Gary Said...

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"During a cricket match you can plant tomatoes and harvest by the end of the game."

You're right you know. And that's if the game is over quickly. By the time a full-length game is done you've taken the tomatoes to market, sold them, bought some more tomato seeds and planted a heap more.....heheh.

Famously the English national team played a game against South Africa back in 1939 that had to be abandoned after NINE DAYS as the Englishmen had to catch their boat back home! Who knows, perhaps if that hadn't happened they'd still be playing now?

I still love it, though.
 
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As a lowly Apprentice me and a couple of the other Apprentices were brought into the Final of our large factories Annual Interdepartmental Cricket contest.

Normally this Annual Contest was practically a walkover for the Spinning Department as they had almost a full team of players of Asian origin hence were by far much superior cricketers.

Our team of Engineers batted first in the limited overs competition and thanks to our star batsman we achieved a very respectable score. I was tail end Charley, on in the last over with four balls left, I managed a two on the first ball and a single on the next, the other batsman managed to get a four off the next ball and he threw the bat at the last ball, we ran an easy one but made the turn to try and sneak a second, we failed and I was run out for the grand score of three.

It was there turn to bat and the runs were mounting, they were homing in on our score, then our Captain said to us three Apprentices, can either of you motley lot bowl? We have reached our allotted overs per bowler with our star guys, OK I will give it a go I said.

So I faced this smug looking batsman, I could see it on his face “easy meat, bring it on”. Which is precisely what I did, pitched it just off line with as much spin as I could muster, he took a swing at it and missed and our Wicket Keeper caught the ball and very nearly stumped him.

Next ball, something different, a full toss, he took a swing at it and missed and the ball hit the centre wicket about 6” off the ground, OUT.

Next batsman entered the arena with a swagger, carefully lined up his bat on centre/off and he waited for me to bowl my third ball of the over to him. I took a long run up and bowled as fast as I could with as much backspin as I could muster. The ball pitched short of the crease and rapidly slowed causing the batsman to sky the ball which was well caught, OUT.

So it was now three balls bowled, two wickets and zero runs off my bowling and I was on for a Hat-trick.

Next guy walked in but with not much of a swagger, he took up the stance and I let fly with another spin ball which he blocked, he did the same for my last two balls so I finished the over with 2 wickets for 0 runs.

Now it was the last over and the Spinning Dept were 4 runs short of a victory. It was the last over and our bowler let it fly but the batsman made good contact and the ball flew towards the boundary for a well hit six. I do not know what happened, it was instinct, I just jumped as high as I could and stuck out my hand and stopped the ball, goodness that hurt, I thought I had broken fingers. Quickly I gathered up the ball and hurled it towards our Wicket Keeper who caught it and hence we limited it to them scoring one run.

We managed to hold on and won the match by two runs.

It was my one and only sporting victory where I received a Trophy.

I was normally cr4p at Cricket, guess I had a good day.
 

happyrat1

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Well that was like reading a Russian Maintenance Manual for a Lada Transmission. :p

I recognize all the words, but in that order they make no sense. :D

Proves my point. Cricket is even more boring when you are reading about it :D :D :D

Gary ;)
 

Rayblewit

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It is not unusual for a test match to play out for 5 days with no winner.

It can be boring at times watching hour after hour of tipperty run. Or continuous Overs full of dots on the score sheet.

However, sometimes there will be thrilling moments. (watching on TV) That moment is usually when I get up to get a drink and inevitably I miss it. Thank goodness for replays lol.

Ray
 

happyrat1

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Good God you Brits and Aussies are weird... :cool:


I can't believe how big the stadiums are. :eek:

Gary ;)
 
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Gary

If you think we Brits and Aussies are weird look up the names of the positions adopted by the Bowling team during play.

Slip
Mid on
Silly Mid off
Cover
Long stop
Square leg
Gully

These are just a few of the positions available.
 

happyrat1

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To be honest I don't think they've ever aired a cricket game on a major North American network. Unless you count Monty Python videos. :D

The game is totally alien to me and after watching a few highlights on Youtube I am convinced this game is only playable in outer space. :D

Gary ;)
 
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The most important Trophy in the World, The Ashes.

C7736900-22D4-461D-A6CF-E492019BBA15.jpeg


Proving once and for all that size does not matter, all that matters is beating the Aussies.
 
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I can't believe how big the stadiums are. :eek:
Yes, it’s amazing how wildly popular the sport is in some countries while being almost unknown in others.

When Australia play against England for the tiny trophy Col featured earlier, the cricket world stands still. No prize is more highly sought and it’s a tradition and rivalry that Aussie and English sports fans cherish.

Australians are by and large rabid about sport and will argue with each other forever about which football code is better, which team is the best, etc.

However one thing we ALL agree on is there’s nothing sweeter than beating the Poms at cricket.
 

happyrat1

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Actually don't get me started on armchair athletes and professional sports.

It infuriates me that grown men get paid $MILLION$ to play childrens' games while laboratories and libraries and universities go underfunded.

I believe if anything will end mankind it's his foolish love for aggression and tribalism. :p

Gary ;)
 

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