cricket confuses the fuck out of me

I find American football an utter mystery, personally.

Calvinball reference.

I seriously didn't understand it until I was like 14 or so, and I'd played in a number of football games by that point. Of course, I didn't watch it much since I didn't have a TV, but it's pretty complicated. Or rather, the fundamentals of it are simple, but there are so many distractions that it makes it difficult to see which elements are fundamentals and which elements are closer to subtleties.

So it's kinda like pooping back and forth


forever?

It looks like scrabble.

I knew a girl that liked to play Uno. She's gone now.

I played Leg Gully for my school.

I understand cricket but yet sometimes have problems understanding american football rules.

Cricket's not that difficult to understand once you get past the jargon, which is pretty much the same for any sport. It's not the most exciting game to watch in the world, but there's worse.

There are non-oval NASCAR tracks, you know.

Maybe thats why there is only one American in Formula 1

My 2c - I hate cricket.

I too would like to express my hatred for cricket but at the moment I'm more pissed off with the commonwealth games.
But yes I do hate cricket.

[Edited on Mar 19, 2006 by swanny]

yes yes yes. more aussies that hate cricket. thought i was the only one.

Cricket's pretty overrated really. My Dad's family are obsessed, and will sit there and watch all the test matches. I don't get it - days upon days of watching guys in whites stand there on the field and not do a whole lot. It's boring.
On the other hand however, it's great fun having a game of backyard cricket, or beach cricket. And I even managed to survive watching a 20-20 game: That wasnt so bad, especially since I was doing crosswords at the same time.
But really, cricket isnt that complicated to understand. You stand in front of the wickets, someone bowls the ball, you try to stop it hitting the wickets by hitting it first. Then you run up and down the pitch, depending on where/how far you hit the ball. That's about my understanding. Compared to American Football - how can you claim not to get cricket when yoiu watch a game like that? The most confusing and ridiculous game on the planet, right up there with curling.

Curling is easy though. It's just throwing granite rocks as close to the center of a circle as possible, and others trying to do the same while simultaneously knocking you out.

American Football is easy too. In fact, it's the easiest sport we play. Just get the ball to the opposite side of the field, by whatever means necessary.

Not really, because you have to explain downs and extra points and lines of scrimmage and laterals and field goals and punts. If all you gave someone was the general explanation that they needed to get the ball to the other end, they still wouldn't have a clue as to what the fuck was going on most of the time.

On the other hand, soccer can pretty well be understood with the information that you're supposed to kick the ball in the other team's goal, never touching the ball with your hands unless you are the guy defending the goal. Sure, a bit of confusion on things like offsides, but it's simpler than American football.

So is boxing, come to think of it. No kicking, no punching below the belt, no holding. Other than those things, beat the shit out of each other.

wait.... sports have rules?


hmm that's what I never understood...


as far as I'm concerned cricket refers to three things the lovely sg, the insect and a local mobile phone provider


and the american football... I always liked watching it but after I played it I liked it more. I still have trouble with rules of the game because I was always on the defense and all they told me was to get the quarterback....

I think basketball's a pretty simple game. There are a couple of weird rules like goaltending, but I pretty much get basketball. Same with hockey and soccer. I know baseball because I grew up with it, but football still baffles me.

I'm fairly sure I had an extensive understanding of cricket straight out of the womb. Every person born in Australia does. Whether they know it or not.

you know who could help?

SPOILERS! (Click to view)

AndersWolleck said:
you know who could help?

SPOILERS! (Click to view)

Nah. I've seen him at slips. He's an idiot. He tried spin for a while back in '88 and went 2/198 against the West Indies.

Which we got after a massive victory. All out for 100 in their second innings. Oh yes.

Amaranthe is right. Backyard Cricket is AWESOME!

Here are the rules:

1. Any number of players can be involved at any time (ages 3 - 105)
2. Matches to be contested in front or back yards, at the beach (preferably lower tides on the wet harder sand), in the park or even in the driveway for a bouncier wicket.
3. Batsmen who hit the neighbours shed on the full are OUT.
4. If your dog catches the ball you're out, you're on your way and you also have 10 runs deducted from your score.
5. There will be NO teams - it's every man for himself.
6. One hand one bounce.
7. Automatic Wicket Keeper.
8. When a ball is hit through Mum and Dads window while they are having an afternoon nap -
a) Batsmen is OUT and play is abandoned as players flee.
b) Your Friends will NOT let you forget that silly shot.

Stumps? The game draws to a close when the last of the balls is lost down the drain or in the garden or if a batsmen is playing like Bradman and seeing the ball like a watermelon, and pace, spin or even the 'doosera' doesn't trouble the batsmen, feel free to call it quits...

Fuck I am all nostalgic now!

That's a pretty good summary of the rules.

The thing about cricket is that it's slow, most of the time. When it's quick, it's very quick.