The quintessence of cricket

[sledger]

Capitalised E in 'edge' can only mean:

WAG. I miss him.

 

[Howe_zat]

When specialist batsmen bowl in test matches. Even better if they have a trundle in a one day game.

I love how teams spend so much time working out their strongest bowling lineup but are then happy to throw the ball after 50 overs to someone who rarely bowls and would not even make first class cricket as a bowler, simply because the specialist bowlers in the team are struggling. Even better is when they bowl slow medium pace.

It was enjoyable seeing Hussey and Ponting having a bowl again in recent years.

Dhoni having a trundle was great. "Sod you lot bowling, you're all dire."

 

[Teja.]

Cricket is a ball pitching on perfect length, seaming in a little and hitting the top of off-stump line-wise and a perfectly good batsman helplessly nudging it to the slips, for me.

WAG. I miss him.

****, It's literally been a decade since the entire Hair v. Hair match between him and Kurt. I'm getting old.

 

[Johnners]

I've always found the moment the ball is traveling from an edge towards the slips to be perhaps the most tense part of cricket. Time seems to slow down at times as the ball travels from the edge towards first slip. Everyones known what's happened, and are just weighting for the inevitable, which often doesn't occur. When your favourite player's bowling it's a mixture of excitement and heart in the mouth time, as you weight for the ball to be caught. While when your favourite batsman is batting, it's a moment of despair with a tiny bit of hope that the ball will be grassed.

Very well said.

 

[Howe_zat]

Something irrational in me always thinks it's a better ball when it thwacks the off stump rather than gets a nick.

Especially when it's an outswinger that the batsman thought was on leg and tried to play it that side. Those are magic.

 

[vic_orthdox]

As a spinner, there's a moment when you know you have the batsman beat in the air, you see him slightly panic and throw himself towards the ball as he's coming down the wicket. For me, that little moment is like a slip's catch, senses heighten, you know you've done your part.

But there's still that last little effort, where so often the batsman gets his hands through the ball and takes you over the top, and you close your eyes and don't even watch it go over your head. The fish didn't just get away, it stole your tackle box.

 

[Goughy]

One for the cricketing romantics out there.

Which one feature, aspect or facet of our sport best defines or evokes it? What, for you, is most uniquely "cricket"?

Unoriginal a thought as it is, for me it's that gorgeous crack of leather pinging off willow. In my own meagre estimation it's the most evocative sound in all sport. No matter what the format, the venue or the conditions that wonderful noise is the same the world over.

I agree but it is the final part of a series of sounds. The quiet shush of spikes dragging, the dull thump of the front leg landing, a muted grunt followed a split second later by the ping of leather on willow. I can close my eyes and hear the sounds. In all the baseball movies they talk about the smells of the game but cricket, to me at least, is far more about the sounds.

 

[Daemon]

I agree but it is the final part of a series of sounds. The quiet shush of spikes dragging, the dull thump of the front leg landing, a muted grunt followed a split second later by the ping of leather on willow. I can close my eyes and hear the sounds. In all the baseball movies they talk about the smells of the game but cricket, to me at least, is far more about the sounds.

Love that sound now that I think about it.

 

[Howe_zat]

The fish didn't just get away, it stole your tackle box.

 

[Jono]

Haha, Vic wag

 

[BackFootPunch]

As a spinner, there's a moment when you know you have the batsman beat in the air, you see him slightly panic and throw himself towards the ball as he's coming down the wicket. For me, that little moment is like a slip's catch, senses heighten, you know you've done your part.

But there's still that last little effort, where so often the batsman gets his hands through the ball and takes you over the top, and you close your eyes and don't even watch it go over your head. The fish didn't just get away, it stole your tackle box.

Nailed it. That moment when you know the ball is going to dip and turn to beat him is glorious.

There is nothing in cricket that I like better than the change in body language that occurs in the few seconds of a stumping. To start it's all positive intent from the batsman. Then there's the turn and desperation to get back in. And finally that resigned slump of the shoulders when he knows he's been caught short. So satisfying as a bowler.

 

[benchmark00]

Too many people trying to be romance writers here. Sickening to read.

 

[Red]

Too many people trying to be romance writers here. Sickening to read.

Get in touch with your feelings, man.

 

[the big bambino]

Too many people trying to be romance writers here. Sickening to read.

Ah c'mon girl up and cry. It'll do you good (you pusseh)

 

[vicky]

Smells for me...

The smell of cut grass, the smell of linseed oil, smell of polished leather...

You know that cricket season is back again.

 

[benchmark00]

Smells for me...

The smell of cut grass, the smell of linseed oil, smell of polished leather...

You know that cricket season is back again.

Thought you were into s&m for a bit there.

 

[Goughy]

Too many people trying to be romance writers here. Sickening to read.

It is the romance that keeps me coming back for more then the day of the game arrives and the reality strikes of long tedious periods and lots of pain and I don't like the sport. Then Monday comes around and back to dreaming.

 

[vicky]

Thought you were into s&m for a bit there.

Never said I wasn't ****.

It is the romance that keeps me coming back for more then the day of the game arrives and the reality strikes of long tedious periods and lots of pain and I don't like the sport. Then Monday comes around and back to dreaming.

Or obsessing all week over weather forecasts hoping and praying the weekend won't be washed out again...