Rather than explain the rules and jargon of cricket – a dialect in its own right – let us focus on the operative question: Why bother? More often than not, the key purpose of cricket is to serve as practical, blokey conversation during awkward social silences. Cricket relieves parents for several blissful weeks each summer as their sons and daughters play, while the professional game provides adults with patriotic justification to shirk workplace responsibilities and start drinking at 10am.
Much like football, cricket is as old as Henry VIII’s underpants. Many forms of the game existed, all of which evolved from bored shepherds defending a wicket-gate from a clump of rolled up rags with a sheep crook. Effectively, it was gambling that spurred cricket’s popularity in 17th Century England. The fact that batsmen could bludgeon fielders to death in 1624 may have also played a part. Thenceforth, England donated their national game to the world, providing a major selling point for colonialism.
Role-model. Athlete. Legend.
The first international cricket match was played in – wait for it – New York, between the USA and Canada in 1844; two years before the first officially recorded baseball game*. By 1882-83, the best known rivalry in cricket was born after England was defeated by ‘mere colonials’ in a thrilling match at The Oval. The Pommy press composed a mocking obituary about the death of English cricket, of which “the body will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia”. Current circumstances, in all fairness, would make further gloating imprudent.
Cricket is an unusual game, containing unique concepts. Most notable being the Spirit of the Game: an unspoken element which frowns on behaviour which is “just not cricket”. Sportsmanship is highly coveted and, prior to video-umpires, the sport relied heavily on the honesty of players on tight decisions. Reflecting a chivalrous, stoic attitude of yesteryear, cricket resounds of Old Empire – for only a gentleman can consume fifty-two cans of beer on a flight from Sydney to London.
For those who think cricket is boring, all that can be said is…it is. Remember though, that this mind-numbing boredom only adds sparkle to the thrilling highlights that do happen every few hours or so. Cricket produces more than frustrated friends and partners in front of the television; it invigorates our inner sporting legend whenever a tennis ball and K-Mart bat are laid before us and convinces us all that we are doing real exercise.
* Canada won by 22 runs - their first and last international cricket victory.
i actually watched a test match the other day and thoroughly enjoyed it. Although suffering from a massive hangover and all i wanted to do was sit on the couch, i spent more time gazing out the window than watching the cricket. Maybe i should have sat outside? Regardless, the cricket was, i was in front of it, and i didnt want to kill myself. Miracles do happen!
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