Cricket is Boring!

[Sharjeel]

DQ's last post made me think about the way we people follow Cricket. I want you all to give our opinion. I don't like Cricket so much. Here are the reasons:



* Cricket is the most important factor which contributes to our downfall in other Sports. The manic following of cricket ensures that no one is willing to sponsor non-cricketers.



* National level athletes get zero Govt. backing, while ranji level cricketeres are supported like they are geniuses. I know a national womens long-distance champion (Madhuri Gurnule) who used to practice in our stadium at Nagpur; she has so won many International medals and is the National champ for many years, but even then she has to buy her own Shoes, tickets, etc!



* Watching cricket on tv is so boring! You have to watch almost the entire game just so that we lose (:cry:). Compare this with Hockey or Football or Formula 1 or Tennis (Tae Kwon Doe or Karate for the other extreme in terms of duration of matches) where you could be finished with the game in 2 hours.



* It is soooo mild exercise! Except for the poor slob who has to run after the ball; but even that happens rarely. I could burn more calories arguing with my sister!



* The main reason for doing a sport is that it will increase your stamina or reflexes or concentration or something. Cricket does nothing of these by itself. A hockey or football player could have ten times more stamina than an average cricketer, while a squash player could embarass even Jonty!



I like Cricket a lot and play it often, but there are other games which are much better for us. We all whould stop following cricket like idiots and diversify our interests towards other games too.

[Kenny]

me was never into cricket anyway... so I'll just get outta here...

[CtrlAltDel]

i too find cricket boring except when India's playing...that too, only when playing well...



i prefer watching soccer or tennis.

[azazel]

*reads the posts in an insensitive mood*



*throws up*



*storms out*

[devilstrings]

Arey guys, its just a phase, India is playing crappy now...the matches are so predictable...its Aussies, Lankas...but who ever thought we'd get kicked by England!!



Wait till Sachin gets his elbow "fixed"...that git screwd about this "heavy bat" he uses...he shud change to a lighter one...then we gotta see his "magic"....We'll be back for the ICC Chanpions Trophy guys....starting Sep 10....Gotta be good...unless I still dont get ESPN-Star... Screw those Hathway morons....

[azazel]

^^^ u sound pretty excited after answering tht "movie-quote"

[Sharjeel]

*reads the posts in an insensitive mood*

*throws up*

*storms out*

Who's gonna clean up the mess?



I still stand by what I said. And no, this is not a result of India performing badly.

[azazel]

good for u granpa.. i still love the game



p.s: abt the mess, its clean now.. dunno who cleaned it.. or did Kenny eat it all up

[akhilis2cool]

* Cricket is the most important factor which contributes to our downfall in other Sports. The manic following of cricket ensures that no one is willing to sponsor non-cricketers.

other sports cant blame cricket for there downfall. its the govt. that has to be blamed.

* National level athletes get zero Govt. backing, while ranji level cricketeres are supported like they are geniuses.

who told u that? till abt a few months back all a ranji crickter used to earn was Rs. 12000/ match. at the most he wld play abt 10-15 games. u think that high?

I know a national womens long-distance champion (Madhuri Gurnule) who used to practice in our stadium at Nagpur; she has so won many International medals and is the National champ for many years, but even then she has to buy her own Shoes, tickets, etc!

again....why blame cricket?

*Watching cricket on tv is so boring! You have to watch almost the entire game just so that we lose (:cry:).

winning and losing is a part of the game. no side in the whole world and in any sport can always win.

* * It is soooo mild exercise! Except for the poor slob who has to run after the ball; but even that happens rarely. I could burn more calories arguing with my sister!

looks like u havent played the game....try bowling an over of medium pace....and u`ll see how much fitness in cricket is important. why do u think all the teams have a physiotherapist?

* The main reason for doing a sport is that it will increase your stamina or reflexes or concentration or something. Cricket does nothing of these by itself. A hockey or football player could have ten times more stamina than an average cricketer, while a squash player could embarass even Jonty!

dude in cricket u have to b out there for 5-7 hours...in hockey its at the most 2 hours....

