Cricket vs Baseball: World Cup vs World Series

[Waymar83]

We just attended our very first cricket match! "Final Eight" South Africa vs Sri Lanka in Georgetown, Guyana.

Started at 9:30 this morning and finished just before 6pm. Tickets cost me $100 US each (Waymar + crew) !!!!!..........the only sporting event I ever paid more for was the F1!

In short, amazing!!! . It looked like a cake walk for South Africa, but then a few careless batters and quality bowling and the game came down to one single ball thrown....

This is a game that after a five day test can result in a draw and everyone is happy .


Boy was this worth it! Bunch of people, many you know, many you don't - but get to know during the game (this freaking thing lasts all day, some boring moments...so you talk and drink (Demerara rum and coke is the drink of choice or Banks beer )...lot's of food....

Cricket is a game which is only well understood by a very select and specific number of countries. Interest and understanding of the game is, I am convinced, genetic, and comes from generations and generations of family exposure. Having said that I did have a few excellent coaches (West Indians, Pakistanis, Brits) so I have been able to understand a little.

Too bad a shorter format will never make it in North America (even the 20/20 cricket, although exciting, does not have the same depth or strategy that a one day match can have.IMHO )



Here are some pics of today's match (great weather too!) starting with Waymar Crew and friends: The last pick is a great machine that should be standard on every sailing vessel! A back pack with a built in beer keg! Gotta get one....

[tdw]

Mark,
Talk of the 20/20 series not having the depth of the one day game is somewhat ironic given that this is how people talked of the one day game when it was first introduced as compared with a 5 dayer.

For me the whole point of cricket is being at the game. Kick back, few beers, bite to eat and enjoy the spectacle. No one but no one does it like the Windies though. Win or lose that is one team you have to love rather than say the Australians who have a reputation for being both bad losers and bad winners. Sad but true I'm afraid. Even to the extent that when, after a truely miserable season playing against Australia the Brits finally managed to win something even many of the Australian fans were content.

So enjoy your Dreadlock Holiday.....

I say
I don't like cricket oh no
I love it
I don't like cricket oh no
I love it
Don't you walk thru my words
You got to show some respect
Don't you walk thru my words
'Cause you ain't heard me out yet (10cc)

Apropos of nothing these are the lyrics to a song by Roy Harper, sums the game up beautifully I think.

When the day is done, and the ball has spun
In the umpire's pocket away,
And all remains, in the groundsman's pains,
For the rest of time and a day.
There'll be one mad dog and his master, pushing for 4 with the spin.
On a dusty pitch, with two pounds six, of willow wood in the sun.

When an old cricketer leaves the crease, you never know whether he's gone,
If sometimes you're catching a fleeting glimpse, of a twelfth man at silly mid-on.
And it could be Geoff, and it could be John,
With a new ball sting in his tail.
And it could be me, and it could be thee,
And it could be the sting in the ale.

When the moment comes, and the gathering stands,
And the clock turns back to reflect,
On the years of grace, as those footsteps trace,
For the last time out of the act.
Well this ways of life's recollection
The hallowed strip in the haze,
The fabled men, and the moonday sun,

Are much more than just yarns of their days.

[Waymar83]

Very Cool lyrics. Until you know some of the cricket terminology it does'nt mean much. Our friends from North American and non- Commonwealth European except the Dutch - who also have a national cricket team) are wondering what it all means !

I can finally say I get it!

BTW, the ICC is a neo-nazi organisation! They made these Caribbean countries build huge stadiums (by local standards). Only Barbados, Trinidad/Tobago and Jamaica can actually use them and fill them on a regular basis. Big white elephants throughout the Caribbean.

They also restricted sponsorships to large multi-nationals, so none of the medium-sized (local) enterprises had any opportunity to advertise... and finally you were/are restricted to bringing in only bottled water without the plastic caps! You were not allowed to bring: Alcohol or other drinks nor musical instruments! No drums no steel pans... (they were outside and only officially sanctioned musicians/bands were allowed).

Despite that, people still managed to bring in drinks . Fortunately there was also no shortage of official vendors !!.

The West Indies loves to party during cricket and party without violence. It would have been nice if the ICC would have agreed.

Nonetheless....amazing .

BTW West Indies just melted against Australia....Australia remains the team to beat!

