Cricket

[shafin]

How many of you are familiar with this game (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cricket)?

[Swagman]

The game the Poms invented but rarely win at ?

Never heard of it

[SunnyRabbiera]

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8714620327084687433&ei=KrRsSuzWIYearwK4-OgV&q=baseball+vs+cricket&hl=en

But all seriousness I heard of the game but being American i never quite played it.

[kernelhaxor]

I used to play .. but now just watch it.

[geekygirl]

The game the Poms invented but rarely win at ?

Never heard of it


Bwahahahahah!!

Then again we cant say much at the moment...our abysmal performance during the Ashes tour thus far....:p

No, I have never heard of cricket either... ;)

[thisllub]

:-({|=

[Sublime Porte]

yeh that's the game where you ride horses and hit the ball with a stick isn't it?

I heard something about it once...

[akabugeyes]

Back in high school I joined my school's cricket club. It was the first year it was offered and had a fun time plus made a few friends in the process.

I was never that good, but it was a great experience. Cricket just isn't that popular where I am from, in the U.S.

[razorboy5]

my "neighbours" (i live in an apartment) play all the time outside

so much screaming when they play...

sigh*

[JDShu]

I already find baseball terribly boring to watch. Cricket is like baseball.. but lasts longer??

I have Indian friends who are really into it, but no, not my cup of tea.

[TigerCR1200]

I watched like a full 12 hours of it one night at work. I never could figure it out so I gave up. Yeah Im American.

[SirBismuth]

The 20-over format of the game is perfect for today's society, where most people have short attention spans, although I personally hate the format. It is doing well, though, so good for whoever thought of it.

B

[lisati]

The Samoan/Polynesian version, kilikiti (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kilikiti), is much more fun to watch and participate in.

[halovivek]

check here more about cricket. it is a wonderful and easy game to play.
www.cricinfo.com

[Tux Aubrey]

It is, without doubt, the Greatest Game ever invented. I am totally addicted to it, I'm afraid, and have been for 30+ years. The mix of individual skill, teamwork, long- and short-term strategy, complex rules, tradition and explosive violence is totally mezmerising.

My favorite moment so far from the current Ashes series was watching an Australian fast bowler hit an English batsman three times in one (6 ball) over. He needed the medic twice. The great thing was listening to the English commentators (including Botham and Atherton) getting increasingly excited and saying things like "Now THIS is Ashes cricket!"

I am advised that cricket "ruined" my honeymoon as it took place during West Indies tour of Australia. I don't understand the problem - Clive Lloyd and Viv Richards were both on fire. I honestly tried to name my first male child "Clive Lloyd" but my wife (sweat soaked and exhausted after an 18 hour labour, objected, and I relented). His middle name is, however, Lloyd.

[PmDematagoda]

I love cricket myself, and over here in Sri Lanka, I am inclined to believe that atleast 70% of the population are addicted to it, especially when the local team plays matches and most especially when 20-20 matches go on. I myself got up at around 4.00 am just to watch the last world cup final.

[ken_do_san]

Cricket is about the only sport I'll sit and watch on television, absolutely love the game, never been able to play due to a congenital birth deformity in both my elbows. But I am able to appreciate the tactic and game play.

As 10cc once sang, "I don't like cricket ah, oh no, I love it ah" :P

[sharathpaps]

<rant>

I absolutely loathe the game!!!

Every fellow with nothing better to do in his life takes to the street and starts swinging a bat..I find it pretty dumb. For the amount of money that the government and the people of India waste on cricket, we could have made a lot of headway in providing basic health care, housing, food and education in the country. It's an addiction. Even grandmothers have nothing better to do than dissect every moment of whatever game is going on at the moment. Half the channels on TV have cricket on them. Every child aspires to be a cricket star. What a waste...:(

I wish I'd never heard of the game..

</rant>

[MikeTheC]

I'm American. Of *course* I don't understand Cricket.

