Topic: News of the cricketing world

[Rivers]

The great Sachin Tendulkar retires - http://sports.yahoo.com/news/legend-tendulkar-tearfully-bows-game-071641335--spt.html

Saw him play a couple of times for India against NZ, really a class act, electrifying in fact. Top notch athlete, will be missed by cricket fans everywhere.

And such a nice human being.

[harvey]

Unusual to see a cricket thread on this forum ....

But well worth it, one of the worlds all time sporting greats has retired. If I was ever coaching young bats men I would say study Tendulkar for the perfect technique and temperament.

Good luck Sachin !

[Prof Scratchy]

Brilliant player. Bnemerov's undoubted favourite!

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk

[Rivers]

I was fortunate to be present to witness Tendulkur turn a couple of pedestrian matches into major events, where he had people who were previously starting to doze-off up on their feet jumping up and down, including me. Saw him playing with an international allstars team, including Imran Khan, against NZ. The world needs more of that kind of spirit.

As I recall it he always had a wave for the fans as he walked onto the pitch and off it. We will miss him. I don't go much for sporting heroes but Sachin I will always respect. Got a lot of time for Imran as well, you really had to be there to appreciate these guys.

http://www.rferl.org/content/tendulkar-pakistan-tribute/25169615.html

[pete1951]

I was once asked to make a lap-steel out of a cricket bat..... It would have been a good thing to add to this thread...... If I do, I will post a pic.
PT

[Rivers]

OMG, WTF, 5-0 whitewash in the Ashes 

This is not good. But England's been there before, and... well actually they're still there, but even worse.

Time for a major shakeup, or I may have to start watching American sports. Naaaah, only joking. 

[Norfolk Slim]

Its been quite, quite horrible.  Every night, staying up late, lying in bed as the coverage starts, then switching off half an hour later when my renewed optimism has been blown to pieces once again.

Too many senior players have pretty much given up.  Theyve run out of energy, determination and application. 

The bowlers have been okay for the most part, but I agree a big shakeup is required now.

[alyoung]

On a brighter note... New Zealand batsman Corey Anderson smacked a century off 36 balls in a one-dayer against the West Indies last week to break the world record. One swallow doesn't even come close to a summer, but NZ has just won a test series against the Windies ... imagine that happening a few years ago. Commiseration to you Poms; the Aussies are bloody hard work at home, and your guys did seem to run out of bottle. Better luck next time. [Now, how many of our regular American readers even understand WTF this discussion is about....]

[ScottN]

Odd...no discussion of Buddy Holly...or Don Bradman...go Red Sox ;-)

[dj]

Now, how many of our regular American readers even understand WTF this discussion is about....

Well, here's one, thanks in part to Austrailan singer Paul Kelly's song Bradman - the best song ever written about any sport - and in part to the fact that not far from me is a field (a glorified cow pasture, actually) where the local Caribbean and South Asian communities regularly play cricket.

But really, what do we want?  Baseball.  When do we want it?  NOW!  Go Mets (and Red Sox).

[Rivers]

I missed that snippet re the kiwis Al, I'd better put 'cricket' as a news item in my google news setup.

Baseball's good, I've been to several games in Austin, minor league but hey, it's a nice day out, and I like the cultural buzz of pure Americana munching hotdogs in the stands while watching the game. I could do without all the show biz glitz, tee shirt cannons, jumbotrons, wurlitzers, annoying mascots prancing around dressed up as animals with giant heads, ad freakin' infinitum, it detracts from the game. I'm like, "jeez, just play ball already..."

Back to cricket, really great to see Afghanistan, yes I did say Afghanistan, qualifying for the 2015 World Cup, http://www.aljazeera.com/sport/cricket/2014/01/from-refugee-camp-cricket-world-cup-20141493217988933.html - clearly that's positive on a lot of levels, I hope they do well and provide a few upsets. If there was a Buzkashi World Cup the Afghans would be hard to beat but, failing that, cricket, brought home by returning refugees from NW Pakistan, is the very thing.

[blueshome]

Hooray! Another team likely to beat us.

I wish the moderator would remove this whole cricket thing- it's too painful at the moment. We certainly know how to lose.