[tdw]

Originally Posted by Waymar83

Very Cool lyrics. Until you know some of the cricket terminology it does'nt mean much. Our friends from North American and non- Commonwealth European except the Dutch - who also have a national cricket team) are wondering what it all means !


BTW West Indies just melted against Australia....Australia remains the team to beat!

Well what do you think a non cricket watcher would make of these two lines from the ABC report of the Windies v Australia match.

"Lara responded with a hook for four, followed by a sumptuous drive though the covers and then a thin edge which also sped to the boundary.

Lara was eventually out trapped lbw to left-arm spinner Brad Hogg going down on his knees and trying to squeeze a delivery past wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist."

One of the joys of cricket is the commentary. In one famous piece when England were playing the Windies, Peter Whilley was bowling for England and Michael Holding was batting for the Windies , " The batsmans Holding the bowlers Whilley". (if any of you don't get it, Willie is English slang for a certain male reproductive organ.)

Others include...

Ray Illingworth has just relieved himself at the pavilion end.
- Brian Johnston, BBC Radio

Welcome to Worcester where you've just missed seeing Barry
Richards hitting one of Basil D'Oliveira's balls clean out of the
ground.
- Brian Johnston, BBC Radio

He's usually a good puller - but he couldn't get it up that time.
- Richie Benaud, Channel 9

If you go in with two fast bowlers and one breaks down, you're
left two short.
- Bob Massie, ABC Radio

In the back of Hughes' mind must be the thought that he will
dance down the piss and mitch one.
- Tony Greig, Channel 9

On the first day, Logie decided to chance his arm and it came
off.
- Trevor Bailey, Radio 3

He didn't quite manage to get his leg over.
- Jonathan Agnew, after Botham had spun around
off balance and tried to step over the
wicket unsuccessfully, BBC

Q: Do you feel that the selectors and yourself have been
vindicated by the result?
A: I don't think the press are vindictive. They can write what
they want.
- Mike Gatting, ITV

And Jajeda is dijappointed...Jadeja is ji..da..I'll come again,
Jajeda..okay Jadeja looks downcast.
- Tony Grieg on Channel 9.

I don't know what these fellows are doing, but whatever they are
doing, they sure are doing it well.
- Pete Sampras on watching Lara and Ambrose at Lord's.

[Waymar83]

LOL. I get some of them. Others still elude....

We saw quite a few fours today but only one six, LBWs, no centuries but .... 6 DUCKS!

[tdw]

Originally Posted by Waymar83

LOL. I get some of them. Others still elude....

We saw quite a few fours today but only one six, LBWs, no centuries but .... 6 DUCKS!

Any Googlies ?

[Waymar83]

I would say from my untrained vantage point that there were a few! The Sri Lankan's have a few really good spinners. But the show was stolen by a fast bowler including:

Malinga!Malinga!Malinga! (you had to be there!)

Here is the BBC's report of the match:

Lasith Malinga insisted making World Cup history counted for little after Sri Lanka lost their Super 8 match to South Africa in thrilling fashion.
The seamer took four wickets in four balls for the first time in international cricket history, but the Proteas edged to a one-wicket win.

And Malinga said: "I am happy to take those wickets but we have lost.

"I felt good, mixed my deliveries up well, and I thought we might pinch it. But 209 was not enough to defend."

Sri Lanka skipper Mahela Jayawardene agreed, and admitted the crucial period was at the end of their innings when they lost five wickets themselves in quick succession.

We fought well, though, and credit to the bowlers because they were magnificent. We will take positives from this

Mahela Jayawardene

Tillakaratne Dilshan and Russel Arnold shared a 97-run partnership to boost the Sri Lankan total, but Charl Langeveldt took three wickets in an over as the last five wickets fell for 14 runs in 22 balls.

And Jayawardene said: "We made a lot of mistakes with our batting, throughout the line-up to be honest.

"But the crucial moment was right at the end of our innings when we lost five wickets cheaply and failed to bat our overs. It left us short of a decent total and put us under pressure in the field. That will haunt us later."

He added: "This was definitely a game for us to win, but we never had a chance of winning except for that last burst from Malinga.

"It needed something like that to change the game. We were thinking they would win pretty comfortably, [but] they panicked a bit and with three runs to get with the last wicket, it gives you hope - but it wasn't to be.

"We fought well, though, and credit to the bowlers because they were magnificent. We will take positives from this and we can battle back."