Cricket

Hello Australia.  Hello kangaroos, and trams, and surfing (kinda), and 'cheers mate', and AFL, and cricket.  

I'm still coming to terms with that last one.  I like sports, I love playing and watching and cheering and drinking and scoring and 'barracking'.  I do enjoy AFL despite sitting in the freezing cold wind and rain for 3 hours.  But I have yet to come to terms with cricket.  It goes for days, and very little happens.

Ive been doing my research, I want to be more informed and therefore perhaps enjoy cricket when the season comes back around.  So here are some things I've found:

1. Cricket is a game of minute details

Everything from the way you grip and face the bat, to the wind and spin on the ball affect each play

2. Inches can make all the difference (as in most sports)

If the batsman stands even an inch closer to the bowler, he has less reaction time from when the ball leaver the bowler's hands, hits the pitch, and bounces back up toward his face.

3. Fielding is less boring than it looks

The fielders have to be ready everytime a ball is bowled because if not, thats the one time the ball will be hit in their direction (fact)

4. The captain has all the power

When it is gametime, unlike any other sport, the captain takes over and makes all the decisions, leaving the coach on the sidelines to just watch.  Talk about pressure!

5. Each pitch is different

Home team advantage is more important in cricket than any other sport, as each pitch is completely different conditions, from temperature, to ground firmness, to oval shape and size.

Interesting stuff for a game that goes for days! Check out Nick Bryant's blog for more indepth coverage of the sport.

Sidenote: On my first ever flight to Australia, I was flying from Sydney to Melbourne, and scattered around the plane were boys in the same outfits.  I assumed they were a club team of some sort, all looked very young.  But I distinctly remember highlighted hair.  Fast forward 2 days, I'm in Coles for the first time ever, checking out the cereal isle in this foreign country, and what do I see on the Weetbix box.  Highlights. About seven of the boys from the plane.  Turns out i was traveling with the Australian Cricket team.  Kinda cool.

So, for anyone else having trouble getting into the spirit of the Ashes, I hope this helps! If you are an avid fan, have played since you can remember or just know a thing or two about the game, leave me a note! Until then, my next plan of attack is to get out there and take a swing!