Cricket

Tim took me to my first cricket game on Friday night, at the Melbourne Cricket Grounds.

Even though it was cricket, an obscure English sport, there were a lot of people there! It turns out that many Commonwealth countries play serious cricket!

You could tell the game was a big deal, because not only were there a lot of people, but also they shot fireworks every time someone hit a home run, or got out. I don't think they really call it a "home run" in cricket, but it's the same idea. Someone hits the ball outside the ring of play. And I don't think they call it "getting out." I think they call it a wicket. But it's a bad thing for the batters, and a good thing for the fielders.

I learned all about cricket on Friday night. I learned that there are two batters, and in a typical game, thirteen wickets. And once you are out, you are out forever. And typical games last five days.

But luckily, this was a short game, which only had twenty overs for each team. And each over involves someone, whom we shall call the "pitcher," throwing the ball six times.

There are two batters. If the one in front of the pitcher hits the ball far enough that the two can switch places, they get a point. If they hit it far enough to switch places twice, they get two points. If they hit it hard enough that it bounces and rolls out of the field, they get four points. If they hit it hard enough that it clears the edge of the field without bouncing, they get six points, and there are fireworks. If they hit it and someone catches it, that is a wicket, and there are fireworks. If the pitcher hits the little contraption behind the batters (the wicket), that is a wicket, and there are fireworks. If the batters run, but the fielders get the ball to the wicket before the batter's bat crosses the line in the sand, then that is a wicket. And there are fireworks. There weren't really that many fireworks for all the different ways I've listed for getting fireworks. That's because these fellows are professionals.

Whew! Did you get all that?

There are also things called "wide" and "no ball" and I have no idea what those are, because it was my first cricket game, and I couldn't learn it all! My brain was full!

The team from India wears blue. The Australians (Aussies) wear black and yellow. There seem to be more Indian fans than Aussie fans in Melbourne. Which was good for the fans, because India won.

So there you go. Cricket.

If I'm going to pick up a new sport, though, I think I'll stick to Australian rules football. More fun, even though there are fewer fireworks.