The Ashes

Our local track and field track (and field) has a cricket field beside it. Most of the players apparently come from the Caribbean. I've also seen the kids playing cricket in front of the local Sikh temple.So... I can recognise cricket when I see it.Then there's the Monty Python sketch about the legendary Batsmen of the Kalihari.Incidentally, when I Googled "cricket" to find out what a cricket field is called, I was surprised to see that the game comes before the insect.

It's called a cricket pitch.And I am astonished at your astonishment. Given the countries that do play cricket, their combined population and the fact that they speak English it really shouldn't be surprising that cricket features on the internet higher than the insect of the same name should it......?But I'm biased. I hate those bloody clicking chirping little blighters.

Nice plan.Two down with a duck for Trott. As ever our preferences have no effect on reality (to coin a regular EvC sentiment)

I notice that you subtitled this Summer 2013 - Ashes to Ashes. Does that mean the 2012 event ended? Was there some resolution?

Wikipedia says it's a "field" and the "pitch" is a specific part of it. The pitch is a field. The pitcher is a bowler but he doesn't bowl in a bowling alley. The batter is a batsman but the bowler isn't a bowlman. You call that English?And when I Googled "bat", the mammal came up first.

Well in the name of educational pendanticism... Technically speaking "pitch" is the specific part of it on which the batsman actually bat. But the whole playing area is frequently referred to as a "pitch" even though terminology encompasses the field..... The field is referred to as the pitch except when talking about the actual pitch as distinct from the field. In cricket a "pitcher" is a big jug full of Pimms. If you are Australian the batsman is a batter but a bowler is never a bowlman as that sounds like someone selling tupperware..... Perhaps British is a better linguistic description? Except when it's Australian, Caribbean, Indian, Pakistani, South African..... Tut tut tut. Link

WTF?- Oni

Is that better than:Three up away from a frog to Gallop.

quote:

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I'm 2 pints to the good, the sun is shining, and Australia are 96-7 at tea.

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Got to try to keep a clean sheet till stumps now...

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Well that was a first. I just googled a googlyGoogly - WikipediaI wonder if you can wiki a wicket?Well bugger me, yes you can!Wicket - Wikipedia(This is the 'let's fuck with Americans' thread isn't it?)

I agree with Wikipedia. There's actually a technical distinction between pitching and bowling. The baseball pitcher gets extra ball velocity with elbow movement. And that elbow movement is not permitted for cricket bowling. You didn't even get to the bit about silly mid on, or the bit about bowling a maiden over.

That all made perfect sense to me. That's probably because I grew up in Australia.

Well thanks for leaving me in the dark. Ah, so that's how you're surviving Chicago.

No. Bowled Siddle. 31 for 3 at stumps. Root still in. Bresnan playing night watchman for Bell.

There were no tests between England and Australia in 2012.Both sides were busy playing other Test nations.The last ashes series was in 2010/2011 (i.e. Aussie summer time spanning New Year). England won 3 matches to 1 with one drawn. The series was notable for the batting of Cook (766 runs at an average of 127.66) who is now the England captain and the fact that it was the first time England had won the ashes in Australia for 24 years.

According to the Guinnes book of records the fastest cricket delivery recorded was 100.23 MPH. Googling suggests the fastest baseball pitcher achieved 105 MPH.Generally the very fastest bowlers in cricket achieve 90+MPH with all sorts of movement in the air and off the pitch adding to the mix.A cricket ball is about 160 grams whilst a baseball is about a 145g.