Don't feel bad about '86. I was a Mets fan and I also wet the bed(I was 23).

Try ESPNSTAR.COM

for coverage of cricket.

Yes, i was celebrating. I'm from New Haven, ct, and lived there at the time. 1/2 the fans Boston, 1/2 Mets (not counting the Yankee fans, who just pouted that year). It was quite a couple weeks with the playoffs and all. Rain delays, bars full every night. After game 7 there were fans singing 'new york, new york', doing the can-can on top of the bar while other fans had their heads down on the bar, crying. Should be the back drop of a movie, that week.

Hi Gotham,

Cricket is the game of Commonwealth countries, promoted by United Kingdom as time - pass for Princes and Kings.

Rajesh Sharma

the games can be seen live via satelite television...Dish Net carries them here in north america...i believe some cable outlets also provide coverage....cheers.

"Woo'd" are you kidding! Gathom, We're talking about sports, right? I honestly dont understand How one gets so exited about that sort of thing! but each to his own I suppose however I have wet my pants too nothing to do with sports though.

Go Red Birds!(ugh)

More importantly BLESSINGS ABOUND TO ALL V

I would prefer March Madness over British version of Baseball(Cricket).It slow,complicated,lazy and boring.May be people in developing coutries have enough time to bore themselves.

Hi Gotham: Good to know you're a sports nut too! We knew you were a nut. LOL! Just kidding. Your father actually likes cricket, he was into cricket if I'm not wrong. He's a gentleman, cricket used to be a gentleman's game before. Now, it's pretty rough.

Each country really follows their own games. Like in australia, australian football(footy) is very popular. Soccer, yes is no:1 sport in popularity.

Lot of indian subcontinent diaspora in america are keen watchers of the game thru' satellite television.

Rajesh,Thanga: What do you think of today's match?? WI are very good chasers. If they get a flying start from chris gayle, I think they will surprise the mighty aussies.

Reddy.

Reddy,

If Duckworth Lewis comes into picture because of rain delay it will make West Indies' task that much difficult since Australia made a huge score already with still some overs left to be bowled.

"May be people in developing coutries have enough time to bore themselves."

Of the 16 countries playing in World Cup 2007 we have these developed countries:

Canada
Australia
Egland
Scotland
Ireland
Holland
South Africa
New Zealand

And tell me why the worlds most popular game, Soccer, which is very popular in underdeveloped countries is not at all popular in USA?

Or is soccer also, "It slow,complicated,lazy and boring." huh?

Any game needs passion and culture. I follow both baseball and cricket. I played both games. For me Cricket is much more better than baseball.

Also tell me anyone,

why doesn't USA win the world cup in baseball, and world cup in Basket ball? Why do get thrashed by underdeveloped and developing countries?

Why do their exciting players in NBA and AL, NL come from underdeveloped and other foreign countries?

If you don't know, USA also plays cricket although they did not qualify for this world cup.

There are shorter forms of cricket like 20-20 format which get finished in 3 to 4 hrs. These might become popular in USA and in future become more popular than baseball.

People who don't understand the beauty of cricket make silly statements.

Lots of Love
Rajesh Sharma

If there was a pitcher in cricket just like in baseball and he would pitch to an international cricketer,every hit would be a homerun.It is very easy to hit a full toss even with a baseball bat.I have tried it.

Dear Gotham

I view cricket played outside England proper as a delightfully persistent, subtle expression of anti-imperialism. I'm drawn to its psychodynamics. It's war chess masquerading as a sport. I actually don't know much about the rules, etc., and I've never felt motivated to learn much. I watch to view the internal dramas. Now, it's getting Shakespearean. With no intent to trivialise the suffering of those currently targeted, their families, friends or colleagues, I nonetheless think the current violence is a phase that reflects current global politics, and the explosion of, and jockeying for, power, in many nations on the rise. In that sense, it's dramatic, memorable, and it will finally resolve and end, like a Shakespearan tragedy. This is what I think, anyway.

love, Heath

Cricket has one extra dimension than baseball:

THE PITCH

That makes cricket that much more intricate!

