[John Mayhugh]

As I'm getting ready to go on vacation, I'm trying to get my desk surface visible again.  A couple of weeks ago, there was an interesting article in the Wall Street Journal about the lack of innovations and changes in the sport of cricket, and I hadn't gotten around to posting it.  I really liked this comment from a director at Kookaburra Sport, an Australian supplier of equipment:
"The game of cricket is a game of history, enabling a comparison from one era to the next. The one thing you don't want is the product to be impacting on this."
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303644004577522112872303738.html

How different from golf! 

[Jim_Kennedy]

Doesn't a game of cricket itself last from one era to another?

Thanks for the article.

[Mark Pearce]

I hate to say it but that article is mostly rubbish.  In my mid to late twenties I was a fairly grinding, limited batter and rarely, if ever hit a six (clearing the boundary).  Changes to bat technology (the willow is pressed much more lightly) mean that last year, as an old man playing for the first time in 15 years (with my 15 year old son, who had started to play adult cricket) I hit more sixes than in any season when I played even reasonably seriously.  If anything, I'd say changes in bat technology have made more difference to me in 15 years than changes in golf ball technology.

Also, pads and gloves are lighter and better and 40 years ago nobody ever batted in a helmet.  So I'm sorry but that article is just rubbish.

[Mark Bourgeois]

Look at the damnable pads in those pictures.

When those mutton brains at Marylebone started dickering with LBW you knew things would end up here. Ban the pads and go back to the simplicity of: put your LBW a-purpose and you're out -- and good riddance to you.

Now they shuffle about the crease like yokels in gaiters and bleat like ruptured choirboys if a fast ball comes near them.

[Mark Chaplin]

Mark P - agreed

Mark B - I guess your offering to test your theory, against a 6'6" West Indian bowling at 90mph?

[Mark Bourgeois]

Mark C - not I but perhaps the literary friend I quoted would -- any guesses as to who?

[Michael Whitaker]

George MacDonald Fraser

[Mark Bourgeois]

I love Flashman!

[BCrosby]

Did someone say Flashman? No other character in fiction is both such a shit and so irresistible. Fraser is the best vacation read ever.

Bob

[Mark Bourgeois]

+1 to that, Bob. Typical: in that passage about cricket he bangs on about the cowardice of wearing pads then describes how he stuffs crepe or some kind of padding under his trousers where no one can see!

[Michael Whitaker]

+1 to that, Bob. Typical: in that passage about cricket he bangs on about the cowardice of wearing pads then describes how he stuffs crepe or some kind of padding under his trousers where no one can see!

Exactly, Mark. He wraps woolen scarfs around his shins and uses a tin bowl as a cup to protect his manly parts. But, everyone else is a whimp for using pads?

[Mark Bourgeois]

Mike, Flashy woulda been a perfectly entertaining GCA.com poster! How you doing by the way?

[Bruce Katona]

I've tried to watch cricket, in London and when on TV here. Don't get it.  I understand the excitement of catching the ball in the air and it's good for the defensive team when the little stick gets knoocked off the post, but playing a game that lasts all day, or longer, with breaks for lunch and/or tea?

And you thought baseball games take too long?

[Sven Nilsen]

To take this conversation full circle, George MacDonald Fraser was an honorary member of the British Society of Weights and Measures, which opposed compulsory conversion to the metric system.  

Did Flashman play golf?  If he did, he probably held a few unverifiable and highly questionable course records.

[David Kelly]

The Flashman books are great but Flashy became a little less of a coward and a shit with each book.  Even Fraser lightened up over the years.

BTW, I highly recommend Fraser's memoir of his service in Burma during WWII, called Quartered Safe Out Here.

Also remember Flashman's golden rule of sportsmanship - When the game is going against you, stay calm - and cheat.

[Colin Macqueen]

And beware of the wily ways of Queen Ranavalona of Madagascar when she's on her game!

Cheers, tally ho,

Colin

[Bill_McBride]

To take this conversation full circle, George MacDonald Fraser was an honorary member of the British Society of Weights and Measures, which opposed compulsory conversion to the metric system.  

Did Flashman play golf?  If he did, he probably held a few unverifiable and highly questionable course records.

And banged all the female caddies!

[James Boon]

John,

Thanks for the article. I'll bow down to Mr Pearce's greater knowledge as a player of such a fine game, but even without his input I was smelling a rat?

If and when I am ever mad enough to put my hand up and organise a Buda, it is my ambition to make sure it would coincide with some cricket at Trent Bridge. Tweny20 (the shortest form of the game and least likely to make you American's fall asleep   ) would be our best bet but tricky in September, but we shall see...

Cheers,

James

[Mark Pearce]

James,

No reason we can't have another June BUDA, to coincide with the T20 season.  Do it in an Ashes year and we could try to get some Aussies over, to make laughing at their cricketers all the more satisfying.

[Rich Goodale]

"They came to see me bat not you bowl" - WG Grace, putting the bails back on his stumps after being bowled first ball.

[Mark Chaplin]

Mark as I said on Facebook yesterday "something you will not hear Downunder today, it's 7pm and we've only won 2 golds, 2 silvers and a bronze".

I had dear Scott wriggling mid week but he's not rising to the bait now, the Aussies appear to be concentrating on AFL and leaving New Zealand to win golds.  1134 just received this;

Spelling is important! Example;

New Zealand just won gold.

Australia has just one gold

[Scott Warren]

Mark,

Unaccustomed as you English are to winning at sport, I can understand why you are showing your good self to be such an insufferable winner!

And for the record, we now have two gold (and about 40 silver!)

[Chris Kane]

Mark, I read this morning that 13 of Great Britain's 18 gold medals came in 'sports' where the 'athlete' is sitting down. Accordingly they aren't real gold medals and Great Britain leads Australia 5-2! 

[David_Elvins]

the Aussies appear to be concentrating on AFL and leaving New Zealand to win golds.  1134 just received this;

No countries would be interested in the Olympics if they had AFL.  It is a proper sport and it is no wonder that it out-rated the Olympics in Australia on the weekend.  

The Olympics consists of 7 decent track events, a basketball tournament, a cycling road race and 239 amateur events that are won my the country that throws the most money at their athletes to give them a semblence of professionality.  Generally, these are countries looking to push a political point of view (Eastern Bloc and Asia), distract their citizens from their government (USA, Kazakstan) or be a good host nation and win medals to generate enough local interest to offset the ridiculous cost of hosting the games (Australia 2000, Great Britain 2012).

Australians don't give a stuff about their medal tally.  If they did, they would combine the their medal tally with New Zealand's and compete as Australasia, much like England has co-opted its neighbouring countries to compete under some sort of hybrid flag.  

[Sven Nilsen]

David:

Looks like some of your countrymen and women care about the tally a bit more than you: 

http://www.tntmagazine.com/news/london/aussie-newspaper-claims-kiwi-olympic-successes-for-australia

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