National obsession a yawn

[DIEHARD]

National obsession a yawn

CALL me a philistine. Worse, call me un-Australian, but has mankind ever invented a more soporific waste of perfectly good time than Test cricket?

I try to get into it, honestly. One feels almost duty bound.
Rugby league is over for another year (all hail the mighty Kangaroos and all-conquering Darren Lockyer), so cricket is now apparently the national obsession.

In fact, it's now Sunday afternoon, and I've been listening to the third day of the Adelaide Test on ABC 612. Well, sort of listening while I obey lawful directions from the long suffering Mrs Syvret who is waging her annual war on household clutter. (I don't know how the cricket will finish, but I can promise you that in our household the war on clutter is about as winnable as the Iraq conflict.)

Right now the commentators are debating what time it is in Peru ? must have missed the relevance of that one while I had a brief but sharp domestic about whether surround sound systems can be defined as "clutter".

Anyway, perhaps the Peru digression had something to do with Paddington Bear. Or maybe seagulls ? they have seagulls in Peru, and seagulls in the outfield are a staple of cricket commentators worldwide when the grass on the pitch is growing about as fast as the game is progressing. Earlier in the day we were discussing daylight saving and the relative sizes of Australia, India and Siberia. As you do. Nothing worse than dead air, as they call it in the radio business.

It's a thrill a minute your Test cricket.

What was the headline in the Sunday papers? "BORE WAR ? Poms ready to put Aussies to sleep" from memory. Says it all really.

Sorry, interruption time again. The subject on the cricket commentary has now switched to the Sixth Floor Museum in the Texas School Book Depository and Lee Harvey Oswald and signs about no hand guns. Fascinating stuff.

We'll soon interrupt this commentary for the cricket no doubt. Which as we write looks like it is heading for a thrilling fifth day draw. Can't wait to buy the highlights DVD, released one assumes by Insomnia Studios.

Maybe this is being a bit unfair. Cricket can be a fun game to play in the backyard on Boxing Day with your children, a wheelie bin, a tennis ball, and a plentiful supply of Fourex.

Like most Aussie children I played cricket when I was at school. In my case dismally. I'd argue it had something to do with being red/green colour blind and therefore only discovering where the ball was when it hit me in the temple.

Cricket can be fun when you attend a big game for all the spectacle and chanting and the colourful characters of the Barmy Army, beachballs, the Mexican waves and the beer wenches.

Damn.

Sorry about that ? I forgot all the above fun has been banned these days in an effort to make cricket about as vibrant as a chamber music recital.

Live update time. The seagulls ? 20 or 30 of them gathered in the outfield right now according to the ABC commentary ? are quite like the British press pack. They peck each other apparently. Hang about. We've now moved to the cathedral bells in Adelaide and what time Evensong is. Must remember that next time I'm in Adelaide, which those of you who have had the misfortune to visit would understand is probably the most appropriate city on the planet to host the world's most boring sport.

But wait. Ponting just punched a shot down towards the seagulls, which "should be quite interesting" the radio tells me.

Obviously there were no avian casualties, because now we've moved the topic to the Collingwood AFL team song and the Wombles. Talk about eclectic.

Wombles. Aren't they something to do with Wimbledon and where the tennis ? which at least has rules that allow for a winner ? is played?

Never mind, I'll keep listening on the off chance I might pick up a nice recipe ? given one of the Pommy commentator's obsession with pies.

No. Stuff that. I might give it a break for a while now and crank up the surround sound (some wars are winnable). And Ponting's just out. I can't stand the excitement.

syvretp@qnp.newsltd.com.au Courier Mail

[DIEHARD]

Nice to see he is a rugby league fan.

I tend to agree with him, I don't like cricket, but I don't go telling people.

(Well except the people reading this thread.)

I just got a kick out of the rugby league plug. Deadset I even use the terminology, mighty Kangaroos and all hail Darren Lockyer....

[Steelers]

Shame Shame Shame!


Cricket is my number 1 sport, which is why I am glad that cricket and rugby league are played in opposing seasons. I love league, but I love cricket even more.

[Future Star]

Cricket is one of the best sports in the world, I fell in love with it watching test 1 of this series...hopefully next year at school i will be able to play both Cricket and Basketball in the League/Union off-season.

[DIEHARD]

I can see this article boiling the blood of a few million people. :lol!:

Cricket isnt for me, but I can see why people love it.

And those that love it, love it.

[Capital_Shark]

In fact, it's now Sunday afternoon

He should have waited till this arvo before saying how cricket was boring.

Good to see the man loves his league, and Australia from the "mighty Kangaroos" part. Just don't reckon he needs to display his love of league by dumping on a sport that doesn't even rival league.

Everyone is welcome to their opinion though, me personally; I don't like cricket.. I LOVE IT!

[Titanium_BD1103]

Yes DIEHARD... and don't you ever forget that those who love it... will love it... :lol!:

I know this guy is entitled to an opinion, but so am I... and I reckon he just doesn't realise the skill or necessity in Summer for a game like this....

I have to agree once upon a time I use to not like Test Cricket, but I now love it... as much as I love ODI, because it's like warfare TBH, you have to be tactically smart and know the right move to play to get a result... and it can be highly entertaining at times trying to see this occur.

I do agree there are times of boredom, like Day 1 of Adelaide... but then I just listen on the radio and do something else at the same time.

HOWEVER, I reckon Cricket is more a past time of Australia than league, and I like League a lot, however there is something about the Cricket that just can get anyone involved... regardless of how much you hate it, I can assure you that on Christmas vacation, you will watch it at some time, because if you don't you'll be out of a loop.

I have not seen a series like the Ashes do to people what it has done. EVERYONE is talking about it and wants to know the score at work, even those who didn't even watch Cricket last summer. It has become bigger than Cricket and is now a part of everyday culture... like no other sporting event can, well besides the Olympics.

But that is my opinion, and I know many will disagree, but as CS said, and as 10CC said... I don't like Cricket, I LOVE IT...

[Robbie_Dee]

Well cricket is an easy sport to dislike if you don't get into it, however, luckily for me, i did get into it, and its awesome! perfect example of this ashes test in Adelaide! It's the greatest sport there is, closely followed by league! Nothing better than sittin down and watchin a good test match!

[Steelers]

Cricket for me is the ultimate sport. It is not only a test of skill, but a test of your physical toughness and awareness. I not only love watching cricket, but I love playing cricket (and not just a bit in the backyard ). I love standing out in the field, for hours on end, in the blazing hot sun, waiting for that ball to come racing towards me. I love standing at one end of the pitch, waiting for some guy to run in as fast as he can and bowl a ball at me at over a hundred kilometres an hour. I love running in and attempting to bowl at over a hundred k's an hour Don't ask me why, but cricket for me is everything in the summer

[MonaroMan]

To be honest I hate cricket, I don't know how people can sit there and watch it and be fascinated with it...

I watch the cricket for about two hours yesterday though *slaps self*.