To the ignorant American out there!:

Comparison between cricket and baseball

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_between_cricket_and_baseball

Early Baseball and Cricket in America

http://www.seattlecricket.com/history/bsblckt.htm

Rajesh Sharma

I PLEAD EVERYONE TO PLEASE PLEASE READ THIS ARTICLE!

(Both MLB fans and Cricket fans who know their game can relate to this.)

What cricket has and baseball doesn’t

Gaurav Sharma

Cricket and baseball have always been considered cousins. However, many feel that baseball is the poorer cousin, and I dare say, they are absolutely right.

I know, many MLB fans would beg to differ but if they go through this column without any bias and pre conceived notions, it may just prove to be an eye opener.

The relation between cricket and baseball goes back to the 17th century. The English who migrated to the United States brought along the earliest form of cricket called ‘rounders’.

‘Rounders’ was played in the cricket mould, with a pair of stumps and two bases. The bowler used to bowl under arm and the batsman used cricket bats to protect their stumps. However, with the advent of time, more Americans took to the game and it was changed to suit the increasing participation. This is how Baseball briginated in its earliest form.

Of course, since then both baseball and cricket have undergone various changes but where cricket stuck to the old format, baseball molded into a completely different game.

Even though, baseball and cricket originated from the same game, I personally feel, cricket has always been the better and richer of the two. I understand that not many would agree with my view point but I have strong arguments to prove my stand. The only way through which we can solve this debate is by comparing both these games. It is but natural that my analysis would be from a cricket fans perspective and I hope you will not mind that.

Talking of comparisons, let us begin with the biggest difference that both the games have. I am talking about those 22 yards of clay that cricket has and baseball doesn't. You may argue that what's the big deal about that? The big deal is, that it is these 22 yards or what is commonly called ‘the pitch’, which makes cricket the great game that baseball isn’t. The pitch adds so many dimensions to the game that a baseball fan cannot even imagine.

The pitch can have a huge impact on the way a cricket match progresses. The pitch defines the composition of a side; what the captain opts on winning the toss i.e. whether to bat or field; the kind of strokes that a batsman can play; the way the bowlers have to bowl and quite often the pitch can also have a huge bearing on the outcome of a match. Can baseball boast of anything like that? I don’t think so.

A cricket pitch is not just a barren piece of land. As a matter of fact, a cricket pitch is affected by various factors. These include the weather conditions, the wear and tear caused by the players' shoe spikes, the amount of grass covering on the pitch and the over head conditions. A pitch having more grass covering offers extra bounce and pace to the quick bowlers, on the contrary, a pitch that is dry and devoid of any grass tends to offer more turn and lower bounce. This helps the spin bowlers. An overcast and humid day would see the ball swinging and seaming off the pitch, in contrast, on a sunny and hot day the ball would not swing or seam off the pitch. All this adds to the challenge and the unpredictability of the game.

The batsman and the bowler must adjust to different conditions in order to perform to their potential. On a green pitch, the bowler has the upperhand whereas on a hard and dry wicket it's the batsman who dominates. This makes for a great contest between the bat and ball and tests the skills and ability of both the batsman and the bowler. Does baseball possess the ability to provide such a contest? The answer is simple, it does not.

The absence of these 22 yards makes baseball far too predictable. Since the ball has to be bowled waist high to the batter, it makes the batters task that much simpler. On the other hand in cricket, the batsman has to judge the line and the bounce of the ball correctly and in a fraction of second has to decide the most suitable shot for that particular ball. As for baseball, the batter can just set himself for the shot in advance because he knows that the ball can only be pitched in a very limited area and he doesn’t has to worry about the bounce and the line of the ball. The shot which most of the baseball batters play is called a slog in cricketing terms and even the worst of cricket batsmen would fancy himself playing such a shot. This can not be said about the baseball batters. I am sure, that a baseball batter would struggle to even make contact with the ball if he bats on a cricket pitch and against a cricket bowler. Batting in cricket is all about the right footwork, technique and timing which unfortunately is missing in cricket’s poorer cousin.