* I like Cricket a lot and play it often, but there are other games which are much better for us. We all whould stop following cricket like idiots and diversify our interests towards other games too.

nothing wrong with that. i follow hockey,tennis,football. but cricket is my favorite game. would go to brazil and ask them not to follow foot ball just coz they are not as good in other sports?

[devilstrings]

^^^ u sound pretty excited after answering tht "movie-quote"

Heheheh...u can say that...

[black wizard]

^^^ u sound pretty excited after answering tht "movie-quote"

Heheheh...u can say that...

Bitch!!! Tu yahan bhi aagaya!!!

[CtrlAltDel]

Bitch!!!

:shock:

Wizzy, u gay?

[Kenny]

p.s: abt the mess, its clean now.. dunno who cleaned it.. or did Kenny eat it all up

*Gets offended and pukes the entire mess out on Az.*

[asli_badmash]

p.s: abt the mess, its clean now.. dunno who cleaned it.. or did Kenny eat it all up

*Gets offended and pukes the entire mess out on Az.*

Kenny... How much to eat your own puke... I will pay you five bucks!

[Habitual Perfectionist]

Good points Akhil bhai



And here's some gyaan from someone who's favourite sport is not cricket. I actually lost active interest in the game after the match fixing epiode....but then...I'll stay a sports lover forever and will not take any shit against any sport in general. Calling cricket boring is okay....its a personal perception...but blaming one game for failure in another is absurd, to say the least.

other sports cant blame cricket for there downfall. its the govt. that has to be blamed.

The Govt. will only sponsor games in which a lot of people particip[ate, and since our one-track people all line up for Cricket and Chess (in my opinion the most idiotic games) then the Govt also does not have any choice.

IF the government doesn't want to pay attention towards games other than cricket and chess, it may as well close the umpteen sports federations and institutes like SAI, NIS etc. Let them disband IOA too.

winning and losing is a part of the game. no side in the whole world and in any sport can always win.

Agreed, but my point is that wasting over 12 hours for a single game is a Humungous waste of time, even when you are playing. And for those watching it, Blaaah!

It's all about a person's interest dude....some people may not like the instant variety of games the same way you dislike the longer variety.

looks like u havent played the game....try bowling an over of medium pace....and u`ll see how much fitness in cricket is important. why do u think all the teams have a physiotherapist?

Yes I do play a lot of cricket. I am a Fast bowler (Atleast I think so). Bowling and running afgter the ball are the only parts of the game which are Anaerobic. The rest of the game involves standing at one place. How many of the squad are Medium pacers? How many times will an average person run after the ball? As for PTs, even Valentino Rossi hires one. If I flew a kite for 6 hours at a strech, I would have to visit one!

Just because you MAY not get a chance to run, doesn't mean that you can afford to stay unfit. You never know when you might have to take those short singles, or when you might have to run a few yards for that difficult catch or when you might have to dive for a save. All this needs supreme fitness. Maybe the game itself may not be as fast, but to be in a match you have to fit. I won't buy this argument that cricket doesn't keep you fit.

dude in cricket u have to b out there for 5-7 hours...in hockey its at the most 2 hours....

You are comparing a very Anaerobic sport (Hockey) with a game which is largely Aerobic (Cricket), 'cept for when you are bowling. If Hockey matches were to played for 6-7 hours, all the players would die of exhaustion.

I know the effort and fitness levels required to play cricket, because I played a lot of cricket. The amount of effort you put into Cricket is nothing as say when playing Hockey or practicing Martial Arts. If you know what I am talking about, try to do a Karate Form (which finishes in 2 minutes MAX) with full power. I bet you will agrere with me.

Refer to my previous statement in this post.

nothing wrong with that. i follow hockey,tennis,football. but cricket is my favorite game. would go to brazil and ask them not to follow foot ball just coz they are not as good in other sports?