[Tux Aubrey]

I'm American. Of *course* I don't understand Cricket.

tautology.

Everybody else in the world has been issued with a little card that says" Never discuss cricket or use irony with Americans". It saves us a LOT of bother.

In Australia we do allow Americans to play cricket. They are very useful at silly point when the quicks are on.:D

[SunnyRabbiera]

tautology.

Everybody else in the world has been issued with a little card that says" Never discuss cricket or use irony with Americans". It saves us a LOT of bother.

In Australia we do allow Americans to play cricket. They are very useful at silly point when the quicks are on.:D

Actually even as an American I do like irony, and I do understand the basics of the game.
I have seen cricket matches in action, not live but on the internet and some of the media I watch from the UK.

[renzokuken]

In Australia we do allow Americans to play cricket. They are very useful at silly point when the quicks are on.:D

hehe, genius.

i love the game. been playing since i was 9 years old and still going regularly at club level to this day. League every saturday, various cups and touring games too. on my year off i was playing anything up to 4 or 5 times a week.....but sadly, i got older, got a job and a 'missus' which soon put paid to that......

if anyone cares i play for Langley Manor CC (www.langleymanorcc.com) in Hampshire.

[xpod]

I`m not exactly a cricket fan but i will watch the Ashes & other big events on occasion.Usually if i`m off work,the house is empty and theres nobody else around to complain.
In fact,theres quite a few dubious sports i`m no real fan of that i can still happily sit and watch.Bowling,Curling,Darts.....Caber Tossing.
Dont really see too much of that down here in London of course.Shame really because theres plenty tossers down here.:D

[JohnFH]

I used to think it was a boring waste of time but now I love it. I can become engrossed in the tactics, the personal battles, the statistics, the quirkiness, and watching Test cricket is great because one minute everything is calm and routine and then Freddie Flintoff bowls an over and sets the whole place alight. Test match cricket is proper cricket while 20-20 cricket is ... well, it's just not cricket.

[andru183]

if anyone has a xbox 360 theres a cricket demo on the marketplace and oh how boaring and crap it realy is

[MikeTheC]

Alright, Cricket "experts"... Can one of you folk please explain the game play for the rest of us who don't understand the game?

Let me explain what I'm looking for by way of giving an example of observing Baseball from the perspective of a theoretical observer trying to figure it out by watching it from the stands...

You can see the field in a baseball game has five specific defined points on it, where various individuals stand. One is the thrower-of-the-ball, one is the hitter-of-the-ball, and the other three are attempting to "defend" their points.

When the hitter of the ball successfully connects with the ball and hits it, they drop their bat and run to the first location. If one observes enough instances of this, one can determine that how far and how well the ball is hit appears to be the determining factor in how far the hitter travels, with balls hit out of the play field altogether producing a completion of what is a circuit of the various perimeter points.

Points are accumulated in various categories depending on how well -- or how poorly -- a the hitter does his job. The people deployed into the field appear to be there for the purpose of catching the ball if the opportunity should arise, and then using that ball to terminate the activities of the hitter, thereby ending his run and preventing the hitting team from scoring.

Evidently, after three successful instances of getting the one team's hitters "out" they swap sides, and now the hitting team becomes the catching team, and vice versa. This process is continued until the score is better than either a zero tie, or a greater than zero tie in scores, after a minimum amount of play time.

Ok, so now that I've described baseball in those terms, the point I am trying to also make is that observing cricket matches in the same basic way I just described, in addition to trying to make a go of looking at rules and documented game play, has thus far been unhelpful in my comprehension.

So can someone explain the "point" of Cricket in those kinds of terms so that I will actually grasp what is done and why it is done, and whom is doing the "doing" of those things?

Thanks!

[Arup]

Played in school as an opener, also club level but haven't played since I left for US when I was 16 years old.

[SuperSonic4]

You can see the field in a baseball game has five specific defined points on it, where various individuals stand. One is the thrower-of-the-ball, one is the hitter-of-the-ball, and the other three are attempting to "defend" their points.