Try having a taste of some cricketing shots like the straight drive; the cover drive; the cuts and pulls; the big lofted drive etc. I can assure you that it will take your breath away. These shots are stunning examples of timing and power. They are not mere slogs but require tremendous amount of practice and skill. Also, look out for those toe crushing yorkers; the rib-snorting bouncers; the big leg breaks and off-breaks; the out-swingers; the leg-cutter; the flipper and many more. All these alien terms are various kinds of deliveries that a cricket bowler has in his armory. You can realize for yourself as to the skill and the technique that a batsman must possess to face such an onslaught. Can baseball pitchers even think of such variety? You know the answer. Don’t you?

Unlike cricket, where both batsman and bowlers have a fair chance, baseball doesn’t give the batters the opportunity to build an innings. In cricket, the batsman can decide when he wants to take a run whereas in baseball the batters often have to commit ‘hara-kiri’, thanks to the ridiculous rule of running as soon as the batter makes contact with the ball. Cricket provides the batsman ample opportunity and time to build a substantial innings. Though, it is not that easy as it requires loads of concentration and stamina. A slight lapse in concentration can lead to the batsman’s downfall because in cricket the batsman’s first mistake is often his last one. It is not like baseball where the batsman has three opportunities to strike the ball.

Cricket is not just about going out and banging the ball for home runs or in relative terms, sixes and fours. In fact, some times the batsman has to curb all his shots and defend for long hours in order to save the game for his side. Many a time, the batsman has to play in extremely difficult conditions that can be highly demanding, physically as well as mentally. This is just not the case in baseball because the batter hardly gets any time to stay in the middle.

If you think that baseball players are tougher than their cricket counterparts, then think again.

I mean to say that if they are so tough then why do they need those big gloves to take the catches? At the end of the day it’s no big deal to stop the ball with a thick glove. On the contrary, the cricketers use bare hands to stop the hard leather ball, which can be coming at you like a bullet. If you don’t believe me try it yourself and if you are still not satisfied then try the same on a chilly day. I can tell you that once you try this out you would definitely know who is tougher.

The fact that baseball, to a great extent is limited only to the United States, is ample indication that it lacks the appeal which is important for a game to gain global acceptance. On the other hand cricket may not be as popular as soccer but it has an international standing and at present apart from the 10 Test-playing nations there are over 120 associate nations that form the ever growing cricket community. The associate members include the United States, The Netherlands, Scotland, Hong Kong, Singapore and many others. This is a clear indication of cricket’s growth as a truly global sport. Also, it proves that cricket enjoys more popularity over its counterpart.

Finally, I would like to say that it is the challenge, the unpredictability factor and the skills in which lies the beauty of the game of cricket.

I will finish off by saying that if baseball wants to become as good as cricket it has to borrow some of cricket’s finer points. However, unless that happens baseball fans will have to be content with only half the fun .If you want the whole of it how about a small doze of cricket?

http://www.rediff.com/cricket/2001/jul/25jog.htm

HI Rajesh,
I am sorry about my comments about english version of baseball(Cricket).
my point was, it's too slow and complicated to understand .may be I am not smart enough to understand and do not have enough time.
Bytheway, for same reason(slowness of game) I hate golf and somewhat baseball also.
may be it's me.
-Jignesh

Cricket is more than a sport. It is more like life!

Cricket is unique among sports unlike any other!

Anyone who ever played cricket and follow cricket will know what I am talking about.

There is so much beauty and diversity in the game. Fortunes in the game and the personal struggles of the players both in and out of the field are more like life itself!

Lots of Love
Rajesh Sharma

PS: Please read #16

Hi Jignesh,

Apologizes accepted.

