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

Brilliant!

Enjoyed this from beginning to end. Kept thinking you missed something but then saw it appear lower down. I can hear the Members even from over here grumbling that this sort of artical is just not cricket.

One or two thoughts for optional additional items

Could mention the crease, wides and leg byes, no balls (plenty of scope here). Umpires, Googly, Chinaman (Very Non PC these days!) Leg break off break, Bouncer etc etc. Boundary rope, overthrows new balls( yet more scope!)

Ball does not have to bounce to be hit... Full Toss, Donkey drop plus the opposite grass-cutter.

A couple of Position descriptions 'Fine' and 'Backward'

Long Field was new to me? Thought it was Long on / off but happy to stand corrected.

Once again congrats!


topher

Thanks for the encouragement and input. I will try to work in the suggestions you made- the more I think about the game the more incomprehensible, and potentially hilarious, it becomes.
I think you're right about the Long Field being designated "off" and "on". I'll fix that too (I really did use the 1958 edition of the Children's Encyclopedia of General Knowledge for research).

Gladly

I agree the game has so many ideosyncracies that it is ripe for pulling apart and describing as you did.

One or two other expressions that came to mind after my last posting. Maiden Over and Wicket Maiden. Seam (of the ball). Appealing - 'How's That'. Outfield(?) Scorer and scoreboard next to the pavilion.

A couple of fine tuning points....hope you don't mind!

One other all be it obscure way of getting out is to handle the ball before it is dead!

I think its more appropriate to call them Batsmen rather than Batters and this would enable mentioning 'the Batting side' as well as 'the Fielding side' and Fielders.

Also when you mention about the object of the game to amass more runs I think you need to add and to bowl the opposition out for less runs. (I guess in limited over cricket the getting out bit is secondary though)

Hope this is a useful contribution. Keep the runs flowing!


topher