[dj]

I could do without all the show biz glitz, tee shirt cannons, jumbotrons, wurlitzers, annoying mascots prancing around dressed up as animals with giant heads, ad freakin' infinitum, it detracts from the game. I'm like, "jeez, just play ball already..."

I absolutely agree with the sentiments expressed above.  I assume they don't have stuff like that in professional cricket?  If they don't, it's just a matter of time...

[Prof Scratchy]

The sentiments may be OK. The syntax ain't.

[bnemerov]

Prof. Scratchy is referring, in his 1st post, to my hearty laughter (and his, when he reread the pages) at Bill Bryson's lengthy description of Cricket in his Australian travel book "In a Sunburned Country."

A short excerpt:
 "After years of patient study (and with cricket there can be no other kind) I have decided that there is nothing wrong with the game that the introduction of golf carts wouldn't fix in a hurry. It is not true that the English invented cricket as a way of making all other human endeavors look interesting and lively; that was merely an unintended side effect. I don't wish to denigrate a sport that is enjoyed by millions, some of them awake and facing the right way, but it is an odd game. It is the only sport that incorporates meal breaks. It is the only sport that shares its name with an insect. It is the only sport in which spectators burn as many calories as players -- more if they are moderately restless. It is the only competitive activity of any type, other than perhaps baking, in which you can dress in white from head to toe and be as clean at the end of the day as you were at the beginning.

Imagine a form of baseball in which the pitcher, after each delivery, collects the ball from the catcher and walks slowly with it to center field; and that there, after a minute's pause to collect himself, he turns and runs full tilt toward the pitcher's mound before hurling the ball at the ankles of a man who stands before him wearing a riding hat, heavy gloves of the sort used to to handle radio-active isotopes, and a mattress strapped to each leg. Imagine moreover that if this batsman fails to hit the ball in a way that heartens him sufficiently to try to waddle forty feet with mattress's strapped to his legs, he is under no formal compunction to run; he may stand there all day, and, as a rule, does. If by some miracle he is coaxed into making a misstroke that leads to his being put out, all the fielders throw up their arms in triumph and have a hug. Then tea is called and every one retires happily to a distant pavilion to fortify for the next siege. Now imagine all this going on for so long that by the time the match concludes autumn has crept in and all your library books are overdue. There you have cricket.

The mystery of cricket is not that Australians play it well, but that they play it at all. It has always seemed to me a game much too restrained for the rough-and-tumble Australian temperament. Australians much prefer games in which brawny men in scanty clothing bloody each other's noses. I am quite certain that if the rest of the world vanished over night and the development of cricket was left in Australian hands, within a generation the players would be wearing shorts and using the bats to hit each other. And the thing is, it would be a much better game for it."

[bnemerov]

and if that wasn't enough, Bryson has fun (for another page or two) with the special jargon associated with Cricket.
Here an excerpt from the radio broadcast Bryson allegedly heard:

"Pilchard begins his long run in from short stump. He bowls and ... oh, he's out! Yes, he's got him. Longwilley is caught leg-before in middle slops by Grattan. Well, now what do you make of that, Neville?"

"That's definitely one for the books, Bruce. I don't think I've seen offside medium-slow fast-pace bowling to match it since Baden-Powell took Rangachangabanga for a maiden ovary at Bangalore in 1948..."

"...So here comes Stovepipe to bowl on this glorious summer's afternoon at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. I wonder if he'll chance an offside drop scone here or go for the quick legover. Stovepipe has an unusual delivery in that he actually leaves the grounds and starts his run just outside the Carlton & United Brewery at Kooyong."

"That's right, Clive. I haven't known anyone start his delivery that far back since Stopcock caught his sleeve on the reversing mirror of a number 11 bus during the third test at Brisbane in 1957 and ended up at Goondiwindi four days later owing to some frightful confusion over a changed timetable at Toowoomba Junction.