If you like fast games, I believe you are a NBA fan then. Ever been to a hockey(ice) game? I follow NHL too. Try that if don't, already. It can't get more faster and more exciting and pumped up adrenalin than in a hockey game. But, of course there is always Formula 1 racing in the world stage. If you like American sport you have IRL, Indy racing.

Lots of Love
Rajesh Sharma

Aussies have set a huge target. West Indies are about to begin their run chase!

All the best Windies. Send the Kangaroos back into their outback bushes!

Rajesh Sharma

It's spelled 'voetbal', or 'pilka nozna',
nonetheless,
they run way to slow, for their moneys worth,
that and it's boring,
did I mention the lack of cheerleaders?
no, than i gonna mention that the coach of the Polish foorball team, a dutch guy, was working iligally, for the polish team, that one cracked me up!

Sports or youporn? well, that's..
;)
Love, Passion

yo.. hockey is a fast and excitng game..i totally agree... but don't knock baseball..it is our national sport...a true sports person will show some appreciation for all sports...and debate meritoriously..not abrasively...k..dude!

oh, it was hockey? i thought football, basball, whatever, Shotokan karate, that's what turns me on, kumite, but the beauty of kata.. love it,
that's a sport,

Love, Passion

I hope the match fixing allegations against Pakistan will be proved right. I hope Ireland knows it's true worth when it is proved that Pakistan threw away the game, which led to Coach's death.

Ireland has no business in the next round where they will be thrashed like you never heard of in cricket history. The psychological scars will remain for a long time on the players. It does no good for the minnows.

Diablo

"..and debate meritoriously..not abrasively."

wow..words of wisdom of an advise.

dude, Ref to post 167 in Open Thread.

you definitely suffers from extreme Oedipus complex. Go get some help.(unless you relish your abnormality)

guys..
listen to,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaXhxBLF7fo

she's cute,

love, passion

dude the biggest abnormality is to be a filthy racist pig and bigot...u have made no bones about your rank racism and bigotry... and if u had any shame or intergrity in u, u would take a hint and go away...racists are the lowest of the lows...

I like curling

dude...u are the brightest 'star' ever to showcase ur irony, charm, wit and intellect here in recent memory... and it's fascinating how ur story changes each time u are exposed...perhaps ur real life occupation is fiction writing..which is a great talent...if true, u must be a bit confused since u are having trouble separating facts from fiction...

anyways..i got to start doing some packing...i am off to Rio in a few days and dont plan to be around computers for a few weeks,,so u will be free to roam here untethered with ur crap ...whoa

Like they say,

When in doubt take a break.

Run, when you can't take the heat.

"anyways..i got to start doing some packing...i am off to Rio in a few days and dont plan to be around computers for a few weeks,.."

Surprise! Surprise!

I am currently touring south-eastern Brazil, around Sao Paulo to be exact. I am planning to return to Guyana to catch live cricket action starting in a couple of days.

Ireland is to play its games in Guyana with England, South Africa and New Zealand between March 30 and April 09.

I will be back in Guyana in a week to see Ireland get thrashed by the big guns. It will be a delight.

You must watch some Ireland games with your two eyes. Check the schedule in the Caribbean. Tickets are cheap for Ireland games. enjoy!

",so u will be free to roam here untethered with ur crap ...whoa"

See it is YOUR crap that will be missed.

Don't bump into me in Brazil, OK? Be prepared for a black eye.

dude...now that u mention it...i might just fly to Providence Stadium to catch a match...if u are working for a free beer..no problem..hehe!

#16 Rajesh: It was a good read. Lot of interesting points. Cricket is much finer, but baseball too has its intricacies from what I heard from those who follow the game deeply.

It probably is like the Old tennis and new present age tennis. When there were wooden racquets, there was much more finess in shots than it is now. Power is quite dominant in today's tennis.

Do you know why Pakis and Indians are great touch batsmen and spin bowlers and great hockey players of the past? WRIST!! Zaheer abbas, Azhar, VVS laxman, Vishwanath. All touch batsmen. I love mohd yousuf of pakistan very much, just like Laxman. Touch players. Sheer timing. Ganguly at his peak was like this. He was indeed the God of offside play as Rahul had called him. But his chinks were major: the short ball at his ribs and leg side game as such.

