Cricket?

[Nick Halliwell]

You do realise that you'll need to set aside up to 5 days if you want to
watch a proper Test Match from beginning to end, don't you? 

Actually, though it pains me to say so, you might be better off starting
with one of the new-fangled shorter versions of our Summer Game as a full
Test Match probably requires a knowledge of the game. Nowadays they have
this form called 20-20. The idea of games lasting for less than an afternoon
hardly seems worth bothering with to me, but it might well provide an easier
introduction as you get more attack-minded approach. There's also one-day
cricket, in which each team bats for around 50 overs (20-20 is 20 overs per
team, 1 over = 6 balls bowled). A number of Americans of my acquaintance
have found these shorter versions of the game extremely enjoyable,
particularly if their favourite sport at home is baseball, as there are
similarities, particularly in terms of the tactical and psychological
elements involved. But by all means try Test cricket if you like, please
don't let me put you off! It's the most fascinating of all games, once you
start to get a feel for its subtleties. It's just that if you're used to a
game like basketball where, from the few games I've seen, it's pretty much
non-stop attack, you may find it a bit bewildering.

I'm assuming you're talking about televised cricket in the US so I'm afraid
I can't help. We're in the middle of the cricket season in the northern
hemisphere with England currently hosting a Test series against India.
However, since our bloody government decided to take Test cricket off the
"crown jewels" list of sports considered to be culturally significant and
always available on free-to-air TV (when Murdoch waved enough cash at them),
if you DO find it in America think of those of us in England who can't see
it because we refuse to cough up to Sky. At least we were fortunate in that
the last Test series to be shown non-pay-per-view was the greatest of my
lifetime, the 2005 Ashes series between England and Australia (although,
given the outcome, our Australian friends might disagree, but they got their
own back quickly enough). I don't ever expect to experience any other
sporting event as intensely and I'm not sure my nervous system could cope
with a repeat anyway. 

Anyway, good luck with finding some cricket - I'm sure I've mentioned
previously that the first international cricket match ever played was
between the USA and Canada, in the mid 19th century. 

Feel free to e-mail me off-list if there's anything I can help with...

Nick

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-pynchon-l at waste.org [mailto:owner-pynchon-l at waste.org] On Behalf
Of Ya Sam
Sent: 28 July 2007 14:50
To: pynchon-l at waste.org
Subject: Cricket?

BTW, folks, is there any channel that broadcasts cricket matches, or maybe 
shows some memorable games of the past? I'd like to see such a match from 
beginning till end, as, (shame on me!) I've never seen one.

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