Reading a Pitch

[Sammylarns]

Having a mac I'm yet to play the new game but I've been playing 2014 for a number of months now. I'm interested in how you read the wickets. For example, if it's cloudy I'll generally bowl first and if it's already turning I will perhaps include a second spinner. When I read the stories on here, which I love, it seems to be more nuanced. Can anyone help me out here and give me more tips on how you read a wicket?

[Sureshot]

I'll only bowl first if I'm getting a full first day of dark cloud, I think it's also depends on your team. If you've got two good spinners and a couple of decent, but nothing special, seamers then I'll probably look to bat.

I think you've also got to take in to account the opposition.

Their team:
Good bowlers, but not really that good with the bat.

Your team:
Good batsmen, but not really that good with the ball.

You've got a bowler friendly wicket on day one. Do you play to the conditions and thus bowl, or because you aren't that confident in your bowlers try and bat first but give them the advantage?

This is the kind of situation I love/hate and really struggle to know what to do with. I *should* bowl first, but what if my seamers don't perform and I throw away the chance, is that worse than batting to say 250-300 and giving my spinners a chance at the end?

[Bearded]

i always get battered bowling first whatever the conditions