Oh well, Cricket is our game. We can talk for days, just like others who have their own fav games. Generally, I don't think it is fair to really compare the games you know, as it means a lot to those who are immersed in their fav games. I've enjoyed conversing with sports fanatics though, who are deeply passionate about their game.

I just have this feeling that wi will take it away today: my intuition says so, but mind and logic clearly point to the aussies. going to be a very interesting day of cricket today. enjoy!

What's common between Baseball, Cricket, Betting and Blackholes?

Black-hole physicist pays up
By Brian Wilson / MLB.com

After 30 years of arguing that a black hole was basically a cosmic version of Brooks Robinson, Dr. Stephen Hawking has lost his bet, and the stakes were a baseball encyclopedia.

The Cambridge University physicist had to pay up on a 1997 bet with a California Institute of Technology physicist, when he admitted his original assertion, that anything "swallowed by a black hole is forever hidden and can never be revealed," was incorrect.

Dr. Hawking spoke Wednesday at the 17th International Conference of General Relativity and Gravitation in Dublin. His revision now states that eventually some of the information about the black hole can be determined from what it emits.

His original offer of a cricket encyclopedia was turned down in favor of "Total Baseball: The Ultimate Baseball Encyclopedia" -- from which the winning physicist, Dr. John Preskill, can recover information at will.

Preskill told the assembled media he'd always hoped there'd be witnesses when Hawking conceded, but "this really exceeds my expectations."

Hawking: I've solved the black hole riddle

Physicist does U-turn on his theory of the parallel universe - and loses his bet in the process

David Adam, science correspondent
Thursday July 22, 2004
The Guardian

"I'm now ready to concede the bet," Prof Hawking said yesterday. At stake was an encyclopedia - "from which information can be recovered at ease" - of the winner's choice. "John is all American so naturally he wants an encyclopedia of baseball. I had great difficulty finding one over here, so I offered him an encyclopedia of cricket as an alternative," Prof Hawking said. "But John wouldn't be persuaded of the superiority of cricket."

The about-turn ends a 30-year personal struggle for Prof Hawking.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,1266356,00.html

Stephen Hawking thinks that Cricket is Superior to Baseball.

the pugilist jeff threatens:

"Don't bump into me in Brazil, OK? Be prepared for a black eye."

ok jeff..i am trembling in my boots...whoa!

so u are a fighter, a small fighter, huh, little boy!! just like ur miniature intellect, i reckon? from whence cometh all these johnny-come-lately pea-brained amigos? say jeff...how many black eyes have u inflicted on ur nemesis? or better still, how many black eyes have u received?

at Prov Stadium, i suppose u will be that big fat ugly dude wearing over-sized dark shades, acting like a cool gringo? no? hehe!

says innocentvictim...from 33

"I just have this feeling that wi will take it away today: my intuition says so, but mind and logic clearly point to the aussies. going to be a very interesting day of cricket today. enjoy!"

well...victim...ur intuition let u down! no? the WI were demolished today...as for my team... ireland..they are a bunch of part-timers...hey...i expect them to get beat up...its no shame...they are not pros...so it's no big deal if they get demolished.. just being there is big enough for guys who have full time jobs! yeah! u hear that jungle-travellin' jeff! hehe!

"at Prov Stadium, i suppose u will be that big fat ugly dude wearing over-sized dark shades, acting like a cool gringo? no? hehe!"

That's a clue. We can now picture Diablo in real life.

nice try, jeff!

Gotham...Check the ICC world cup site instead of Espn. The telecasting rights for all the matches are with SET MAX hence Espn is not really actively doing anything abt updating etc. on the world cup this year. I work with a cricket centric sports channel- Neo Sports so i would like to believe that i have a fair enough idea of the "actual" state of Indian cricket. U were bang on 100% correct on ur take of the world cup this year. The production values, telecast quality, the lesser said the better abt the discussion panel, the post match analysis...All of these have also contributed to the whole cricket fiasco...unlike the majority of population i still firmly believe that the Indians did try to hold their own during the deciding Sri Lanka match!

