Cricket - who to root for?

Ozzie_Isaac

I am casting off baseball for now.  I am trying to find a new sport, and I think Cricket might be it.

I am not sure who I should pick as my team.  Are there different international leagues?  India, Pakistan, UK?  Any teams I should root against?  Bad boys of the sport.  I am starting from pretty much zero here.  I am thinking maybe Australia.  I like their logo and colors.

Fred19Flintstone

Ozzie_Isaac said:

I am casting off baseball for now.  I am trying to find a new sport, and I think Cricket might be it.

I am not sure who I should pick as my team. … I am thinking maybe Australia.  I like their logo and colors.

That’s how Wilma chooses which football team to cheer for.  When I met her, she cheered for whichever team had the ball.  Watching a “pick six” play with her was interesting.

Langner91

I have an Engineer visiting from India.  He is a Cricket fan.  His team is the Bangalore Royal Challengers (Go Challengers!).  They are part of the Indian Premier League. The Chennai Super Kings are the New England Patriots of the IPL, five trophies recently.

I asked him if the Mumbai Indians get grief for their team's nickname?  I wonder if they will have to become the Mumbai Guardians?

fishlessman

if you want to watch cricket, they are pretty inexpensive

hoosier_egger

Only think I know about cricket is that they catch some monster crappie.

lousubcap

@Ozzie_Isaac In 1994 when the strike went down Tony Gwynn was batting .394 and the Montreal Expos had the best record in MLB.  I walked away to the minor leagues-you may find solace there. 
My next visit to a MLB park was 2004 when a good friend of mine's wife scored a small suite at Wrigley for hubby's 50th B'day party.  Appropriate to attend.
Did make a trip to NYC for the final season in the original Yankee Stadium, 2008.  2018 visited the new Yankee Stadium.  Not sure how this one will play as I clearly don't have as much sand in my hour glass of life.  
Stay healthy and safe out there-
Get a grip on those dogs or your contractors may leave you hanging...

kl8ton

@Ozzie_Isaac

Lockout is over! 

Ozzie_Isaac

kl8ton said:

@Ozzie_Isaac

Lockout is over! 

I saw that!  Rob heard I was giving up.  He capitulated.  Now I need to decide what to do.  Cricket looks amazing.

Legume

Ozzie_Isaac said:

Cricket looks amazing.

only for the first 4 hours.

Langner91

Legume said:

Ozzie_Isaac said:

Cricket looks amazing.

only for the first 4 hours.

Of the First day!

Eoin

I'm sure @CPFC1905 will weigh in with an opinion too. International cricket's not an easy sport to pick a side in. You have to take the rough with the smooth, and in cricket the rough can sometimes last a very long time.

Start watching some coverage and see who's style you like. You're obviously winding me and Ed up with the Australia nonsense, but there are many other teams to consider before picking the convicts. All of them, in fact.

saluki2007

Duh

JohnInCarolina

Would’ve had you as more of a Squid Game fan, Ozzie.

lousubcap

Never mind the euphoria right now- Manfred and his cronies F'd it once again.
But I can get beyond that as long as the talking heads don't remind me between every pitch.  
Go A's-

CPFC1905

First and foremost, welcome to cricket and I'd say give the different formats a try - see what fits you.    A player or team will appeal to you,  just go with that.  

One hurdle is timezones, the IPL is played on IST which is UTC +5.5 hours. Maybe that's handy for breakfast viewing?

Presently there is an awful test series under way between England and West Indies. I'd give that swerve.  Each match being the full 5 day experience isn't the problem,  it's how two weak teams are going about it.

IPL and Test cricket are each end of the spectrum, in between is One Day International  cricket and a tournament of that arrives in October.  

Cricket playing countries tend to have long and short forms leagues - coverage of which is patchy on tv.   There is Major League Cricket closer to home for you,  which was being streamed live last season.  Plus the women's world cup is on right now, the premier international tournament in the women's game. 

There's 3 main routes in to cricket;  1) play it,  2) the maths,  3) enjoying a day out in the sunshine drinking adult beverages.  

Eoin

Test cricket can sometimes have long periods where not much happens, but then at other times ...

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fY0Ym30X5GU

fishlessman

im back to baseball. i was holding out for bigger bases. IT WILL MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD

alaskanassasin

Baseball was only fun to watch when they allowed steroids.

