warnings from the umpires if at all they invade the danger zone. The third warning can result in the bowler being suspended for the innings. The batters on the other hand are deemed out immediately.
The danger zone must thus be respected to ensure fair play.
By keeping it in its original shape, it also adds to the longevity of the surface especially in test cricket.