Gotham...Check the ICC world cup site instead of Espn. The telecasting rights for all the matches are with SET MAX hence Espn is not really actively doing anything abt updating etc. on the world cup this year. I work with a cricket centric sports channel- Neo Sports so i would like to believe that i have a fair enough idea of the "actual" state of Indian cricket. U were bang on 100% correct on ur take of the world cup this year. The production values, telecast quality, the lesser said the better abt the discussion panel, the post match analysis...All of these have also contributed to the whole cricket fiasco...unlike the majority of population i still firmly believe that the Indians did try to hold their own during the deciding Sri Lanka match!

Hi Thanga and other followers of World cup Cricket:

WI was bashed by aussies and now by new zealand. Yes, S.Africa unfortunately got that tag of chokers, but I believe they are tougher than aussies. The 434 is ample proof actually. Small total sometimes creates such a situation. I was expecting murali to do the malinga actually. Murali at best can screw Sachin Lara Gibbs anyone really. In a crucial match like a semi or a final, he does that, cup could be theirs.

Based on the current form: top three seeds would be aussie s.af and n.z.

hi gotham. does your name come from batman's gotham city? or was it gautam kabhi? :)

Ireland vs England about to kick off.

Diablo, do tune in if you haven't made it to the Prov stadium. Look for that smart guy in white shirt in the stands at the square of the wickets.

yo dude...i am on a plane to Rio tonight...and wont be blogging here for awhile..

going to Providence would be a side show...not sure i want to..the babes will be my main gig!

today's match result.. England 266...Ireland 218.. it wasn't exactly a blow-out as some of u were expecting! the part-timers did not embarass themselves by any means...go ireland go! u have done well so far boys! too bad there was only jeff in attendance!

Buen viaje!

Yes, the Irish made themselves proud with a good show against their neighbor who is a traditional rugby rival...which only shows the sorry state of cricket in its homeland: England

I first saw this post and figured Id respond when I got time and even try to respond to all the points in a humourous way but since there've been many post arguing most of the cricket particular arguments. So dont think much to say there except that I also like cricket dont know much about baseball except for what Ive read or seen in passing on cable TV here and most knowledge I have off that game is from novels and american TV shows and movies. Like once I ended up reading the stephen king novel Needful Things cause a friend decided to buy it for me as a bday present while she was visiting Bangladesh of all places! But anyway I dont normally read stephen king novels (although his writing in the green mile and shawshank redemption really impresses me) but read this as was present... this was when I was 14 mind you and really didnt like the book to say...but had lots about baseball in it. And then I saw Major League which thought was very funny and having liked cricket thought a lot about the parallels then. And later on saw A League of Their Own which think was more bout women issues than baseball itself though...

Think people should on the whole be respectful of other people's cultures etc and at the very core lots are the same. Of course no doubt baseball is a form of cricket that was modified as the Brits at that time colonized what is now the US etc. I am a Trinidadian and so grew up in a culture of cricket but am always open to other stuff and interestingly always plan to see a baseball match when i visit north american like in 05 i almost watched a match with the blue jays vs the red sox i think in toronto? But never got bout to it so hoping to watch a match when im in san francisco for a bit this summer.

But now to the bit I wanted to respond to but is still left without any counter offerings! I guess no doubt cause not many caribbean folks must be on this site etc. Anyway I am a Trinidadian born and bred and i stumbled on this site some wks ago when i decided to do a dogpile search for happiness during one of those moments when i think let me type in something like a thought, an idea, a feeling onto a search and see what i get. I often wonder why people always say they google it when a site like dogpile says it searches google yahoo etc etc. What's that about? But anyway so....this site came up...so came to it and found it interesting although not sure if I quite belong somehow as it seems mostly americans of indian ancestry or indians who have migrated to the US or something?...