Look at the other countries. Rarely will you see people following a game which wastes so much of their time. The people in America follow Am. Football, Australians follow Rugby and Swimming, the Eurpeans follow Football, etc. these are all physical Sports which require a tremendrous amount of stamina, and require the players to move fast; and not just stand on their (highly sponsored and decorated) ar$%s for 6 hours.

FYI, according to the latest stats, cricket is actively played in more than 40 countries, including America, Australia and many countries in Europe. And this number has grown from a petty 15 in the last twenty years. Cricket has been included as a medal sport in the commonwealth games. And bro, please cut the cricket doesn't make you fit crap. I've had enough of it.

[akhilis2cool]

Cricket has changed a lot over the last several decades. it used to b a leasure sport (like golf) but after the intro. of the one day format it has become fatser and therefore the need for fitness has gone up.



Lets take for example a Batsmans job.

While he is batting he has to constantly keep concentrating on the game....he has to think abt thing like what change is taking place in the field, which fielder doing a good job, whos the right bowler to hit, and add to this the crowd. this doesnt make the job easy.



I suppose cricket is one of the very few games in which u not only need physical fitness but u also have to be mentally fit.



i have played sports like foot ball and table tennis and they too require a lot of fitness. but none of them require as much thinking and strategising as cricket does.



PS: i am not intersted in proving that cricket is the best sport.

[Sharjeel]

FYI, according to the latest stats, cricket is actively played in more than 40 countries, including America, Australia and many countries in Europe. And this number has grown from a petty 15 in the last twenty years. Cricket has been included as a medal sport in the commonwealth games. And bro, please cut the cricket doesn't make you fit crap. I've had enough of it.

They are taking it up as a profession because there is a lot of money in it. And, I dont have any problem with cricket being played as a hobby/profession.



Anything which does not help you progress in some way is Crap. If you you wanted your child to become fit and agile and whatnot, what would you ask him to do? Play Cricket? No! You will enroll him in Gymnastics, swimming, etc. Cricket is more of a hobby.



Cricket is good for the body. Cricket makes you fit.Yes, it does. But for the express purpose of all round development of the body, it does not rank high. And that is my main point.



Look at the Scandinavians, Africans, Afghans, Arabs, etc. Why do you think they are so strong and agressive? Bcuz they played Cricket? It is because they play contact sports, outdoor games which make them strong and fast. The weather helps too. We ecourage our children to play cricket and chess, and to shtudy haard. Style over substance, everywhere in India.



You are arguing around the theme 'Nahi mamu se nakte mamu achhe'. I cannot argue against that. If someone only wants to play cricket, then hes welcome to that.

[akhilis2cool]

most of the so called can-keep-u-fit sports in the world like football and basket ball are played for money. nothing wrong in that.



if I had the choice of sending my kid to play a sport then any sport would have done, including cricket. but ultimately it would depend on what the kid wants to play.



and FYI. when i used to actively play cricket we used to excercise for one hour and practise for one hour. that used to make us very fit for the weekly league matches. if i had more time to play cricket i would have given equal time to exercise and practise.

[LP]

They are taking it up as a profession because there is a lot of money in it. And, I dont have any problem with cricket being played as a hobby/profession.

Anything which does not help you progress in some way is Crap. If you you wanted your child to become fit and agile and whatnot, what would you ask him to do? Play Cricket? No! You will enroll him in Gymnastics, swimming, etc. Cricket is more of a hobby.

Cricket is good for the body. Cricket makes you fit.Yes, it does. But for the express purpose of all round development of the body, it does not rank high. And that is my main point.

You are arguing around the theme 'Nahi mamu se nakte mamu achhe'. I cannot argue against that. If someone only wants to play cricket, then hes welcome to that.

This is completely agree with you.Parents just push their children to play cricket for money.How many young kids in india can actually be selected in that particular 11,the odds are just too too high.Everyone is trying to get a place in that 11.

I have been to tennis coaching for the past 5 years and I have seen none of my classmates in tennis or any other sport except cricket.It all cricket cricket and cricket.You can handpick the number of people who play tennis seriously in Hyderabad.The situation is just too bad.

