BS: Anyone for cricket?

Subject: RE: BS: Anyone for cricket?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 29 Jul 03 - 05:51 PM

I've always been surprised that the Canadians don't seem to play Cricket - after all, it'd surely be a way of teasing their neighbours. I'd have thought a version played on snow would have been a natural development. So far as I know the only place they play cricket on snow is in Switzerland on occasion, andnthen it's the English. Or ice might be better - could be exciting.

Subject: RE: BS: Anyone for cricket?
From: Les from Hull
Date: 29 Jul 03 - 02:37 PM

Many people who were born and bred in cricketing countries do not understand the game, or wish to. And the game changes slightly each year (to accommodate TV audiences mainly).

But people from non-cricketing nations should realise that cricket has been developing for centuries. So the only way to understand and enjoy a game like cricket is to have centuries and centuries of civilisation. I suggest that younger countries make a start soon.

I'm sure that Michael Vaughan will be a fine captain. Yorkshire thought so much of him as a lad they changed the long-standing rule about who could play for Yorkshire (although from a 'Yorkshire family' he was actually born in (and I hope my fingers can actually be convinced to type this word - Lancashire). At one time heavily pregnant women were herded back over the Pennines just in case the offspring turned out male.

Howzat! Les

Subject: RE: BS: Anyone for cricket?
From: Teribus
Date: 29 Jul 03 - 08:42 AM

The last one in Australia at the SCG wasn't too shoddy either. Most of the commentators and lots of spectators, Australians and English, reckoned it ranks as one of the best matches ever played.

Subject: RE: BS: Anyone for cricket?
From: A Wandering Minstrel
Date: 29 Jul 03 - 08:04 AM

I don't think Nasser has anything to be ashamed of. OK we were thrashed by Australia but isn't everybody. :( It seems to me that the test just finished was a validation of everything he'd done to make England a team to be reckoned with.

There was a glorious 15 minutes or so around teatime yesterday when the thought "320 maybe isn't enough" must have gone through Graham Smiths mind. If it hadn't been for the light it might have been a very interesting last hour.

Subject: RE: BS: Anyone for cricket?
From: Teribus
Date: 29 Jul 03 - 07:44 AM

A reference was made to the recent Cricket World Cup, in which the national sides of fourteen countries qualified, through group a series of matches, to play in the actual tournament.

Baseball has a World Series - how many teams from other countries took part? WORLD Series - Ha, bloody Ha!!

Subject: RE: BS: Anyone for cricket?
From: GUEST,Johnny The Bee
Date: 29 Jul 03 - 07:07 AM

Ed,
I admire and agree with your philosophy regarding the philistines.
It most definitely is their loss!
Johnny

Subject: RE: BS: Anyone for cricket?
From: GUEST
Date: 28 Jul 03 - 04:12 PM

FWIW Ed, I think Vaughan will prove to be a very good test captain.

Subject: RE: BS: Anyone for cricket?
From: Ed.
Date: 28 Jul 03 - 03:51 PM

It'll be really interesting to see what Vaughan does as a test captain.

I'll be hooked over the next few weeks, and will fully appreciate the "chess on grass"

I'll feel sorry for the "without qualification, the stupidest fucking game ever conceived and all of you who claim to enjoy it are actually clinically dead" people.

It's their loss.

Subject: RE: BS: Anyone for cricket?
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 28 Jul 03 - 03:19 PM

I must admit that I'd sooner him have given up responsabilites as captian in the tests when he resigned from the one day matches.

That said, I do believe he gave his all to England as captain and realy did work hard to pull us forwards at a time we needed it.

As for the world cup, it was my belief that we shouldn't have played and I admire Flower and Olonga for the stance they took. That of course is political and Hussain never should have had to be in that position - politics and the safety of players should have been matters for those above.

Subject: RE: BS: Anyone for cricket?
From: Ed.
Date: 28 Jul 03 - 02:40 PM

So Nassar Hussain has resigned...

A big shock to me, but understandable in retrospect I suppose.

I feel very sorry for him, in terms of the pressure that he had to take during the World Cup/Zimbabwe debacle.

