If you’ve been reading my newsletters and blog for a while, you have probably spotted my love of cricket. I am indebted to my former partner, Phil, for introducing me to the 50-over World Cup in 2019, but that wasn’t my introduction to the sport…
I grew up in the Yorkshire Dales, where every village green is also a cricket pitch and despite attending a State School, cricket was played in the Summer. Just not by girls. It was a Boys’ Sport. Girls played rounders and netball. (Reluctantly in my case)
However, my Dad liked to watch all sports on TV and somewhere along the line I learned about cricket. So, when I started watching the World Cup in 2019 I did actually understand what was going on! And I got completely hooked.
Why do I love this weird sport so much?
Just for fun, here are some of my reasons why. This probably tells you more about me as a person than about cricket.
- It’s quintessentially English. I associate cricket with the village greens of my childhood, the history of our country and traditions like ‘afternoon tea’. What other sport has tea and buns built into the fabric of the game?
- It’s complicated. The rules – or rather, laws of the game are complex and regularly get amended, clarified or changed. I love the complexity and the details. I’m blessed with a good memory and I squirrel away details for future use in this as much as every other area of my life.
- The stats. When Phil suggested I watch in 2019, he accurately predicted that I would love the numbers. I think he was referring to runs needed vs balls left in a run chase. Being a statistician I also love the batting and bowling averages, strikes rates and records. Run rates, over rates, career best scores and ‘manhattans’ all make me smile and I love the way that the commentary teams can find a stat on practically anything! For example, when England beat Ireland at Lord’s last week, Ben Stokes became the first Test Captain to win a match without batting, bowling or keeping.
- The environment makes a difference. It’s a different game when it’s played in different countries (remember those flat pitches in Pakistan?) and in different weather conditions. Our grey and grim English summers can be a real advantage at times! Perhaps not as a spectator, though. I’ve only been rained off once – on all other occasions I’ve been sitting in the sunshine that befits a Summer sport.
- The balls. Is there another sport where the deterioration of a key piece of equipment during the course of a game is an integral part of the players’ skills? I’m referring to the hand-made red Dukes ball used in Test matches, of course, rather than its close cousin the white ball used in limited overs cricket. The careful tending of ball to make it ‘reverse swing’ fascinates me.
- The atmosphere. The first time I attended a Test match live was in 2021, just after the long periods of lockdown and it was the first time that crowds had been allowed back to sporting events. I don’t normally like crowds. In fact, I had a bit of trepidation about the whole experience, but I absolutely loved it. Everyone was so happy to be there. Everyone was friendly and keen to chat. I came home feeling as though I’d rejoined the human race. (NLP-ers – people ask whether anchors really work!!)
- The Barmy Army. I’d never want to sit in the designated ‘party stand’ at any of the grounds I’ve visited but when the Barmy Army start singing the players’ songs it often makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck. This is what loyalty looks like – they support England whether they win, lose, draw (not that England ‘do’ draws any more) or get rained off. Whatever happens, the Barmy Army support. You might even call it unconditional love.
- The history. Cricket has been played in England since the dawn of time. Well, not quite, but at least for a few hundred years. (That’s a lot of stats!)
- The kit. No hairy legs or knobbly knees on display in this most civilized of games. Long trousers are probably a nuisance on hot days, but I think they look good. And who doesn’t love a cable-knit sweater? Come to think of it, is there any other summer sport that includes a thick sweater in the kit? Players from hotter climes are probably very glad they have both a long-sleeved and sleeveless version to put on when they’re playing in the North of England early in the season.
- On roughly 50% of occasions I’ve gone to a live match, I’ve met someone I know, whom I didn’t know was going to be there and didn’t know to be a cricket fan. This reassures me that it’s not weird to love cricket. I’m in good company.
What’s your favourite sport and why do you love it?
