The Cricket
I am currently sitting at a crowded internet cafe in Bangalore, India. Why is it crowded? There are a few dozen computers here and a big screen. But only a few of the computers are in use. Still, there are about ten people for every computer. What are they doing? They are watching the cricket on the big screen. Not watching cricket. Watching the cricket. Just sounds nicer that way. It's India versus Pakistan. India versus Pakistan in cricket is quite possibly the biggest sporting rivalry in the world. It makes all other rivalries all over the world pale in comparison. These two countries have 20% of the world's people and they hate each other and they have a small stockpile of nuclear arms pointed at each other. And they are mad about the cricket.
Over the last two weeks, I've gotten to watch a lot of the cricket. India are playing in Pakistan while Sri Lanka and South Africa are in Australia playing a triangular series. There are only ten countries in the world who play cricket and only about half of these countries are half decent. The game is long and you can usually predict the outcome of most matches. And I love it. I tried to get into it in England, but was distracted by the football. But here in Sri Lanka and India, it's cricket and nothing else. Maybe the odd game of elephant polo.
Why have I finally realized this genetic love for the cricket? Well, test matches, the ultimate and oldest and most respected form of the cricket, last five days. Another popular form, one day internationals (ODIs), last, predictably, one day. So when the cricket is on, what can I do? I can get up in the morning, switch on the cricket, and watch it all day. And I've done this several times already. Pham and I and I'm sure others share a love for sitting on our ass and doing nothing but watching the idiot box. No matter what crap is on, I'll watch. This is why cricket has done it for me. Imagine sitting on your ass for five days watching it. And if you go to the matches, imagine doing that and drinking the whole time. You can even do that at home. Say it's Tuesday and you get invited to some deal on Friday that you don't want to go to. Say a test match has just started. Nope, can't go, have to watch the cricket. Which game? This one. But it's Tuesday? Yes? The deal is on Friday. They'll play until Friday. This same game? Yes. It lasts for five fucking days, baby! All day, everyday, one can watch the cricket. Sit on your ass and just watch ball after ball after ball, run after run after run. So what are you doing next week? Watching the cricket? What time? All the time. What day? Everyday. Nothing interrupts the cricket. Except rain and bad light. It is a lot like baseball. Except fifteen times longer. That means fifteen times the sitting on your ass time. And fifteen times the drinking. Long live the cricket.
Oh, yeah, and last night I went to a Bryan Adams concert. Summer of '69 and all that jazz. Really random. I see that canuck in concert in South India of all places. Globalization, good and bad.
Over the last two weeks, I've gotten to watch a lot of the cricket. India are playing in Pakistan while Sri Lanka and South Africa are in Australia playing a triangular series. There are only ten countries in the world who play cricket and only about half of these countries are half decent. The game is long and you can usually predict the outcome of most matches. And I love it. I tried to get into it in England, but was distracted by the football. But here in Sri Lanka and India, it's cricket and nothing else. Maybe the odd game of elephant polo.
Why have I finally realized this genetic love for the cricket? Well, test matches, the ultimate and oldest and most respected form of the cricket, last five days. Another popular form, one day internationals (ODIs), last, predictably, one day. So when the cricket is on, what can I do? I can get up in the morning, switch on the cricket, and watch it all day. And I've done this several times already. Pham and I and I'm sure others share a love for sitting on our ass and doing nothing but watching the idiot box. No matter what crap is on, I'll watch. This is why cricket has done it for me. Imagine sitting on your ass for five days watching it. And if you go to the matches, imagine doing that and drinking the whole time. You can even do that at home. Say it's Tuesday and you get invited to some deal on Friday that you don't want to go to. Say a test match has just started. Nope, can't go, have to watch the cricket. Which game? This one. But it's Tuesday? Yes? The deal is on Friday. They'll play until Friday. This same game? Yes. It lasts for five fucking days, baby! All day, everyday, one can watch the cricket. Sit on your ass and just watch ball after ball after ball, run after run after run. So what are you doing next week? Watching the cricket? What time? All the time. What day? Everyday. Nothing interrupts the cricket. Except rain and bad light. It is a lot like baseball. Except fifteen times longer. That means fifteen times the sitting on your ass time. And fifteen times the drinking. Long live the cricket.
Oh, yeah, and last night I went to a Bryan Adams concert. Summer of '69 and all that jazz. Really random. I see that canuck in concert in South India of all places. Globalization, good and bad.
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