I have a huge respect for what he's done. All the best for the future, Nass.

Subject: RE: BS: Anyone for cricket?
From: GUEST,Johnny The Bee
Date: 28 Jul 03 - 12:17 PM

Jon (et al),

Your question's a good one but, as I guess 'Spaw's a colonial type from across the ditch, it's absolutely wasted on him! His own contribution totally vindicated my original point - they don't have the necessary grey matter to even begin to understand a game so wonderfully subtle. I reckon that, as there are no prancing pubescent girls waving chaff around and flashing their arses, they can see no point to it!

We've got a Yank where I work who spends entire weekends and most of his holidays at Frisbee-throwing competitions. When my kids were five years old a Frisbee would ususlly entertain them for approximately five minutes, by which time they were bored witless and would start playing cricket or soccer instead. 'Nuff said?

Peace Brothers (oops, didn't mean to mention the 'P' word - they don't seem to understand that nowadays either).

Johnny

Subject: RE: BS: Anyone for cricket?
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 28 Jul 03 - 09:22 AM

Oh well, my question has been answered - they declared at 320 ahead. For the record, that is where I would have declared. Now we need to see if England rise to the challenge and the outside chance of making the runs.

Subject: RE: BS: Anyone for cricket?
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 28 Jul 03 - 08:47 AM

It's a real shame that we lost the one day to rain. England (notably Vaughn) batted well to avoid the follow on. The question now is what target to SA set England?

That's one for you spaw. SA are about 270+ runs ahead. There is less than one days play left. If SA want to win the game, they need to declare (i.e. stop batting and say they have made enough runs) but if they were to declare too early, England could go on and make enough runs to win the game. Would consider that the game is going for a draw and just use "batting practice", would you try to set a "sporting total" and risk loosing, would you make sure you are so safe that you can't loose but also know that the chances of bowling England out in the remaining time are about nil (it's unlikely even now)?

Subject: RE: BS: Anyone for cricket?
From: A Wandering Minstrel
Date: 28 Jul 03 - 08:23 AM

Spaw,

I'll take the first option, thanks ;)

Cricket is the epitome of civilisation, requiring as it does, guile, aggression, low cunning, subtlety and an abstract understanding of the nature of time.

Besides my recollection of the grass at Lords from but a week ago suggests that the process of its growing IS nothing short of miraculous, I've never seen intimidating grass before...

Subject: RE: BS: Anyone for cricket?
From: Hrothgar
Date: 28 Jul 03 - 04:23 AM

Spaw, if you ask really nicely, I'll explain the difference between bowling over the wicket and bowling around the wicket.

:-)

Subject: RE: BS: Anyone for cricket?
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 27 Jul 03 - 01:08 PM

I guess I'd part agree with that. It is rather nice that if you wish you can just sort of dip in and out of a game.

A ground I used to go to was Colwyn Bay when Glamorgan came up there. It's a small ground - having a beer is fine but I never liked to take my eye off where the ball was going!

I'm in Norfolk these days. My father and I sometimes debate about going down to Essex to see a first class county match.

Oh and while drifting, thinking of Colwyn Bay and SA, I'm pretty sure I still have Graham Pollock's autograph somewhere from some game (Cavaliers?) in the 60s there.

Subject: RE: BS: Anyone for cricket?
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 27 Jul 03 - 12:46 PM

Of course, one great advantage of cricket over baseball is the fact that it is played during the day, even on weekdays.
You can take your lunchbreak, walk to an in-city pitch, watch 3/4 hours of play while sitting in the sun with a beer in your hand, then return to work.
At 5pm you can leave work and go and watch another hour or two without having really missed any action in between.

Nigek

Subject: RE: BS: Anyone for cricket?
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 27 Jul 03 - 12:38 PM

Looks like we are heading for a draw...