Anyway so back to my point...me counter to some of Mr Chopra Jnr's comments!

"But here's teh cricket World Cup and to be honest, I just can't get into it. In part, I blame it on the complete lack of coverage - I mean not a mention anywhere on ESPN.COM. I'll also blame the location of the games. I mean the Carribean is nice and all for a honeymoon or a hurricane but for a global sporting event, you may as well hold it in Qatar - oh wait they did that with the Asian Games!"

Im just confused really to me i think it is miami that is mostly good for a hurricane in these last few yrs dont u think? And what bout good old Hurricane Catherina's location? It's odd to only associate the Caribbean with hurricanes to me! Actually Trinidad for instance is outside the hurricane belt anyway as it is so south and so has never had a major hurricane hit yet ...and probably never will (knock on wood) although we may more likely have an earthquake I often think based on our location in terms of plate tectonics. Thing is since when danger from acts of God or nature been a reason to not host a sporting event in a place since I mean they obviously can happen any place!

Also I mean in the cricket world there is international matches played in the caribbean all the time so no biggie really i mean most of the teams will tour the islands at some point to play test matchess and one day int series anyway. And I mean Brian Lara is the most prolific run scorer ever and well he does come from the Caribbean from Trinidad to be exact so why not hold the games here? The oddest thing bout cricket might more be that the West Indies doesnt have any other teams or bodies etc together except in the case of cricket although there are caribbean stuff but not the same exact group that plays cricket so like we have separate football teams etc...and by the way Trinidad and Tobago actually made it to the world cup of football last yr although we are just a country of about 1.3 million people. But we play cricket as the West Indies team. An hurricanes did affect Grenada significantly but Trinidad and Tobago did behave like a good neighbour and help them still be able to some how pull off what they had to for the games.

Anyway from here on this is not a response to the post of anything but just general info in case others here didnt know or realise and just me making some notes of my small island...But people on the whole should be more tolerant and open to other cultures and places no matter if they are small in population and not overflowing onto the world like some other places! Anyway in terms of our size think the Caribbean has had quite an impact on the world...infact wont even bother to get into right now...but think there is a lot more to the Caribbean than hurricanes and honeymoons and tourists for that matter! And especially in the case of Trinidad ...very diff from the impression Mr. Chopra or others here may or may not have in their heads!

The reason I wont go on more about it is cause dont think it is relevant to the thread...but if anyone wanted to start a thread to learn more about the Caribbean or Trinidad and Tobago let me know and Ill fill you in there!

Gotham,

As someone who played cricket for 25 years of his life... I feel no remorse having turned back on cricket..

It is a LONG game not suited for the fast paced lifestyle of today.. it was invented as a filler for picnics by the British and it should either adapt or die...

regards
Saurav

I quite like the idea of picnics...wouldnt it be lovely if we could all have a picnic sometimes...I had planned to try to have one this easter sunday but sadly I am working all weekend long although it is a 4day weekend here. I get paid extra to work but money isnt everything...I have friends in London who still go picnicing so much so that i bought they a picnic set for christmas...i think the brits are lucky that they have nice long holidays and lovely lovely parks all over london where they can go picnicing:)

If only we all could go picnicing more and to me you dont even need cricket to be a filler! But lovely thought the idea of it being a filler to a picnic...in fact long ago when i really used to care about what happened in cricket a friend from london sent me a cricket bday card and it had people playign cricket in the countryside...your point saurav reminds me of that scene...although to me its all lovely really...

I myself stopped following all sports in that i felt had more important things to spend my time on other than worrying whats the score? kinda why i then even proceeded later on to not watching news daily or reading the paper daily...of course it is important to keep in touch with the news i figure but even then reading the paper or watching news sometimes makes us get caught up in a world that is not real like we bother bout things we are fed by the media and to some extent cant control and spend too much time on it when we coudl be focusing on what is before us in the here and now and in our control etc etc.