After a very long silence while they absorbed this thought, and possibly stepped out to transact some small errands, they resumed with a leisurely discussion of the England fielding. Neasden, it appeared, was turning in a solid performance at square bowel, while Packet had been a stalwart in the dribbles, though even these exemplary performances paled when set aside the outstanding play of young Hugo Twain-Buttocks at middle nipple. The commentators were in calm agreement that they had not seen anyone caught behind with such panache since Tandoori took Rogon Josh for a stiffy at Vindaloo in '61. At last Stovepipe, having found his way over the railway line at Flinders Street -- the footbridge was evidently closed for painting -- returned to the stadium and bowled to Hasty, who deftly turned the ball away for a corner. This was repeated four times more over the next two hours and then one of the commentators pronounced: "So as we break for second luncheon, and with 11,200 balls remaining, Australia are 962 for two not half and England are four for a duck and hoping for rain."

I may not have all the terminology exactly right, but I believe I have caught the flavor of it.

[eric]

My English cousin tried to explain cricket to me for years, but my attention began to waver when I realized the "leg before wicket" rule required more pages to explain than quantum mechanics.

[Prof Scratchy]

This, of course, is the true explanation of cricket:
 
Cricket: As explained to a foreigner...

You have two sides, one out in the field and one in. Each man that's in the side that's in goes out, and when he's out he comes in and the next man goes in until he's out. When they are all out, the side that's out comes in and the side thats been in goes out and tries to get those coming in, out. Sometimes you get men still in and not out.
When a man goes out to go in, the men who are out try to get him out, and when he is out he goes in and the next man in goes out and goes in. There are two men called umpires who stay all out all the time and they decide when the men who are in are out.
When both sides have been in and all the men have out, and both sides have been out twice after all the men have been in, including those who are not out, that is the end of the game!

Also, when a batsman's in, he has to be careful not to be caught at silly mid on, at fine leg, or in the slips. When I played cricket, I was usually more out than in.

[Stuart]

After seeing that nine out of the ten posts on the page are about Cricket, it's become obvious that Cricket is the standard by which all other human (and maybe even non-human) activity should be measured. Enlightenment at last!

[Norfolk Slim]

Quite right.

As its a music forum, I am honour bound to post a YT video of Neil Hannon singing a very entertaining song about cricket.  For the uninitiated you should probably view the second video first- which is a short clip of the moment in cricket history which the song celebrates.

[Prof Scratchy]

Geoff Boycott on bass?

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk

[harvey]

And of course the best piece of sporting commentary you are ever likely to hear.

RIP Brian Johnson

[Rivers]

I could do without all the show biz glitz, tee shirt cannons, jumbotrons, wurlitzers, annoying mascots prancing around dressed up as animals with giant heads, ad freakin' infinitum, it detracts from the game. I'm like, "jeez, just play ball already..."

I absolutely agree with the sentiments expressed above.  I assume they don't have stuff like that in professional cricket?  If they don't, it's just a matter of time...

When Aussie media mogul Kerry Packer stunned the cricketing world by introducing the one-day game several years ago, where the game was all over in one day rather than potentially five, and the teams wore colorful TV friendly garb, rather than white with different color team hats, I thought it was all over at that point.

I remain surprised that while there is admittedly a bit more showbiz in the one day game than the five day game it has never reached the frankly ludicrous levels you get subjected to at US sporting events. I go to baseball because I like the game and the atmosphere in the stands. The antics of the entourages, between innings and when someone does something really good, just make me groan and cover my eyes and ears. I sense the players might feel that way as well, looking at their expressions sometimes.

I don't think that will ever happen to cricket. In fact I'd put good money on it. The big screens are there and are a good thing if they enhance the actual game. Spare me the rest, it's idiotic!

I would make an exception to see the Afghaniis come thundering into the stadium on horseback chasing a guy dragging a headless goat though.

[frailer24]

As a cricket fan, I have read this thread many times and have: Laughed so hard I dropped me teapot thrice, fallen off the chair twice, and just now nearly soiled meself. Bravo, boys!

[Rivers]

Cricket fans will have heard that Richie Benaud, one of the greatest, has passed. After a stellar career as an all-rounder and Aussie captain he got into broadcasting. Listening to his commentaries on a crackly tranny radio, or later, behind the TV images, was one of my favorite ways to relax. When Richie was at the mic all was right with the world. Apart from being exceedingly astute and unfazed, he always would find the slightly mad, funny side of any situation on the pitch.

