How does one explain cricket to a Taiwanese person, or an American for that matter?
Big field, colourful uniforms, gin & tonics, comfy chairs, gin & tonics, sandwiches, opposing teams, throwing things at upright sticks, gin & tonics, swinging a paddle, napping, a bit of running back & forth, more napping, more sandwiches, gin & tonics.
That about wraps it up.
Don’t even try. They don’t get it. The closest I’ve ever come was basically describing it as baseball with only two bases, 10 outs instead of 3, and batters who stay at the plate until they’re out rather than just until they are either out or hit the ball. But even that is a barely functional description.
Canadians don’t “get” it either. But then again, we have Lacrosse. 
Canadians don’t “get” it either. But then again, we have Lacrosse. [/quote]
No, no - you have curling 
Cricket is not a sport - it’s a state of mind.
What is the Mandarin translation of cricket? I remember it being ban chou but with different tones to baseball. Anyone? It’s nearly damn impossible to explain it to Taiwanese as I’ve tried many times. Americans generally couldn’t give a rat’s arse about any sport not invented in their backyards either. Actually I feel that way too so that shouldn’t matter any. A couple of chrissies ago I bought back a graynicholls (sp) cricket set of stumps, bails, ball and bat and went down to the park with an a few friends and I particulary remember the American mate as I tried to teach him how to play. No matter what I said, he’d bring the bat up Chris Broad style and strike at it! I took about 7 for 12 with the ball and around 60 odd with the bat before all the locals brought their dogs to the park and screwd up the fielding. Oh, we were only using a tennis ball too. That explains how amos achieved a half century :bravo:
What?
But I’m sure I’ve seen some Americans play some kind of sport before.
Here’s a description of cricket for baseball players:
members.tripod.com/~sccwa/crick.html
But I think you’re probably looking for the “tea towel” definition:
[quote]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 that’s been in goes
out and tries to get out those coming in.
Sometimes you get men still in and not out.
When both sides have been in and out,
including the not outs, the winner is
declared … if there is one!
Howzat![/quote]
Loretta wrote [quote]What?[/quote]
Yes Loretta you’re right, those are pretty damn good stats aren’t they? There was talk about me representing Victoria in the Pura Cup during the 2000/2001 Summer. I eventually came to Taiwan and cricket was the loss because of it. Perhaps Australia too
[quote=“TainanCowboy”]Big field, colourful uniforms, gin & tonics, comfy chairs, gin & tonics, sandwiches, opposing teams, throwing things at upright sticks, gin & tonics, swinging a paddle, napping, a bit of running back & forth, more napping, more sandwiches, gin & tonics.
That about wraps it up.[/quote]
Pesonally, I think this is an almost perfect* definition to entice somone to come and have a look for themselves. After that you can explain the game as you occasionaly look up from your lunch/tea. Well done TC 
- Not always colourful uniforms. That’s the one day brigade.
As for amos’ 7 for 12. Well in one hemisphere I believe that would be impossible, but I forget which. Was it just a standard tennis ball or had you taped it up to make it swing?
Stop it!! Stop it!!
Either explain what the hell you’re going on about or shut up. Preferably the former.
I like the tea-towel definition a lot. That might work in an adult conversation class, especially if they’re not paying attention. But the scoring doesn’t make much sense at all.
buthcher boy wrote [quote]As for amos’ 7 for 12. Well in one hemisphere I believe that would be impossible, but I forget which. Was it just a standard tennis ball or had you taped it up to make it swing?
[/quote]Actually funny you mention that butch. We electrical taped one side of our standard spalding tennis ball for some swing for the session before our morning tea of scones and banana cake, at the time I was on about 2 for 7. After afternoon tea, we placed one vertical strip of tape on the untaped side of the pill hoping for some reverse swing as the ball wore old. I don’t recall getting any reverse swing as I’m no Pakistani but with the wind coming over the south western stand being quite unpredictable, it contributed some.
Loretta wrote [quote]Stop it!! Stop it!!
Either explain what the hell you’re going on about or shut up. Preferably the former.
[/quote]Sorry about that Loretta. What did I take? OK, 7 for 12. That means I got out seven players (7 wickets) and between them they made a total of 12 runs. A few ducks in there too (a batsman making no runs) and a golden duck too. If your serious and don’t understand go to this link, it’ll be as clear as day by the time you finish reading ;
http://members.tripod.com/~sccwa/crick.html
Hell yes amos, those ARE impressive stats! 
But OK let’s face it, if you’ve been bowling against baseball players with the bat level with their shoulders, you would’ve had those stats! 
I mean, if the batsman isn’t defending the stumps, there’s no need even for a yorker or a googlie, nevermind a doosra. You can even roll them out (Aussie style ) - like ten-pin bowling!
Pity that you left the game behind, man … 
I’ve haeard Americans describe cricket to taiwanese as being like baseball but my feeling is that doesn’t do the non-boring One Day Cricket justice but describes test cricket to a tee.
The best introduction for Taiwanese people is to play it.
But how?
stickcricket.com/tsunamiappeal/
this awesome java game - thats how!
once theyve tried it a couple of times they will more or less
‘understand’. thought i havent tried to explain LBW to my
students yet