Australia versus South Africa. 3 matches in the series. South Africa had won the first two. The last match was played at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Signs for weeks in advance said to avoid driving around the area warning of traffic. My mother said she wouldn't come visit me. A lot of people I know began prepping me on the rules, all of which sounded unduly complex, especially compared to my infinite knowledge of baseball.
Apparently Michael Parkinson (a British tv journalist) spent an hour explaining the basics of cricket to the wife of the American ambassador at a dinner party after which she commented that it sounded terribly difficult, especially on horseback.
I thought, what is the big deal? Really. America has great sports and understanding the NFL requires a copious amount of beer. We have the World championships in everything too, so what if cricket is the national game of countries I have never even heard of.
But not one to miss out on a thing, off I toddled to my first cricket match in the member's seats no less. A kind friend took me with her and had the foresight to know that explaining cricket without seeing cricket would be like trying to point out the Australian Southern Cross Constellation on a foggy night.
My friend identified the parts of the field and of the stadium, including the original beautiful buildings where my grandmother and grandfather would have been seated (in separate buildings, mind you) in years past.
Then we looked at the scoreboard and saw the names of the batters from South Africa. My friend began explaining that we really needed to get Duminy out because he scores a lot of runs - like over 100 in the last inning. I had to ask her to repeat that bit. This, of course, is a five day game. Of course. Five day sporting event. Americans wouldn't have the patience. Then, there are two innings that can go on for days. And all this can wind up in a draw.
Then, my friend told me about the partnerships that batters form. One friend later described those particular batters as having formed a "beautiful partnership." This occurs when the same two batters are on the pitch (at bat) together for a long time - hours. They begin to figure out together a strategy to keep the runs coming in. And apparently this Duminy chap from South Africa had formed a 100-run partnership the day before.
So what we really needed then was for a LBW - that is a leg before wicket. The batters leg is in front of the wicket (three wooden stumps at b
oth end of the pitch) and the ball hits the leg. YOU ARE OUT!
I relinquished my friend from duty and turned to the guy in the seat next to mine. This was his third day at the cricket. That was his lucky seat. He had his hat signed by almost all the players. At first, he wasn't very friendly as, after afternoon tea break, I had accidentally sat in his lucky seat. I scooted over though and began fielding questions, without getting much of a response.
I apologized, explaining that I am from America and this was my first Cricket match. His eyes opened wide, he turned his head away from the pitch and looked at me. Smiling, my 7-year old seat mate opened up and continued from where my friend stopped, narrating with extreme enthusiasm what was happening down below.
I am hooked.
Oh yeah, and BOO to the nasty security guards who deflate the floaty balls that land on the field! Yeah to Michael Clarke for throwing them back to the crowd.