Subject: RE: BS: Anyone for cricket?
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 27 Jul 03 - 11:57 AM

For the sake of completeness, let's not forget that the US game of Baseball seems to be based on the British, still played here in Cardiff (S.Wales).
See references at:
Early Bat & Ball Games
Baseball, Made in Britain


Nigel

Subject: RE: BS: Anyone for cricket?
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 27 Jul 03 - 04:28 AM

Why do the Americans insist on calling Rounders Baseball?
Giok

Subject: RE: BS: Anyone for cricket?
From: Sooz
Date: 26 Jul 03 - 11:39 AM

Its raining again.

Subject: RE: BS: Anyone for cricket?
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 26 Jul 03 - 07:41 AM

It's not that hard spaw!

But cricket is a tactical game. You can have bowlers trying to outwit batsmen, batsmen trying to dominate a bowler. A captain with an armoury of bowlers, some who can bowl very fast, others who can spin the ball and make it turn very sharply, choices of where to put the fielders to get the best chance possibly to attack (ie take catches) or perhaps to defend (i.e. stop the other side scoring too quickly).

Think of a test match as a game of chess played out by skilled athletes.

Jpn

Subject: RE: BS: Anyone for cricket?
From: catspaw49
Date: 26 Jul 03 - 07:12 AM

Okay.....Confession time.

I too got Cricket on a sports channel and started watching. I have never been able to figure it out but it seemed to me that if I found a few websites and watched a lot of games (no matter the age, I didn't have any favorites) I'd get the general idea and maybe learn why others enjoyed it....and maybe I would myself!

So I watched. And I learned. Well, sorta'.......I remember feeling sheer ecstasy when I figured out what the "crease" was. I relied a lot on the announcer to lead me and slowly some of it started to make sense. Then I was watching a match after a few weeks of tuning in several times a week, and at the beginning of the second, from the announcer's voice I sensed a moment of high drama. The moment passed and the poor guy sounded terribly sad that things hadn't gone as they might have and was seemingly berating the one team. The only problem here was that I had absolutely no idea what the moment was or why there was any drama in it. Now was the time to face some facts.

The Brits are quite obviously a people of high intelligence or at least of a higher order of intelligence than I can claim. I congratulate all of you who have mastered not just the intricacies of Cricket but even the basic idea of the game. You are all a special breed of humankind to be revered by one and all.

It's either that or Cricket is, beyond any shadow of a doubt and without qualification, the stupidest fucking game ever conceived and all of you who claim to enjoy it are actually clinically dead. This comes from a man who enjoys Yacht Racing, a sport once noted as akin to watching grass grow. Cricket is like watching dead grass even try to grow.....in a barren field......in August......during a drought.....with 100 degree temperatures.....underneath a layer of salt......

To all who like the game, good for you! Please have your Death Certificates validated at the courthouse.

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Anyone for cricket?
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 26 Jul 03 - 06:11 AM

At least play has started today.

Subject: RE: BS: Anyone for cricket?
From: gnu
Date: 26 Jul 03 - 05:54 AM

Speaking of shitting on Yankee baseball, ever notice how stunned the coach looks in the team uniform ? Is there ANY other sport in which a non-playing coach dresses in full uniform ?

Alas, it is most unfortunate that I have found another sport to watch on the boob tube, whilst idling my time away, but I absolutely love cricket. As for baseball, it's a good thing it's soooo boring because my cable supplies me with several games almost every day.

Subject: RE: BS: Anyone for cricket?
From: Sooz
Date: 25 Jul 03 - 07:52 AM

I am indeed a prophet!

Subject: RE: BS: Anyone for cricket?
From: ard mhacha
Date: 25 Jul 03 - 07:33 AM

Yes Sooz, spot on, it`s pouring down,England`s best player to the rescue.Ard Mhacha.

Subject: RE: BS: Anyone for cricket?
From: GUEST,Johnny the Bee
Date: 25 Jul 03 - 07:31 AM

Yep, it is doing. Sing 'Cricket Lovers' for me tonite Sooz?
JB

Subject: RE: BS: Anyone for cricket?
From: Sooz
Date: 24 Jul 03 - 01:32 PM

hmmmmmmm....it might rain tomorrow

Subject: RE: BS: Anyone for cricket?
From: ard mhacha
Date: 24 Jul 03 - 01:01 PM

A very appropiate thread heading, anyone but England, latest score South Africa 398 for 1. Ard Mhacha.

