Dear friends,
I think the game of cricket is absurd. I know I will get a lot of stares and weird looks, but I honestly think it is a long drawn out affair to watch a game of cricket. Of recent, Pakistan is playing with Sri Lanka. I could barely get through the One Day matches, and now they are playing Test match, which lasts for five days. Why would anyone dedicate their time to watch a game that lasts for five whole days is beyond my comprehension!! I can never get through a game of cricket. If I watch it, I'd rather watch the highlights, which show the entire game in 30 mins or less!
A game of cricket is so long, with 50 overs, and each over has 6 balls, so that means that a spectator has to watch 300 balls being bowled. Each ball being bowled takes about a minute. Now, I know there are some people who get all obsessed with the condition of the ball, whether it is worn out or not, whether it is scratched or not and how fast the ball is bowled. They get all uptight about the speed of the ball and talk about how fast the particular bowler is. What I dont understand is why the bowler has to rub the ball on his groin each time he is ready to bowl? Does that give the ball some extra power? Does that make the ball go faster? I think it is such a funny sight to see bowlers rubbing the cricket balls on their groin!
Ok, and what is the deal with this obsession of screaming out loud that a player is out? All bowlers think that each of their ball is lbw and scream out loud OOOUUUTTTT! And when it is not out, they grumble and moan. Also, what is this lbw thing? Once the batter is not out, the tv screen suddenly put these graphics up to show how good or bad a decision the umpire made of not giving out or out. You see this huge strip of red bar leading from one set of stumps to the other where the batter is standing, and you see replay in slo-mo of how the ball did not hit the leg. LBW-- what does that stand for?
Sometimes I am amazed at how much analysis is given to the game. Someone could probably do a PHd research on the game of cricket. With the latest graphics on screen, showing where each and every ball was shot, in what direction, and how far it went. They show us how many runs were made in each over, and compare it to the other teams. We get statistics on each player, their best score, when and where. Why do you want to see so much analysis. Even the commentators talk about the game of cricket, commenting on each and every ball, how well it was thrown, talk about the pitch, the conditions, brief anecdote here and there. Gosh-- information overload!
Then you have this mumbling and grumbling by the team when they lose a match. They blame every thing, from the weather, bad umpiring, light conditions, team mates, bad coaching when they lose a game. When they win, they give all the credit to the players, and suddenly the weather, umpiring etc are all thrown out of the window. And who cares who made the fastest 50 anyway?
I really dont understand how some people can watch a Test match-- gosh, a game of cricket for five days. How much more slower can you get? I know of some people who get obsessed, and watch the entire game, so much so, they watch each and every ball, and discuss the ball as if it were the only ball ever thrown in the game!
I am talking about cricket in general and not talking about any one nation or tournament. I can only watch a game of cricket when Pakistan plays. When we win, everyone says Pakistan is a great team. When we lose, everyone bad mouths the teams and blame the players! Cricket is really a funny game...and I still have yet to learn to like it. Most people, when they find out I dont really like cricket, think I have something against Pakistan. Its like mirchi (chili)-- I dont like mirchi nor cricket, and both these things are very popular in Pakistan. Mansur, are you sure you are a Pakistani? How can you not like cricket? Dont you support your team?
Cricket: What Is It Good For? a PHd Research soon published in the near future by Mansur!
Bye for now,
Mansur
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