Monday, August 24, 2009

The World Series of Dust

Hubster was extremely excited last night because it seems his beloved England has won some sort of urn that might or might not be the final resting place of a bit of dust. It's a big deal, I was told.

"Don't you remember how exciting it was when we won back The Ashes in 2005 after over 20 years of them being in Australia?"

Um. No.

A little Wiki research later and I've come to understand that England and Australia have been having cricket matches over this soot carrying urn since the 1880s. Roughly every 2 years the two teams get together for a 5 day test match that includes lunch and tea (it should for 5 days,) bright white uniforms with strange red stains on them, and fabulous hats. Now, I've been warned by a reliable source that Wikipedia is not a reliable source so I'll take the comment about cricket being more amazing than baseball with a grain of salt.

Come on. Cricket? Better than baseball? In this Ashes thing, England is playing for an imaginary urn of cinders against the same team every single time. Whereas with baseball, all the teams in the US are playing for the WORLD series! In my book, being the best team in the world (even if the competition only comes from your country) is miles more exciting than dust.

Ok, yes. There's more to these games than just the prize, bien entendu. Hence why slugging warm beers in the bleacher seats next to some guy named Paul, who keeps yelling, "GO O's" in a strong, strong, strong, "Bawlmer" accent, really is like being part of poetry in motion. I haven't had the luck to partake of a proper cricket match, but the idea of sitting in the sun sipping Pimm's singing "God Save the Queen" while jeering the Ozzies does have an element of class that, I must admit, appeals to me in the same way.

Even if what I'm hoping they win is a pile of stuff that looks like it came out of my vaccum cleaner.

11 comments:

magali said...

I don't understand a thing about Cricket but you'll have to explain to me how comes there is a World Series of Baseball when only the American play that game and nobody else is even interested in the sport ;-pppp

Dig said...

Eh, voila. My point exactly. If only the French had a team... ;)

magali said...

maybe it's because Americans are afraid of the competition, after all their main sports are only played in their country !
When you will play proper football ? Not something that looks like rugby but is less sexy and fairplay ;-p

Dig said...

Just you watch out, Mags. The USA Men's soccer team is on the up. Just ask Spain. Shall we see if France is up for a friendly?

Sue said...

Actually, some of the best baseball players in the world come from Cuba, Japan, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Canada, and Mexico. There are Aussie baseball players as well as one or two from the Netherlands. The Seattle Mariner baseball team is 53% non American born. Ain't nothing like peanuts and a natty bo at 33rd watching dem O's!

Ted said...

Hey Dig - if you listen to the cricket commentary on the radio it is completely brilliant and addictive...very clever and a lot ruder than you would think!
I remember going to a baseball match in Calgary with a big Brit crowd and we changed UK footie chants into songs for the batter - you know - mean things about his girlfriend/wife etc....
We did get some WTF looks!
I assume most people were there for the food and not the game as I think everyone continually had food in their mouths and were more interested in the whereabouts of the hotdog/popcorn/drinks guy than the action on the pitch!
x

Ted said...

Hey I managed to post as Ted! That means I have no idea how to log on as me!
Yikes!

Lesleyx

hubster dave said...

wouldnt expect americans to understand cricket ... in the land of the soundbite, who's gonna understand a game where you might play for 5 days ... and still end in a draw ...

but thats the beauty of it... STRATEGY comes into play... and the weather... it takes brains, skill and patience... no overtime or extra innings just to ensure a result... if you dont win in normal time, you dont win at all!

Diane said...

Sounds like that other British game that you need strategy and power, LACROSSE. Now there is a game!

We even have lacrosse (and soccer and ....) for girls/women. Are there ANY sports for girls in France?

Mooster said...

of course americans play there best sports in our country otherwise they wouldn't be our best sports now would they??? I think this whole cricket thing is interesting but I would never have the attention span to play it for 5 days

hubster dave said...

di di, i think europe is waiting for girls to be competitive in sport...

;-)