RIP Richie, and thanks for the memories.

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/cricket/32182999

[Norfolk Slim]

I recall the period when I was first starting to understand and be absorbed by cricket, he demonstrated the different grips for legspin bowling on the telly.  I was hooked.  The arcane art of the googly...

The Aussies have apparently offered him a state funeral. 

[StoogeKebab]

I recall the period when I was first starting to understand and be absorbed by cricket, he demonstrated the different grips for legspin bowling on the telly.  I was hooked.  The arcane art of the googly...

The Aussies have apparently offered him a state funeral.

I wouldn't be surprised if we did (haven't caught the news today). When he got sick last year it was a huge thing here, we'll miss his voice for sure. Someone said it today and it was so true "like an uncle who visited during the summer season" - for me, his voice will always be the soundtrack to my Grandparents' house staying with them in summer.

[pete1951]

There is a link between music and cricket......

but maybe not the way I play it!
PT

[harvey]

I have often wondered why Cricket did not make it to African American's maybe it did in a small way I am not aware of. It is vertically a religion in most of the West Indies and let's face it .... Country Blues, Cricket, cold beer (in our case proper warm beer) and a hot summers day sit very comfortably together as far as I am concerned

RIP Richie ... Despite your laid back delivery you bought so much enthusiasm and intellect to the game

[waxwing]

In the '80s I worked on an apartment renovation crew with a bunch of guys from St. Vincent, in the BWIs. They all lived in the area of central Brooklyn known as East New York, adjacent to Flatbush Ave. and the A train. They played cricket most weekends and I think there were pretty active leagues. Googling I find: http://newyorkcricket.com ; https://www.facebook.com/JoinACricketClubInNewYorkCity ; http://www.nypcl.com and http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/06/nyregion/cricket-finds-a-home-in-the-bronx.html?_r=0 , which might be of interest. But, of course, this is the land of baseball, which fits into your equation pretty strongly here.

Wax

[Kokomo O]

Yeah, there are pretty active West Indian cricket leagues in the New York area, but the problem with the sport is the aforementioned time commitment. Most of the guys who would be playing in those leagues, if there were more teams and more matches, work for a living. In the '80s and '90s, before the advent of so much electronic communication, many of the immigrant West Indians I knew were messengers, photocopier operators, typists, proofreader, telephone operators such in law and accounting firms, brokerage and investment houses, insurance companies and the like. They just didn't have the kind of time serious cricket requires. And now many of the children of those people, to the extent they haven't been beat down by the depression, have more education and more demanding jobs, so they have less time, and of course they're more assimilated, so many play the city game.

Indeed, I'll have to ask him tomorrow if I remember, but I have a business partner whose parents were Jamaican immigrants. In the ten years I've known him he's never mentioned cricket, but he's a big basketball fan and still plays some at age 58.

[frailer24]

My great-uncle finally hung up his cricket bat at the age of 85, quit bowling at 90, and finally stopped driving at 95. Never gave up the weekly golf game though!

[Rivers]

More cricketing eye witness stories.

This one concerns the current president of Pakistan, Mr. Imran Khan. The scene is Eden Park stadium, Auckland NZ, 1992. Pakistan vs. NZ in the world cup series of one day matches. NZ, including home town heroes Geoff and Martin Crowe, are up against the Pakistan scarily fast bowling of the great Wasim Akram and equally awesome Waqir Younis. Man those guys could bowl. Martin Crowe, after a shaky start, manages to steady the ship and build up some runs. Younis and Akram are getting tired so captain Imran Khan rotates himself into the bowling attack.

As it becomes clear that Imran is gonna bowl a chant starts up from the stands. "Imran is a wanker! Imran is a wanker!..." Khan takes the ball, moves to the start of his run up, looks up, and gives the stands an appropriate gesture in 360 degrees!

He receives a huge round of laughter and applause from the entire stadium as he flashes a smile and starts his run up.

Pakistan won that match but it was really close. Looking back on it I realize that Imran deserves his status as a world leader.