A black day for cricket

[drone]

Slightly OT, but my for college second XI games fielders were allowed to take beer onto the pitch. We made a special rule that any fielding activity that was so energetic as to involve any beer spilling (eg running to take a catch without carefully putting your glass down first) was unsporting, and, by analogy with a no ball, the batsman could not be out.

I feel the acme of British civilisation will have been reached when these rules are adopted for first class internationals. (Although I must admit the team that batted second was generally at a serious handicap)

We have similiar rules for beer softball. We handicap the batters as well, they must drink at every base they get to.

[Don Corleone]

American beer is not categorically awful. Sam Adams, Pete's Wicked Ale, Yuengling... all good beers, all available across the USA. If you choose to be a slave to marketing and the so-called 'king' of beers, then do so quietly, but do not besmirch the rest of the American brewing industry by lumping them all together. This doesn't even touch the whole subject of micro-brews.

On topic... Cricket... I think the Americans don't follow it because we know nothing about it. Snazzy sweaters and chinos, a really cool looking bat, a stick a ball and some croquet wickets. That's what we know. The very, very few times (I can count them on my thumbs) that I've seen Cricket on TV, there was no explanation or commentary... just a seemingly endless parade of Jamaicans and pasty white guys hitting a ball and running to and fro between two sticks. The astronomical scores, the lllloooooonnnnnngggg matches, the lack of obvious gameplay, all of this tends to leave us flat. Maybe you should start an outreach program, EA.

I know, export a thousand barrels of your precious Spitfire. But in order to get into the bar serving it, you have to listen to a rules lecture, then pass the quiz on Cricket rules. THEN, with that sweet nectar in hand, we might actually take the sport on. Heck, we have BOWLING on TV as a sport, for crying out loud.

[Banquo's Ghost]

Just for you Don

The Rules of Cricket

You have two sides, one out in the field and one in.

Each man that's in the side that's in goes out, and when he's out he comes in and the next man goes in until he's out.

When they are all out, the side that's out comes in and the side thats been in goes out and tries to get those coming in, out.

Sometimes you get men still in and not out.

When a man goes out to go in, the men who are out try to get him out, and when he is out he goes in and the next man in goes out and goes in.

There are two men called umpires who stay out all the time and they decide when the men who are in are out.

When both sides have been in and all the men have out, and both sides have been out twice after all the men have been in, including those who are not out, that is the end of the game!

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Or try this

[Don Corleone]

Without some Spitfire to wash it all down, I cannot begin to digest these rules. Kindly send a couple of barrels along to my residence in New Hampshire? There's a good chap... I promise, once I have a mug full and my feet up on the deck, I'll proceed to commit these to memory.

[English assassin]

I've looked into the Spitfire thing, but alas for mail order the brewery only do it in cans. I bought some canned Spitfire once, in a dire emergency. I couldn't do it to you. Putting Spitfire in cans is like putting Catherine Zeta Jones in a spacesuit.

I'm sorry Don but it looks like we will have to keep the Spitfire to ourselves. I'll think of you as I open a bottle after work though.

[danfda]

American beer is not categorically awful. Sam Adams, Pete's Wicked Ale, Yuengling... all good beers, all available across the USA. If you choose to be a slave to marketing and the so-called 'king' of beers, then do so quietly, but do not besmirch the rest of the American brewing industry by lumping them all together. This doesn't even touch the whole subject of micro-brews.

That's why I said (for the most part). I've enjoyed a Sam Adams or three in my day. I also enjoy Leinenkugel's Red, which is a regional brew from my neck of the woods, and another named Spotted Cow. Both quite tasty. But I prefer New Castle brown ale... So good.

Also, sorry for hijacking the thread. Bad mannered American I must be.

[Banquo's Ghost]

Also, sorry for hijacking the thread. Bad mannered American I must be.

Not at all. This is the spirit of cricket. The sun is warm, there's nowt much happening in the middle because Hoggard is bowling, so naturally the talk turns to beer.

Your round by the way.

[Pannonian]

Not at all. This is the spirit of cricket. The sun is warm, there's nowt much happening in the middle because Hoggard is bowling, so naturally the talk turns to beer.

Don't forget planning the schedule for next season based on which clubs serve the best teas.

[Duke of Gloucester]

The incident has been picked up across the atlantic by the NY times. Orgites from the USA might find this article easier to understand.

NY times report

[danfda]

Not at all. This is the spirit of cricket. The sun is warm, there's nowt much happening in the middle because Hoggard is bowling, so naturally the talk turns to beer.

Your round by the way.

I think I am beginning to like cricket...

Also, good article.

[Big King Sanctaphrax]

I've looked into the Spitfire thing, but alas for mail order the brewery only do it in cans.

You can get it in bottles from here. I buy a lot of Czech lager from these guys, they're really good.

My plan to make friends at university during freshers week involves ordering large quantities of glorious beers from this site, and then dispensing them freely to all and sundry.

[Don Corleone]

Yes, thanks for the article on Cricket BQ. I'm feeling more enlightened already. Now, the really important question... is there a game on the PlayStation for it yet?

[Tribesman]

Beer and cricket , you used to have them stupid licensing laws over there , the only place you could get drink on a Sunday afternoon in the summer was at a cricket match .
Good fun , them cricket fans are just so unbelievably friendly and polite .

[English assassin]

My plan to make friends at university during freshers week involves ordering large quantities of glorious beers from this site, and then dispensing them freely to all and sundry

Its genius. Not a bad site that for bulk buying Spitfire, although I think I'd better keep getting in in sainsburies to encourage them to keep stocking it.

I loved "so-called Test matches" and "the bails — little wooden bits that fit horizontally across the top of the larger wooden stakes called stumps" as well.

[InsaneApache]

Breaking news:

Hair demands $500, 000 to resign.

News at eleven.