[Sharjeel]

All true Akhil, esp the part about personal choice.



But you yourself have stated that you used to do exercise to keep fit. If cricket was such a big thing, then you would not have to exercise, would you?



When I practice Martial Arts, I dont exercise before or after I practice. That is because doing MA is in itself a form of exercise. And that is the very grouse I have against Cricket. It does not help progress a person mentally or physically or any-cally. Then why should everyone waste so much time on it.



Yes, take it up as a hobby or profession, but don't argue that it is a very good thing for the body. It is not.

[Scorpion's Sting]

But you yourself have stated that you used to do exercise to keep fit. If cricket was such a big thing, then you would not have to exercise, would you?

FYKI, even in sports like football, rugby etc there are warm-up exercises to be performed before you can start playing. Therefore it is not a waste of time it is just gettting your muscles ready for the actual grilling. And you say that a footballer has ten times the stamina of a cricket player? Stand for jsut 3 1/2 hrs in the sun on a hot day and see how long you last! Cricket is definitely not a game for the unfit.

[akhilis2cool]

Who says ppl doing martial arts dot practise?

I used practise at a place called Victory Play Grounds....near old hyd. it had facilities for cricket...basket ball and Karate + some indoor games. and believe me the karate guys used to do more excersie than us. it was also far more tougher. push ups on knuckles...fingers...thumbs and what not. they wouldnt have done it if it was not needed in the sport. similarly cricketers would do exercises that help them in the game.

in cricket ur entire body has to be fit as the playing hours are long. and if u think that the fielder done have to do much of running then u r wrong. it all comes down to the planning and coordination of the captain. he ha to make sure that a fielder is not wasted in any position....and also that the bowler bolws to his field.



and more importantly cricket promotes team spirit more than ne other team sport.

[Sharjeel]

I have been to tennis coaching for the past 5 years and I have seen none of my classmates in tennis or any other sport except cricket.It all cricket cricket and cricket.You can handpick the number of people who play tennis seriously in Hyderabad.The situation is just too bad.

LP, You must have posted at the same time .



coming back to topic, I have to agree with you. People just run after the money in cricket, or maybe because they feel 'safe' playing cricket (minimum injury problems, minimum effort reqd).



Cricket hogs all the newspaper headlines, cricket gets all the spectators, so naturally the Govt helps cricketers, so they get better and better, and other sportspeople live as paupers. It is a vicious cycle. HH was saying about SAI and other 'Ass'ociations. Darling, have you had the (mis)fortune of dealing with them? They dont have any money to pay salaries, how can they help other sportspersons?



Like you, I also want other people to realise that there are other games which can be played, they may even be fun to play. But for that, we have to first get out of this mentality about cricket being the only sport in the whole world.

[LP]

Who says ppl doing martial arts dot practise?
I used practise at a place called Victory Play Grounds....near old hyd. it had facilities for cricket...basket ball and Karate + some indoor games. and believe me the karate guys used to do more excersie than us. it was also far more tougher. push ups on knuckles...fingers...thumbs and what not. they wouldnt have done it if it was not needed in the sport.

This is definetly true.You can see people practice martial arts/karate near Sagar Society,right opposite Mayfair Apts. on Rd. No.1,Banjara Hills.You can catch them at practice something around 6-7.They do a LOT of warm up's.

[akhilis2cool]

Sharjeel bhai what makes u think govt. helps only cricketers? cricket is governed by BCCI which is an autoomous body. it doesnt depend on the govt. for funding. if it did then crickets condition wld have been like any other sport.



i remember...some time during the 50s india had a chance to send two of its domestic sports to the olympics. had it sent kabaddi, Kho-Kho or mallakhamb these sports wld. have been in a far better state by now. but the then PM mr. Nehru hot otherwise. its this attitude hat has reduced the popularity of other sports.



and since ppl in a country are always looking for heros cricket gave them heros (not that other sports didnt).