Recently this blog has turned it's attentions to basketball, baseball, American football, proper football and even golf; so perhaps it's time to pay a little homage to cricket...not least because England are beating (for the moment at least!) the Saffers in their own backyard.
Trying to explain a game that lasts 5 days and can still end up in a draw to an American audience is a near impossibility; this is a country where draws are unacceptable... overtime or extra innings are played to the death in an effort to establish a victor.
So the premise of a game that can take 5 days, and still come down to the last ball at the very end of the fifth and final day of play will be mystifying to some of you - for that I don't apologize! It's part of what makes this game great!
Without doubt, Cricket (like baseball) can de dull at times, but every now and then you'll get a finish that more than makes up for the intervening periods of dreariness. The Ashes (a battle fought every two years between England and Australia) is often the most intensely exciting cricket for an English fan. But there's something about beating the South Africans (Saffers - if you haven't guessed) that is immensely satisfying!
Possibly it's just because they are a good team, and it's always satisying to beat a good team in front of their own fans no matter what the sport. But more than likely, it's because they're just...South African!
So let me set the scene of this clip from the last day of the 3rd Test Match. England are winning the series 1 game to 0, with one other previous match tied. There is one more match to follow. England are not in a position to win this game, but if they can survive this last over, they will draw the game and prevent the Saffers from tying the series 1-1. With one match to go, a draw would mean that England cannot lose the series, and have a chance going into the last game of winning the series 2-0.
This clip shows the last over (6 deliveries or pitches) of the game. South Africa, the team bowling and in the field, need to get one wicket (out) to win the game. The English have their last (and worst) man batting; in basball parlance they are down to their final out. He needs to survive this over without getting out (protecting the stumps and not getting caught are his main concerns) for England to draw the game and avoid defeat. The tension of the crowd and the players/coaches in the changing rooms shows that cricket sometimes can indeed be nervewracking!
For those of you (Americans!) who have not seen cricket before, notice the absence of gloves with the fielding team, other than the one guy behind the batter. The wicketkeeper (catcher) is the only player who is allowed to wear gloves and pads, other than the batsmen. And notice how close they are standing to the bat in comparison to baseball! Makes you wonder why those baseball players need those mitts!
Possibly it's just because they are a good team, and it's always satisying to beat a good team in front of their own fans no matter what the sport. But more than likely, it's because they're just...South African!
So let me set the scene of this clip from the last day of the 3rd Test Match. England are winning the series 1 game to 0, with one other previous match tied. There is one more match to follow. England are not in a position to win this game, but if they can survive this last over, they will draw the game and prevent the Saffers from tying the series 1-1. With one match to go, a draw would mean that England cannot lose the series, and have a chance going into the last game of winning the series 2-0.
This clip shows the last over (6 deliveries or pitches) of the game. South Africa, the team bowling and in the field, need to get one wicket (out) to win the game. The English have their last (and worst) man batting; in basball parlance they are down to their final out. He needs to survive this over without getting out (protecting the stumps and not getting caught are his main concerns) for England to draw the game and avoid defeat. The tension of the crowd and the players/coaches in the changing rooms shows that cricket sometimes can indeed be nervewracking!
For those of you (Americans!) who have not seen cricket before, notice the absence of gloves with the fielding team, other than the one guy behind the batter. The wicketkeeper (catcher) is the only player who is allowed to wear gloves and pads, other than the batsmen. And notice how close they are standing to the bat in comparison to baseball! Makes you wonder why those baseball players need those mitts!
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