Cricket Pitch Markings

[modeste]

Can anyone enlighten me? What are the blue painted lines and letters outside the wicket, in the bowler's run up? TIA

[bhg481]

They mark the limit for wides. The leg side is closer to the stumps than the offside so there are two stripes each side to cater for left and right-handed batters.

[Buenchico]

I'm not sure whether Bhg41 has identified the correct lines or not. 

Section 7.5 (on p.17) of the regulations for play states that the creases used as wide guidelines should be marked in white, as per the diagram on p.97:
https://resources.pulse.icc-cricket.com/ICC/document/2023/09/28/d43b480d-033b-4111-bf9c-45f9de69ef9b/ICC-Men-s-CWC23-Playing-Conditions-single-pages.pdf

[bhg481]

In limited overs cricket the wide lines are blue. Having said that I think I'm still wrong because I described the wrong marks; on limited overs on some gounds I've seen strange squiggles on the run-up ie, not at the crease and I think it might be these that modeste is asking about. I have no idea what they are.

[THECORBYLOON]

I assumed they were the marks used by individual bowlers to check they were on the correct starting point and at the correct points in different stages of the delivery run-up to ensure the delivery wasn't a no-ball.

There are a lot of letters by the marks so I assume that's to identify whose marks they are.

[bhg481]

That was my thought, TCL, but I've not seen them used like that.

[William51]

 I used to play and had never seen any blue lines as described, as TCL and bhg have said i also think they were individual markers for a player. The captains would have had to agree to the markings.

[bhg481]

William - the blue lines only appear to be relevant to limited overs cricket, so won't be on all pitches. I have also noticed, whilst watching the cricket word cup, that they only have 2 blue lines on there ie, they don't differentiate between left and right-handed batters.