I used to find the cricket boring. I didn�t mind it when I was in primary school and we�d play on sports day and I�d be stuck way in the outfield because no one could hit the ball that far and I could sit on the grass and daydream. Other people would make daisy chain necklaces but I had neither the talent nor the inclination to be strung about with a beacon for bees.

In about 2005 (I think, memory is fuzzy) I started to take an interest in cricket. Mostly because The Sexy likes it and that�s all that would be on the TV on the weekends and I really had no choice but to watch it or go into another room and read a book. I really got into it. I didn�t understand it so much (LBW baffled me more than the offside rule in football) but I enjoyed it.

That�s because Australia was good at it. And we won all the games. Now, well...not so much.

The players I became familiar with started to retire � McGrath, Langer, Gilchrist and most recently Hayden. And frankly the team started to suck, big time!

I got to the point where I would refuse to watch the games because I knew we would lose. So much for loyalty and supporting your team in hard times.

Then on Sunday night Brad Haddin renewed my love of the game. Sure, we won the match (that helped) but he was taking the big hits and it was just downright exciting again. That�s probably why I enjoy the 20/20 format. I love it when someone hits it big and the crowd roars.

Now we�re playing again today...NZ in a one-dayer in Adelaide.

Let�s see if I�ve changed my stripes and become a loyal fan, or that fair-weather thing will come back to bite me on the bum.

Howzat

Tyd

10 February 2009 - 12:37 pm

Make your mark | 0 have left their mark

[ back | front ]