Subject: RE: BS: Anyone for cricket?
From: GUEST,Johnny The Bee
Date: 24 Jul 03 - 12:14 PM

Heaven!

Subject: RE: BS: Anyone for cricket?
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 24 Jul 03 - 09:23 AM

I invested about £40 in a tv card for my pc a couple of weeks ago. This is really great - I'm watching the test in a small window on the computer while typing this. SA 170-0

Subject: RE: BS: Anyone for cricket?
From: Les from Hull
Date: 24 Jul 03 - 09:13 AM

Actually in Yorkshire we say batter both for the bloke with the bat and the pudding.

I think that cricket is loved in England because it is the one game that is most affected by weather - wind direction and strength, humidity, cloud cover, rain, bad light. And you know our fascination with the weather!

Subject: RE: BS: Anyone for cricket?
From: Sooz
Date: 24 Jul 03 - 09:00 AM

A googly is a ball bowled by a right arm wrist-spin bowler - tecnically an off break with an apparent leg break action. (As opposed to a chinaman which is the left arm equivalent.)

Subject: RE: BS: Anyone for cricket?
From: GUEST,Johnny The Bee
Date: 24 Jul 03 - 08:59 AM

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!

Subject: RE: BS: Anyone for cricket?
From: Rapparee
Date: 24 Jul 03 - 08:26 AM

In 1937, the Reverend T. McVittie, Moderator of the Sydney Presbytery, said,

    "If Christ came to Sydney today He would be on 'the Hill' at cricket matches driving home the lessons of the game.

    "One can imagine Christ reminding the crowd that Satan was the deadliest and most determined googley bowler of all time."

Indeed one can, should one happen to know what a "googley bowler" is or was. I myself feel that it must be some sort of hat.

Subject: RE: BS: Anyone for cricket?
From: LadyJean
Date: 24 Jul 03 - 12:31 AM

My friend Badger (Who once played cricket) I used to love playing the Australians, they always got drunk after the match.
My friend Sherry (Who once kept score for her husband, Shridhar's cricket team.) They only got drunk AFTER the match!
Cricket is a lot of fun if you use waterballoons.

Subject: RE: BS: Anyone for cricket?
From: GUEST,John Gray in Oz
Date: 23 Jul 03 - 11:30 AM

Lack of detailed data in English historical records have led to two theories as to why the English decided to colonise Australia.
One is that it was to establish a military base as a check to French expansionism in the Pacific and the other is that it was a dumping ground for convicts.
Well, neither is right, and the lack of records is because the Lords of the Admiralty could only give the real reason verbally to Cook. "Look, James old boy, get yourself down into that southern ocean, where its summer in our winter, and find somewhere to lay out decent cricket pitch so we've got somewhere to send our team in our off season. Take Joseph Banks with you to get some soil samples so we can come up with a wicket that has got a green top, on the first few days, so the fast bowlers can make merry, cracking up on the last couple of days to assist the spinners. And do it before those blasted Frogs get down there and turn everything into a vineyard."
Cook carried out his orders and discovered the cricket Mecca of the world. Then they had to ship down oodles of convicts ( well noted bonkers ) to breed like buggery to build up an "audience" for the English team to perform before.
So there you have it, our nation was created for the love of cricket!

Howzat.

John Gray / FME

Subject: RE: BS: Anyone for cricket?
From: Dave Bryant
Date: 23 Jul 03 - 07:05 AM

What about the Kipper Family song "The Cricket Match" ? Has anyone got the words ?
It doesn't appear to be in this thread of their songs.

Subject: RE: BS: Anyone for cricket?
From: Sooz
Date: 23 Jul 03 - 06:14 AM

Just thought I would throw (sorry bowl) this one in....

