England have just been bowled out but have basically won the Ashes in cricket. Cricket is a sport I have never really figured out. Terms like midon, midoff, leg-break and square leg, just seem bizarre. Also the idea that one game can take 5 days and then end in a draw seems, well, terribly English.
Anyway the BBC radio commentators are currently trying to decide if the match is already over, if Australia have to bat or if they can just "take the light" and end the game. Even the commentators admit the rules are complicated, but as they said, anything else just wouldn't be cricket. In fact Australia just conceeded, took the light and walked away, but the umpires have decided the game could continue, so England are sitting on the field wondering whats going on and no one knows if they can celebrate yet.
Still it seems the ashes has been the sporting event of the summer, even in Ireland where 6 months ago people would have laughed themselves silly at the idea of watching cricket and shouting for England. On Saturday, with Dublin full of GAA fans up for the All-Ireland Hurling Final, most pubs seemed to be showing the Ashes and people were watching and could tell you what the score was and how many overs were left.
Congratulations to England, and well done to both teams for making cricket popular.
No comments:
Post a Comment