Do you feel the same way about cricket?

[Will_NA]

Do you feel the same way about cricket as few years ago/a decade ago/when you first started watching it?

With all the cricket now played; Test cricket, ODI cricket, 20/20, IPL, ICL, World Cup, ICC Champions Trophy, 20/20 World Cup, Hong Kong Super Sixes, World XI vs Test XI, etc.

it's as if cricket's being taken away from it's core. Every single international tournament is played by the same teams with the same coming on top every time so what's the point of them all? Other than Test Cricket, ODI cricket and the World Cup, I don't care.

I've always been a football fan first and only started watching cricket in Spetember 2003 but I can't say I'm as excited by it as I was during the Ashes. The fact that the England cricket team is cack and full of muppets will obviously play a part but I can't be arsed with current cricket affairs.

I'm not even looking forward to the Ashes. Two sub-standard teams (Australia are compared to 4+ years ago) coming together but not before the 20/20 World which was brought forward because the ICC Champions Trophy which contains the same teams was cancelled. Next year is the ICC Champions trophy, then it's the World Cup. A 'major' competition every year? How's that exciting?


Another factor is the standard of cricket played. Only Series involving India, England, South Africa and Australia generate interest worldwide. England are crap and people like seeing them lose. India are on the rise and everyone loves seeing them lose as with Australia and South Africa are just good. New Zealand are a great ODi side but poor in Tests and get no crowds because everyone there cares about rugby. I don't know any Sri Lankans. Pakistan can't get their affairs in order which is a shame because they were a good side.

I'm also annoyed with the surge of Indian fans. I know they're not all like the ones you see on this forum (not to say there aren't some good Indian posters because there are) but it's the fans who go on and on and on about their team, Sachin Tendulkar, Australian players, Sachin Tendulkar, etc that annoy me. Plus, they can never have a laugh. They can give it but can't take it back and wont admit when they're team's in the wrong which is ridiculous. They're just as cocky as Australian fans as well which is made even worse by the fact that they don't like banter and their team is actually performing now.


Anyway, I don't expect you to read all this because it was more than I expected and just a rant to be honest.

 

[Kev]

My first real memories of watching cricket on TV were of Botham's Ashes. I fell out of love with cricket for quite a while during my yooof years, but I've gotta say I enjoy watching it more than ever these days. I think the trick is not to try and follow every single match that goes on, just pick the bits you are really interested in and follow them. With the internet and multichannel TV etc these days its easy to get overloaded if you try and follow everything. I probably watch less international cricket than I ever have. 10 years ago, I wouldn't have ever considered really following domestic cricket but now I spend as much time as possible watching it. I check scorecards for internationals every now and them, and listen to England matches on TMS(if not at a Kent match or indeed if not listening to a Kent match if I can't get to it) and that does me fine.

 

[King Pietersen]

I've only been interested in the game since the 2005 Ashes, and my interest is getting stronger year by year if anything. As I learn more about the game, play more and watch more, my love for it develops. It's actually overtaken Football for me. I still love football, but Cricket comes first for me now.

 

[Leggie]

Feeling you here. Especially about the Indian muppets who have to mention Sachin Tendulkar eveyr post. A lot of Indian members I have noticed here are very stubborn and are unwilling to accept to other views for other people.

Cricket is a bit of an overkill overall right now.

 

[evertonfan]

I used to love T20 when it was a county only thing but now i'm beginning to hate it. I'll never fall out of love with Test cricket though because there's nothing quite like the feeling of the first ball of the English summer Tests being bowled at Lords. It's still not quite football, but it'll do.

As for ODI's, they've always been so-so with me. They're good to watch but i'm not really too fussed about the outcome most of the time. And yeah, I dislike the Indian team and a lot of it's fans too. Any fans that talk about cricket as it's a religious cult and is a matter of life and death are just deluded. Cricket = just a game. Football = just a game. Death = not just a game.

 

[Skater]

I've been thinking the same lately. I think I started to lose interest in 2006, just after the ball tampering fiasco. The game I fell in love with 6 years ago was an art, something I watched in awe, untouched by politics. I used to run home to watch a match, no matter who was playing. I used to go around middle school humming the theme tune from the TV. For the last 3 years cricket has become less about the enthralling battle between batsman and bowler and more about controversy, cheating and choking. It's the laughing stock of world sport. There's too much of it and it's terribly organised. It's going to take an enormously entertaining Ashes series to get me back. I'll always love cricket, but football has taken over.

 

[Dare]

I have to say that my interest in the game is growing more. I only got into cricket when England were in Pakistan in 2005. I had a Pakistani friend who explained the rules and got me some tapes from some of the matches and ever since then I have been hooked. Since then I have just been learning about the game and trying to get more knowledge about players, their records and accomplishments.
West Indies were always one of my favorites and I really got hooked on WI cricket and even in their worst decade I stayed and supported them as a noob to the game. I could have easily picked the best side at that time and cheered for them but there was just something about WI cricket. Now that the West Indies are starting to turn the corner and the game is improving, I am even more excited about the game and just eager to see if they can get back to to the good old days when they were at the top of the game.

 

[irottev]

I think there's too much T20 these days. I still enjoy Tests and ODIs as much as I once did.

I love T20's, just not as the main form of cricket, which it seems to be now.

 

[shravi]

I've been thinking the same lately. I think I started to lose interest in 2006, just after the ball tampering fiasco. The game I fell in love with 6 years ago was an art, something I watched in awe, untouched by politics. I used to run home to watch a match, no matter who was playing. I used to go around middle school humming the theme tune from the TV. For the last 3 years cricket has become less about the enthralling battle between batsman and bowler and more about controversy, cheating and choking. It's the laughing stock of world sport. There's too much of it and it's terribly organised. It's going to take an enormously entertaining Ashes series to get me back. I'll always love cricket, but football has taken over.

Jeez, what a cry baby. It's not that bad.

 

[mattfb]

I used to love T20 when it was a county only thing but now i'm beginning to hate it. I'll never fall out of love with Test cricket though because there's nothing quite like the feeling of the first ball of the English summer Tests being bowled at Lords. It's still not quite football, but it'll do.

As for ODI's, they've always been so-so with me. They're good to watch but i'm not really too fussed about the outcome most of the time. And yeah, I dislike the Indian team and a lot of it's fans too. Any fans that talk about cricket as it's a religious cult and is a matter of life and death are just deluded. Cricket = just a game. Football = just a game. Death = not just a game.

Wow, you basically just took the words from my mouth.

 

[jordox]

The past is always viewed through rose colored lenses though. No matter the year I always thought cricket "used to be better".

 

[WORLD CHAMPIONS]

Previously it was a gentleman's game, now its a pure fecking business.

 

[Ari]

Been watching cricket since the late 80's still love it but as Kev said its best not to overload on it. I follow NZ, English and Australian cricket very closely and while I do keep track of all other nations that is where my focus is mainly.

 

[Jakester1288]

When I first started watching cricket (2004/05) I got a real excitement about watching it. It's just a feeling I get in my stomach. Now I only get it occasionally. I still love cricket, but it's definitely overkill. Too many ODI's and Twenty20's, and not enough tests.