Cricket Lovers by Bernard Carney

Be my cricket momma I'll be your cricket bloke
Drive me hard through the covers with a well timed stroke
I don't want no leg glance or no short pitched chat
To show me how you swing your bat

We'd be some partnership no one-day match
You my wicket maiden I your easy catch
Your leather on my willow would be my reward
I need to get some runs on your board

Lets not talk of sundries
Cos when they total up our score
I'll be your easy single
If you'll be my leg before

We'd know no boundaries we'd have wickets in hand
I'll even introduce you to the members stand
Don't want no Test Match or no Sheffield Shield
Just show me how you place your field

With your deep fine leg and your extra point
Our runs will never cease
I won't   be daring to think about declaring
Til I've got you in my crease

So when the light is fading or the rain stops play
I'll be your night watchmen any old day
So let's be cricket lovers now the seasons here
We'll maybe make it last all year
Come on and make it last all year

Subject: RE: BS: Anyone for cricket?
From: Walking Eagle
Date: 22 Jul 03 - 04:32 PM

So Trev...who's on First?

Subject: RE: BS: Anyone for cricket?
From: Ed.
Date: 22 Jul 03 - 01:03 PM

I'm a bit of a traditionalist as far as cricket is concerned as well.

I did go to a couple of the Twenty 20 group games at Old Trafford, and have to say I enjoyed myself a lot.

Due to work and other commitments, I don't get a chance to go to many games, so being able to finish work, watch some exciting play, have a couple of beers and still be home for 9pm was a hit with me. (Seeing Shoaib Akhtar square cut for six was worth the entry price of one game alone)

Jon, you'll be pleased to know that during the (albeit short) innings break kids played on the outfield, a great many of them at that. I do wish they'd lose "Another one bites the dust" whenever a wicket falls, though.

Subject: RE: BS: Anyone for cricket?
From: Sooz
Date: 22 Jul 03 - 11:30 AM

I agree Jon, but they are trying to lure in the crowds! At Trent Bridge we are used to seeing kids playing on the outfield during the lunch interval of Test matches.

Subject: RE: BS: Anyone for cricket?
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 22 Jul 03 - 10:42 AM

Thinking again, Sooz... I really don't like the idea of any music promoting cricket at all. Maybe I'm odd but during the break I'd much rather see a few sets of stumps on the outfield and kids getting to try thier hands...

Subject: RE: BS: Anyone for cricket?
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 22 Jul 03 - 09:10 AM

Sooz, I deliberately stayed out of that bit... I've no time for them and hope that sort of crap doesn't become part of going to a cricket match!

Subject: RE: BS: Anyone for cricket?
From: Sooz
Date: 22 Jul 03 - 09:07 AM

Lots of comments about the cricket but none about Atomic Kitten and the parlous state of Live Music today!

Subject: RE: BS: Anyone for cricket?
From: Rapparee
Date: 22 Jul 03 - 08:57 AM

Ah, quidditch! The REAL sport of sports!!

Subject: RE: BS: Anyone for cricket?
From: Rapparee
Date: 22 Jul 03 - 08:17 AM

The straw boaters, the striped jackets, the white flannels, the long dresses and large hats, the lemonade, the petit fours, the gentlemen in their uniforms with those small caps, the carriages with the matched pairs of grays, the cries of "Good Oh!" and "Out!", the long warm summer days, and in the background the punts on the Cam...God! I love cricket!

Nobody alive really understands it, of course, but then again, nobody really understands American football, Gaelic football, hurling, hockey, or croquet. Now, for a real sport, try quidditch.

Subject: RE: BS: Anyone for cricket?
From: gnu
Date: 22 Jul 03 - 08:03 AM

Bev and Jerry... excellent ! Thanks.

Subject: RE: BS: Anyone for cricket?
From: Teribus
Date: 22 Jul 03 - 06:47 AM

Most complete game ever devised by man.

With regard to Test Matches it calls on the greatest variety of skills from agronomy, through meteorology to athleticism in terms of endurance and stamina, excellent hand-eye co-ordination and the required turn of speed of an olympic sprinter.

Tests are incredibly difficult to win - the number of ways in which a match that appears to be a foregone conclusion can be played to a draw is astounding.