I'm no expert but I'll try. In cricket there is a part in the middle which I believe is thinner grass and at each end there is a batter. At one end is the bowler and he will try to get the (main) batter out by knocking the stumps (the wooden parts on top) off the wicket (three poles sticking out of the ground). Behind the bowler is the other batter (this comes in later regarding runs) and opposite the bowler the wicketkeeper is behind the wickets to try and get the batter out.


When the hitter of the ball successfully connects with the ball and hits it, they drop their bat and run to the first location.

In cricket you keep hold of your bat and run to the other end (swapping places with the other batter - however, you do not have to run no matter how many overs [there are 6 bowls in an over] are bowled). This scores a run.


If one observes enough instances of this, one can determine that how far and how well the ball is hit appears to be the determining factor in how far the hitter travels, with balls hit out of the play field altogether producing a completion of what is a circuit of the various perimeter points.

Running back and forth will build up runs. However, if the ball reaches the boundary of the pitch without hitting the ground then 6 points are automatically scored. If it goes out and touches the ground then 4 points are scored.


Points are accumulated in various categories depending on how well -- or how poorly -- a the hitter does his job. The people deployed into the field appear to be there for the purpose of catching the ball if the opportunity should arise, and then using that ball to terminate the activities of the hitter, thereby ending his run and preventing the hitting team from scoring.


Much the same, the fielders attempt to catch the ball which, if it has not already hit the ground, renders the batter out immediately. Otherwise he will try to knock off the stumps or bowl to someone closer who can (like the aforementioned wicketkeeper)



Evidently, after three successful instances of getting the one team's hitters "out" they swap sides, and now the hitting team becomes the catching team, and vice versa. This process is continued until the score is better than either a zero tie, or a greater than zero tie in scores, after a minimum amount of play time.

In Test cricket play is continued until ten batters are out (a team has 11 batters because there must always be two batters out there). That is the end of an innings and the teams will then swap around either immediately, after tea or the next day based upon the time and weather. The winner is the team with more innings won (I think!)

[bailout]

Alright, Cricket "experts"... Can one of you folk please explain the game play for the rest of us who don't understand the game?



Here you go;

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 that's 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 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 been 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.

[Stan_1936]

I already find baseball terribly boring to watch. Cricket is like baseball.. but lasts longer??

I have Indian friends who are really into it, but no, not my cup of tea.

Here are some things to do while watching a baseball game:

- What type of pitch has just been thrown?
- Try to remember the grip before the ball is released. Keep looking for that grip to see if you can tell what pitch will be throw when the ball is still in the mitt.
- Pay attention to the swing that the batter is employing.
- Now, does he use the same swing for each pitch? I mean, if the ball is high and inside, his swing will change in comparison to if it is down and inside or down and away. Try to determine if he always changes his swing in a predictable manner.
- Pay attention at his pre-swing routine. Some batters "start their hands" by employing pre-pitch movement of their arms to ensure that the bat swings through the strike zone on time...i.e. that they do not miss the pitch entirely. Does he employ the same pre-swing routine when the count is 1-0, 3-1, 0-2?

[schauerlich]

Here are some things to do while watching a baseball game:

- What type of pitch has just been thrown?
- Try to remember the grip before the ball is released. Keep looking for that grip to see if you can tell what pitch will be throw when the ball is still in the mitt.
- Pay attention to the swing that the batter is employing.
- Now, does he use the same swing for each pitch? I mean, if the ball is high and inside, his swing will change in comparison to if it is down and inside or down and away. Try to determine if he always changes his swing in a predictable manner.
- Pay attention at his pre-swing routine. Some batters "start their hands" by employing pre-pitch movement of their arms to ensure that the bat swings through the strike zone on time...i.e. that they do not miss the pitch entirely. Does he employ the same pre-swing routine when the count is 1-0, 3-1, 0-2?

