wat changes cricket needs to be a world sport???

[chekmeout]

Guys, while you are talking about this a lot of good work is being done in spreading the gospel of cricket. There is the InterContinetal Cup going on, a lot of cricket for the so-called six associates.. The game is growing and it will keep growing. This sport doesn't need rule changes.

I mean think about the Ireland vs England match today, Irleand showed the world that they can compete batting out 50 overs scoring almost 270 runs, losing by a mere 30 odd runs. Sri Lanka is playing Netherlands next month, as is Scotland playing Pakistan. Zimbabwe was just involved in a series with Canada & Bermuda. Denmark just played Netherlands and Netherlands 'A'. There are a lot of 4-day Intercontinental Cup matches scheduled between these nations for the next few months. Uganda, Kenya A and Tanzania just played in a tournament (which interestingly enough was won by Uganda!)

At a level below that, ICC development programs are in place. Countries like Nepal, Afghanistan, Malaysia, Thailand, Namibia, Uganda have a lot of people playing junior cricket and will slowly emerge as cricketing powers. China is promising a lot. These are exciting times in the growth of the sport as a world game. So hang on, and enjoy the ride.

 

[benchmark00]

Two words.

Hot chicks.

 

[aussie]

personally i woudn't mind if until jesus returns that the cricketing world remains conjested amongst the traditional countries since the standard of cricket over the last 125 has been brilliant & will only get better.

 

[Goughy]

I have always said (as Im sure thousands of others have) that there is only 1 world sport but that cricket is the 2nd largest on the globe.

I put cricket ahead of basketball, baseball, handball etc by a bit of a distance.

Interestingly there is an article in The Economist talking about US sports (basketball, baseball, gridiron etc) and how they have failed to export their sports unlike the British Empire that has successfully exported the 'idiosyncratic' game of cricket globally.

Cricket could grow by utilizing 20/20 and such but we also have to realize it is already a successful and a massive global sport.

I think we are often caught criticising cricket based purely on the belief that 'the grass is allways greener' in other sports.

 

[chekmeout]

Yeah, statistically too cricket is the second most followed sport in the world.. (I know it's largely due to the huge populations in the subcontinent) but that doesnt change the fact..

Cricket is OFFICIALLY the second-most followed sport in the world.

 

[adharcric]

Could it be that we don't consider cricket a global sport simply because it hasn't flourished in the US and that just means so much to everyone for some reason?
Baseball has "flourished" in the US, Latin America and the Far East.
Cricket has "flourished" in Oceania, the Indian subcontinent, South Africa, England and the Carribean.
I don't see how baseball is that much more global than cricket if at all so; still, no one seems to care much about baseball not being global.

For me, soccer (football) is clearly the true "global" sport. It's available to the rich and the poor, in every continent (although certain areas suck), and the fan base is ridiculous. After that, tennis and cricket. Tennis is more geographically global, but cricket is more socially global, at least in the Indian subcontinent. Basketball is right up there as well, but no one really cares much about any league besides the NBA.

 

[Sir Redman]

For me, soccer (football) is clearly the true "global" sport. It's available to the rich and the poor, in every continent (although certain areas suck), and the fan base is ridiculous. After that, tennis and cricket. Tennis is more geographically global, but cricket is more socially global, at least in the Indian subcontinent. Basketball is right up there as well, but no one really cares much about any league besides the NBA.

I'd add hockey (field that is) in there with tennis and cricket - it's played all over the world, has a big following in the Sub-Continent, Germany, Netherlands, Australia, Spain and Argentina, with decent support in NZ, South Korea, England and a few others as well.

Motor racing would be up there as well, and possibly even volleyball. I heard a couple of weeks ago that volleyball is the most played sport in the world. I'm not sure where they got the data from and if it's true though.

 

[adharcric]

I'd add hockey (field that is) in there with tennis and cricket - it's played all over the world, has a big following in the Sub-Continent, Germany, Netherlands, Australia, Spain and Argentina, with decent support in NZ, South Korea, England and a few others as well.

Motor racing would be up there as well, and possibly even volleyball. I heard a couple of weeks ago that volleyball is the most played sport in the world. I'm not sure where they got the data from and if it's true though.

Hockey - yeah it is pretty popular, especially if you consider both forms, i just don't see as crazy of a fan-base for it but that might just be me

Motor racing - i won't go into that just to avoid controversy, but it's really not that popular among the "masses"

Volleyball - definitely popular and also a simple sport that can be played anywhere, but there is no really popular international competition

 

[Son Of Coco]

- Instead of wickets have barrels of oil.

- Put a pin in the 'ball' that is to be removed before delivery.

- Get a leading bat manufacturer to release a bat called the 'WMD'.

- Hide it in your changeroom.

- Claim to know nothing about said bat.

- Call America and tell them they can have the barrels if they join in.

- The UN gets involved.

- A number of European countries get involved against their will.

- The game is now global.

 

[Smudge]

I think if the Black Caps started doing the haka it would bring in hordes of new fans from around the globe. Imagine the whites of Daniel Vettori's eyes in full view as he drops to one knee to perform a pukana (sticking the tongue out). Nothing short of inspirational.

Oh, and I agree with benchy's "hot chicks" theory.

 

[GIMH]

Great thread this, I have nothing to contribute but thought I'd comment on how much I've enjoyed reading it. Some great discussions round here at the moment.

 

[Adamc]

I think if the Black Caps started doing the haka it would bring in hordes of new fans from around the globe. Imagine the whites of Daniel Vettori's eyes in full view as he drops to one knee to perform a pukana (sticking the tongue out). Nothing short of inspirational.

You've seen this post I assume?

 

[Smudge]

OK. I take it all back. Shudder.