h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Thank goodness someone's finally written an entry on this! I looked *everywhere* for an explantion of the Duckworth-Lewis rule when editing an entry on pub sign cricket a while ago, but not even the ECB had one! So well done, you've filled a gap!

It has been suggested that no-one except Duckworth and Lewis actually understand it completely. I had to get my sources through Google and cricinfo for this- I was fortunate that I wrote it not too long after the world cup, so the d/L method was mentioned ina few reports and I maanaged to stumble across links. Very confusing business though.

Oh, it is. The more cricket I watch, the more confused I become. Great game though... my dad always says that the presence of a cricket field is one of the best indicators of civilisation. He also says that when nuclear submarines resurface after years underwater, the first thing they do to check that the world hasn't collapsed is tune in to Test Match Special, but I'm not so sure I believe that

Now you bring up test match special, I've actually got meself a ticket for the second day of the NortH East's first ever test match, at Chester le Street, Durham on June 6th!

(Also,I've noticed over the last couple of years that a lot of grounds have started putting the D/L adsjusted totals on the scoreboard, which is very helpful if you haven't got your tables and pocket calculator with you)

TMS does always assure you that life goes on- apparently Aggers has written a book, I was reading in t'paper t'other day. I'll have to nip down Ottakars tomorrow and see if they've got it.

Yes, there's something rather unique about TMS. The cricket commentary on TV is never as good... but then I suppose it doesn't need to be beacause viewers have got pictures to distract them, whereas listeners haven't. In general, Radio Four is unbeatable I think

What you can do is put the TV on channel 4 for the live coverage, then if you have a rdio near the TV, tune *that* to R4 long wave, and you're sorted!

A sensible policy for a better britain!

Very sensible, and exactly what we do sometimes! Considering that the Channel 4 coverage stops at 6pm, even if they're still playing, you just couldn't do without TMS.

Current game's looking a bit of a foregone conclusion already.

or concluded...

that went mighty fast!

i hope they play that well next week when I go.

Ooh, are you going? Hope the weather's fine for you, too

I'm going on the friday- weather in Sundderland's been nice lately, so hopefully weather down t'road will be as good when I head to the test match.

Incidentally, have you seen the one-day squad that was announced today:

Vaughan (c), Gough, McGrath (Yorkshire)
Ali, Solanki (Worcs)
Clarke (Surrey)
Read (Notts)
Anderson, Flintoff (Lancs)
Giles, Troughton (Warwickshire)
Harmison (Durham)
Key (Kent)
Trescothick, Johnson (Somerset)

What no Glamorgan!?!

Nope, crafty crofty and co have escaped the selectors' attenton yet again.

Incidentally, friday at chester le street was the best 25 quids worth of cricket I've ever seen. Wonderful weather, Richard Johnson's bowling, Zimbabwe's footwork, Ashley Giles' fifty, a game of "spot the eighties test cricketer" out the back of sky's commentary box (we got Gower, Botham, Willis and Holding). A Carlberg-Tetley beer tent and a hastily purchased England bush hat to avoid sunstroke. Marvellous

Sounds perfect. Got to beat A-Level revision

*attempts to remember A Levels*

Noppe, wiped those three years from my mind, sorry.

Re: watching C4 pictures & listening to TMS

You can get some interesting time-delay effects if you get one via digital (satellite) & the other on analogue terrestrial...

that sounds quite good fun actually. I have noticed before that if someone's watching TV on digital in the lounge, and someone else is watching the same channel in the extension, then there's a delay. interesting. You know, TMS is on digital these days, on 5 live sports extra.

...or indeed on 'R4 LW', I think, which is a bizarre name for a digital radio channnel... but there we go.

The same effect is obtainable with football on, say BBC & Five Live. Although IIRC during the World Cup they actually gave you 3 interactive 'soundtracks' to go with the footy pics - TV commentary, Five Live commentary, or just the sound of the fans in the stadium.

Well I've only got Freeview, which doesn't offer R4 LW. Which is a shame, because I'd love to hear the shipping forecast with a decent reception. There are few mmore soothing things in this world than the shipping forecast.

"North Itsera, South Itsera, Gently rising."

Classic stuff..