Legume

fishlessman said:

im back to baseball. i was holding out for bigger bases. IT WILL MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD

This will shorten the base path resulting in the need to add asterisks to all stolen base stats and catcher’s caught stealing stats going forward.  We will be forever doomed to debate our children’s children until the end of time if some Johnny come lately is really better than Ricky Henderson.

CPFC1905

fishlessman said:

im back to baseball. i was holding out for bigger bases. IT WILL MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD

Not exactly Kookaburra v Dukes is it @Eoin ?

Langner91

alaskanassasin said:

Baseball was only fun to watch when they allowed steroids.

I want to see how far those guys can REALLY hit a ball!  

Same with the Olympics, let's see what's possible! Bench press a VOLVO!  2 minute mile!  10 second 50m freestyle!  I would watch that!

kl8ton

Legume said:

fishlessman said:

im back to baseball. i was holding out for bigger bases. IT WILL MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD

This will shorten the base path resulting in the need to add asterisks to all stolen base stats and catcher’s caught stealing stats going forward.  We will be forever doomed to debate our children’s children until the end of time if some Johnny come lately is really better than Ricky Henderson.

Are they keeping base centers the same?  What if the leading edge was still the same distance from home plate?  I am not sure their reasoning for lager bases.  I did not read anything about it other than "the bases are getting larger."  Does this include home plate/strike zone width?  Fox will have some adjusting to do on their visual box on the screen.  Go Tigers!

fishlessman

kl8ton said:

Legume said:

fishlessman said:

im back to baseball. i was holding out for bigger bases. IT WILL MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD

This will shorten the base path resulting in the need to add asterisks to all stolen base stats and catcher’s caught stealing stats going forward.  We will be forever doomed to debate our children’s children until the end of time if some Johnny come lately is really better than Ricky Henderson.

Are they keeping base centers the same?  What if the leading edge was still the same distance from home plate?  I am not sure their reasoning for lager bases.  I did not read anything about it other than "the bases are getting larger."  Does this include home plate/strike zone width?  Fox will have some adjusting to do on their visual box on the screen.  Go Tigers!

it might make steeling bases a tad easier, it widens the base path slightly.

Legume

I’m sure it’s to address safety and reduce collisions.  Next step after limiting the ability of the base runner to impede the defensive player.

@Klayton I’m sure it could be done where the corner of each base that orients to the pitcher is in the same spot as it is now.

Gulfcoastguy

Do they at least have hot cheerleaders?

Ozzie_Isaac

Excuse me you uncoth Americans.  This is a cricket forum.  Do not spoil it with your petty sport.

Eoin

Gulfcoastguy said:

Do they at least have hot cheerleaders?

IPL has cheerleaders.

alaskanassasin

Yeah but did he “break the plane” of base? Shouldn’t have to actually touch it

JohnInCarolina

Langner91 said:

alaskanassasin said:

Baseball was only fun to watch when they allowed steroids.

I want to see how far those guys can REALLY hit a ball!  

Same with the Olympics, let's see what's possible! Bench press a VOLVO!  2 minute mile!  10 second 50m freestyle!  I would watch that!

Right?  Why don’t they bring back metal bats?  I mean sure a pitcher here or there might get killed… but think of the RATINGS!!!

Ozzie_Isaac

JohnInCarolina said:

Langner91 said:

alaskanassasin said:

Baseball was only fun to watch when they allowed steroids.

I want to see how far those guys can REALLY hit a ball!  

Same with the Olympics, let's see what's possible! Bench press a VOLVO!  2 minute mile!  10 second 50m freestyle!  I would watch that!

Right?  Why don’t they bring back metal bats?  I mean sure a pitcher here or there might get killed… but think of the RATINGS!!!

Sissy.  I bet you didn't let your kids have knives or firecrackers either.

JohnInCarolina

Ozzie_Isaac said:

JohnInCarolina said:

Langner91 said:

alaskanassasin said:

Baseball was only fun to watch when they allowed steroids.

I want to see how far those guys can REALLY hit a ball!  

Same with the Olympics, let's see what's possible! Bench press a VOLVO!  2 minute mile!  10 second 50m freestyle!  I would watch that!

Right?  Why don’t they bring back metal bats?  I mean sure a pitcher here or there might get killed… but think of the RATINGS!!!

Sissy.  I bet you didn't let your kids have knives or firecrackers either.

Firecrackers are for girl scouts.  Real men launch M-80s right off the top of their heads.