In the latest instalment of my plucky but doomed attempts to educate Americans in the delights of cricket, I have been parading for the edification of Mrs Hall (link to left) Ricky Ponting being hit in the face with a cricket ball. Ponting thus discomfited cheers up all people of goodwill greatly so here are two samples: one of our man fielding and one of him batting. The result is similar. A cricket ball in the face. Teehee! Trust me, it hurts. Snuck! (explanation; he is the captain of Australia and thus a total pantomime villain in England. His chippy personality doesn't help in this respect. To put it mildly.
There is an odd belief among Americans that cricket is some soft game for wusses. Trust me, it's not. Try this last clip...
10 comments:
It's difficult to educate Americans about the Joys of Cricket, even though they played it (and still have enclaves that play it: e.g. Philadelphia and WDC). They don;t like being beaten, which is why they play something called the "World's Series" which usually has two US teams playing against each other, although there is the possibility that Canadian Teams could play.
Even more interesting would be if the Japanese fielded a team, and won the world's series. That would probably mean the US would have to come up with a new national sport.
The same comment applies to the Superbowl, which the BBC happens to mention for some odd reason. Although that usually happens on the World Service.
http://www.philadelphiacricketleague.com/pls/htmldb/f?p=668:1
http://www.philacricket.com/Club/Scripts/Home/home.asp
http://www.merioncricket.com/
And to think, they signed the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia. Whatever were they thiking?
i am learning a LOT about cricket from all y'all, sugar! i had no idea it was so physical! xooxoo
still a wussy sport with it's tailored white uniforms and prissy little crowns on the wee helmets!
tee hee hee
Jardine, Larwood, 1932
@unique_stephen--we are trying to educate.
Douglas Jardine, Harold Larwood, and William Voce (can't forget him). Jardine was England's captain and LArwood and Voce were fast bowlers during the "Bodyline" tour of Australia (1932-1933). Bodyline, as it sounds, means the ball is aimed at the body and directly threatens the batsman.
Bodyline was what the Ocker's called the tactic, whilst the British called it fast leg theory. Thus the British thought it was a variant of the leg theory and couldn't understand why the Australians were complaining about what they considered a commonly used tactic. The British public came to the conclusion that the Australian cricket authorities and public were just sore losers.
Pardon me, I didn't see you were from Australia Stephen or I would have used Ozzies rather than Ockers. NO offense intended as I was actually just showing off.
Laci re Americans, there is an odd sense that cricket is 'unpatriotic' - I enjoy pointing out that George Washington and John Adams were cricket nuts and you do0n't get much more American than them!
;)
Australians - They don't like it up 'em! Back in - I think - the 80s there was a hand wringing Aussie drama TV series called Bodyline. It featured Hugo Weaving as a sort of vampire camp Jardine. Some years later I settled down in the Streatham Odeon with assorted children dragged along as props to view the first of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Just about the first actor appearing was Hugo Weaving.
'Fuck me!' I thought. 'It's Douglas Jardine'.
i am so glad y'all came around to the saints, sugar! i will do my best to bring the same respect to cricket! xooxoxo
(i need your team's name!)
Donno if I'll be viewing these vids, as I'm an anti-violent sort... but thanks for teaching us Yanks about Cricket.
I thought I commented on the photo below...The one with the man in the pisser. That is the most fantastic men's room I've ever seen! Thanks for posting! I copied the picture and forwarded it to all my peeps.
peace rabbit,
pf
I love cricket, no one should need convincing that it is a grand sport.
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