Going back to the transatlantic thing, Americans had to invent baseball because they have such a short attention span. They can't concentrate any longer than it takes some prat in badly-designed trousers to throw a large white ball at another prat in badly-designed trousers three times, and for him to miss the ball with his cudgel amost every time.

And even when the prat with the cudgel (they call him the batter and the chap chucking the ball the pitcher - I thought batter was what you make yorkshire puddin's from, and a pitcher's a water-jug?) does manage by some odd chance to make contact with the ball, it's a bloody great swipe and the ball flies off in any direction. Try a leg-glance or a reverse-sweep with a baseball bat - can't be done!

No, cricket's the thinking man's baseball, and there ain't many thinking Yanks - look at the President they managed to elect for themselves!

Incidentally Sooz, your rendition of Berbnard's 'Cricket Lovers' is exquisite - I larf every time!