I've watched baseball all my life, been to countless games, played it myself for 8 years, and never payed that much attention to little things like that.

[amitabhishek]

Here are some things to do while watching a baseball game:

- What type of pitch has just been thrown?
- Try to remember the grip before the ball is released. Keep looking for that grip to see if you can tell what pitch will be throw when the ball is still in the mitt.
- Pay attention to the swing that the batter is employing.
- Now, does he use the same swing for each pitch? I mean, if the ball is high and inside, his swing will change in comparison to if it is down and inside or down and away. Try to determine if he always changes his swing in a predictable manner.
- Pay attention at his pre-swing routine. Some batters "start their hands" by employing pre-pitch movement of their arms to ensure that the bat swings through the strike zone on time...i.e. that they do not miss the pitch entirely. Does he employ the same pre-swing routine when the count is 1-0, 3-1, 0-2?

Heck I always thought baseball was all about hitting full toss deliveries out of the ground into stands :).

And BTW at how much speed a pitcher/bowler throws in baseball. In cricket guys like Shane Bond (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shane_Bond), Brett Lee (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brett_Lee), Shoaib Akhtar (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoaib_Akhtar), & Flintoff (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Flintoff) can hurl deliveries (balls) at 90-100 mph!

[schauerlich]

I recently went to Malaysia and heard a lot about The Ashes, so I took the time to learn the basics of the game. Seems a bit complicated, but then again, I'm sure a lot of popular American sports seem complicated to those who are not familiar with them.

[PurposeOfReason]

Heck I always thought baseball was all about hitting full toss deliveries out of the ground into stands :).

And BTW at how much speed a pitcher/bowler throws in baseball. In cricket guys like Shane Bond (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shane_Bond), Brett Lee (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brett_Lee), Shoaib Akhtar (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoaib_Akhtar), & Flintoff (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Flintoff) can hurl deliveries (balls) at 90-100 mph!
90s are pretty common afaik.

http://www.stevepinto.com/Baseball_Knowledge/Baseball_Pitching/27723.html

[SirBismuth]

In Australia we do allow Americans to play cricket. They are very useful at silly point when the quicks are on.:D

LOL, we do this with the Australians, on the Southern tip of the African continent! :D

B

[mf205]

>>Alright, Cricket "experts"... Can one of you folk please explain the game play for the rest of us who don't understand the game?

Finally I can make a helpful contribution to this forum! Here's my explanation of the differences between baseball and cricket, using baseball terminology:

http://www.maths.qmul.ac.uk/~mf/cricket.html (http://www.maths.qmul.ac.uk/%7Emf/cricket.html)

I'm sorry it won't be of any help if you don't know baseball, but since it seems to be largely Americans who are mystified by cricket, this shouldn't be much of a problem.

[chucky chuckaluck]

Alright, Cricket "experts"... Can one of you folk please explain the game play for the rest of us who don't understand the game?

it's like baseball with croquet equipment.

[Tux Aubrey]

it's like baseball with croquet equipment.

Which is a statement of the same order as "American football is like hockey with volleyball equipment"

The fourth test match in the current Ashes series (England v Australia, for the uninitiated) has just been completed. It contained all the essential elements of a truly great game of cricket (ie. Australia humiliated the Poms in all aspects of the game). Seriously, the technical, strategic and psychological aspects of the game were all played out beautifully. Seeing four pace bowlers operate as a unit and work to a premediated plan of attack was just mezmerising. I've not seen that happen to this extent for over a decade. Australia's batting was pretty good too. The umpiring was, at times, apalling - but probably fairly neutral in its impact on the result.

If you can get hold of a "highlights" video of this match, it would be worth an hour or two.

[ken_do_san]

Ashes 2009 on the PS3, awesome game!!!!!!

[HermanAB]

Here is the classic explanation of Cricket:

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 been 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!

--

Simple really!

[armageddon08]

Here is the classic explanation of Cricket:

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 been 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!

--

Simple really!

:lolflag: