Cricket

[geoffw]

I don't understand why so much vehemance against the game.

It's ok if you don't like it.

I enjoy it. That's it. No amount of argument will change my mind on it, and the same goes the other way.

It's a game which involves patience and subtlety. Admittedly it's usually better with the sound turned down. The commentators try hard, but IMO it's better just to watch and enjoy.

I'm not a person who enjoys golf. But I don't knock the game, not make fun of those who do enjoy. I just don't choose to participate.

 

[amy21322]

my personal opinion,

cricket is the most retarded sport on the face of the earth, played by bogans and people who have no idea about sport

just the idea and rules of it are laughable

You've got to be joking, TMNT,

You've got to be kidding.....right?

Amy

 

[The Fence]

2. Plenty of sports dont require cardio or strength performance or fitness. Shooting, darts, bull riding, shotput....countless others.

Ahem......bull riding not requiring strength or fitness???

 

[BayView]

Surely any one of your intelligence can see the lunacy of basing a sport on pitch, surface, weather, grass, sunlight? And about 500 other irrelevant factors

This is due to it's history and tradition; a game formulated a loooong time ago when they didn't have the benefit of modgrass, or making a ball from artificial materials and/or from moulds, that would perform correctly.

It was enjoyed and became very popular despite the ball and the pitch, despite all the intangible factors, and this is why they have stuck to tradition as much as possible.

It is isn't boring to watch if you are involved in the game and it's rules and strategies. Same for golf and sailing; those who are not involved in either find them boring to watch.

It should be kept as a hobby

It's a bat and ball sport, played by many as a hobby.

And, when the popularity increases to such a level that people willingly pay to watch it in their tens of thousands (or even millions now) then, it isn't a hobby anymore.

And, I don't have any problem with anyone making a load of money out of something they can do at such a level that they are better at it than most of the planet. That goes for sport, or career. The very best deserve the lion's share of the gold.

People will only pay what they think folk are worth, and as long as the business behind those people can support their remuneration.

Why don't you play tennis with a odd shaped ball on a court full of holes

Wimbledon, French Open.

What about badminton? feathers stuck into a bit of leather encased wood (in the old days).

Like in cricket, the surfaces are natural materials which are prepared to as good a surface as the material allows; same in golf, and football ovals.

You could go on forever about the peculiarities of each sport, but they are all exciting in their own way.

 

[willb]

shining the ball is not the skill. The skill is being able to use the shiny side to swing the ball. Not all bowlers are able to do this.

 

[pinkboy]

Ahem......bull riding not requiring strength or fitness???

Hmmm, I absolutely agree that upmost strength is required, but to stay on for 8 seconds wouldnt require exceptional cardio efficiency one wouldnt think.

pinkboy

 

[The Fence]

Well you see I happen to know alot of bull/bronc riders, one in particular was world champ a few years ago now, earned over US$1m in prizemoney.

He was, and needed to be, fit as a bull ('scuse the pun), strong, not an ounce of fat, and had to be endurance fit so Id say without doubt cardio fitness had to be paramount for him to be so good.

Just because they only ride ( they dont sit I can tell you !) for a few seconds they have to deal with the animal under them that is many times as heavy and infinately stronger.

Heck, just getting on in the shute and getting strapped in & prepared is enough to make any big tough guy faint, let alone when that shute opens and all hell breaks loose.

These guys are not just tough, they are very fit athletes and slightly mad IMO.