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

It's ok, I did make THAT post quite late and made a few spelling mistakes and the like in other forums at the same time.

Still it's England v Pakistan in Karachi.

I think I got the idea on the gloves, batsmen/wicket keeper. In baseball, as many of you know, the catcher's "mitt" is much different from any batters gloves. The catcher could not hold a bat with that big round leather contraption on his hand. But they also only rarely break their fingers.

Sounds like the Aussies are like the Yankees of my childhood, who simply won everything. Dave Barry, a humor writer, wrote a very funny piece about a World Series in the 1950's between the Pittsburgh Pirates (he lived near Pittsburgh) and the Yanks. Because of their success, the Yanks had a national following. Dave said half of his grade school class were Pirates fans, and the other half were complete morons.

Yes we are doing well at the moment although these things are always cyclical...even the kiwis have a good team once a millenium

At least the Kiwis get a good team once a millenium, better than the old country then

(Say's the English boy in the corner!)

I'm sure you don't need another Aussie telling you what is wrong with cricket over there....

Dear Mr Dancing Tree

Cricket is far too important simply to have rules. It has Laws.

Mr Pink-Paisley, this forum is too important to have misleading subject headings

An interesting editorial in the Houston Chronicle by Frank McCourt, the author of "Angela's Ashes", titled "Astros Pitcher's Eyes Unlocked Baseball's Mystery". Some excerpts:

"If he's around, I would like Mike Scott, formerly of the Houston Astros, to know about this. I would like him to know that, because of his eyes, I am somewhat interested in baseball and even watched a whole game on television ..."

"I had grown up in Ireland with soccer, hurling, Gaelic football, rugby - games that moved, man. I couldn't understand these American games, football and baseball, where they stopped for a conference every few minutes ... If they stopped like that in Limerick, things would be thrown - insults about the players' mothers, any object at hand."

(While sitting in NY bar with a bunch of baseball types) " ... up there on the television a pair of eyes, the deadliest eyes I'd ever seen. I ask Tommy, 'Who's that?' 'Mike Scott, Houston Astros.' His face fills the screen, and his stare is enough to scorch anything in its path ... The catcher's fingers move. Mike Scott's eyes say 'no', and that's the moment of my conversion. He throws the ball, and I don't care where it goes ... To Mike Scott, wherever you are, thanks for the moment."

Mike Scott pitched a special game once for Houston, the final game of a playoff series. He pitched a no-hitter, a rare event in any case, and especially in a playoff game where all the teams are pretty good. Driving around on Houston Freeways, whenever he got another out, you would see fists raised out of car windows.

I would think cricket bowlers can look pretty frightening, also, but its harder to see their eyes when they're running. Do they play cricket in Limerick? It doesn't sound like it ...

A couple of years ago one of the Indian fast bowlers hit the NZ captain, Fleming, in the head. Saved from injury by his helmet he got ready to face the next bowl. "Flemo, Flemo, Flemo," cries the Indian. Fleming eyeballs the Indian: "Go back to your mark, it wasn't even fast, you're useless, I accidently ducked into it." "Flemo, Flemo, Flemo, I just wanted to check you were OK."

In Australia this scene would be very different. The bowler would eyeball Fleming while saying: "That was my warm-up ball."

Absolutely right there Loony, and they would probably bring in another close in fielder as well

Fianlly someone who can recognize the slowness of most american sports. No surprise that it was a European, but my thanks to Mr. McCourt for pointing it out. Actually, everyone should check out Hockey. Fast, brutal, and stunning in it's play. Off my soapbox

Gooday Loony,

Just caught the sports news on the way to work. Just love the name of that South African bowler, Telemachus. Sounds like he was a chip off the old mythical block the way he was spearing Enzed batsmen. Still, it's not proper cricket, is it?

Walter.

Dodgy pitch

That figures.

Paul McDermott said at the ARIA Music Awards that "the ARIAs are like the Olympics of rock. It's something wonderful that only Australians can win"

Skylion -

On the slowness of American sports. Agreed, I've already mentioned my loss of interest in baseball - American football the same. As a reminder, I live in the USA , and was a schoolboy player and adult fan of both. Was.

I think Mr. McCourt left out basketball since it is a "moving" game, but I would protest even that omission. I actually played basketball longer in school and was a fan longer into adulthood. But in the NBA, the saying is "Every game should start tied with two minutes to go." And I agree. They almost always end up there. And the last "two minutes" take about an hour. The team behind scores as quickly as possible, about 5 seconds given most defenses, then fouls immediately. This stops the clock (Mr. McCourt's valid criticism), with a long period for sideline planning, talking, foul shooting, and allows commercial time. My wife and I have gone on long walks at the two minute point, knowing we will see the end of the game.

Hockey is not my thing, being from the south I never played the game - we only had ice on the streets about once a decade. The brutality is not appealing to me, but it is to other Houstonians, who want (another) team. We'll see.

But this is a cricket Forum, are you saying that cricket is not slow? I was really asking before if cricket is played in Limerick. I am not familiar with Irish sports - Mr. McCourt (an Irishman) did not mention cricket.

And please, none of my stuff is critical, we all have our opinions on sports, I am enjoying the discussion. Mr. McCourt is just a much better writer than most.

Steve K.

The Irish certainly aren't known for their cricketing ability...as for cricket being slow, certainly, but most Americans compare it to their 'fast' sports...

Ricky Ponting started his season of first-class cricket in dazzling style today. The dashing Tasmanian right-hander has gone to stumps on 207 not out on the opening day of the Pura Cup match against Queensland at Allan Border Field, Brisbane.

Gooday Loony,

Not unbearable, surely? Still for all of that, the Punter is run out for 233 and Tassie loses the last five for next to nothing. Early season form on velvet decks is okay, but the Queensland attack hasn't exactly been cutting swathes through the opposition. Have the Enzedders announced their team yet - I thought it was supposed to come through yesterday, or did we miss it? Take care,

walter.

Walter, the injury-depleted NZ squad for the test series against South Africa is: Stephen Fleming (captain), Mark Richardson, Craig Spearman, Hamish Marshall, Mathew Sinclair, Craig McMillan, Nathan Astle, Adam Parore, Chris Cairns/Scott Styris, Brooke Walker, Paul Wiseman, Andrew Penn, Kerry Walmsley, Daryl Tuffey, Shayne O'Connor.

If Cairns is ruled out as well (dodgy knee) I fear it could be a long month for NZ cricket followers. Business as usual I suppose you could say. (And probably will.)

Todays Cricinfo 365 newsletter rips into Shane Warne about him breaking his finger while taking a catch that was rightfully the wicketkeepers. "Some mothers do have 'em."

Warne will miss the first three Tests against the West Indies.