I didn't IMAGINE it. I was TOLD that interpretation by a born-and-bred Brit. As I said above (04/21/2007, 04:28 pm), it seemed a reasonable explanation to me at the time. It still does.

But I see your talent for insulting people you don't know anything about hasn't deserted <u>you</u>.

Robespierre, as a former scorer for cricket, and follower of the sport, I can confirm your explanation is correct. I even checked with DH, a demon fast bowler in his day, and he agreed.
Never get sticky wickets in Holland - they tend to play on matting.

hetismij, how can you reconcile Robespierre's explanation of a sticky wicket with your final sentence? How does the matting make the bails difficult to dislodge?

If you cant afford a permanent cricket wicket you can play on an artificial surface - coconut matting is a common one. That never gets rained on - as you would hardly leave it out in the rain,. In any case it would play the same wet as dry.

Speaking of wet and dry, do they postpone cricket matches as easily as baseball games for inclimate weather? Or is it more like football played in all weather save for lightning? Just curious, thereyet

They don't play in the rain, nor do they play if it gets too dark (as decided by the umpires). It's not usually too much of a problem as the games go on for so long the time can be made up - but it would be a problem with the 20-20.

You don't have to worry about the light though - the 20-20 game is floodlit.

Thank you Audere, in case of rain (of which I am sure there will be none while I am there) will cancelations be posted in some fashion and do they provide refunds? thereyet

Do you mean is there a way to check if the game is going ahead? If so - look out your window. If it's raining they wont be playing, any other weather and it's game on.

You'd need to check the playing conditions on the ticket - but if it's a wash-out you get your money back (I assume you've paid by plastic - in which case they just stick the money in your account)

Lets hope it won't be one of those &quot;just look out your window&quot; days!
No action on my part is needed for refund if plastic is used? thereyet

It isn't with UK credit cards - so I assume you'll be OK.

I was going through a box of stuff and found a red &quot;leather?&quot; ball with six stitch lines, 3 on either side of a central seam. On either side are letter pressed stamps, one side says Teston Kent Readers around a horse shield. The other side has a crown surrounded by Two words with County at the bottom. I am pretty sure it is a cricket ball.

Is this a run of the mill ball? Does each team have their own official ball? Is there a difference in quality between balls? Can anyone fill in the blanks on the stamp of the ball I have?

I had mentioned to Audere I was interested in buying a ball as a souvineer when I visit and he mentioned that an official ball could only be bought in an area of Lord's that members could reach. Is there a difference between official and authentic? Not interested in a copy or &quot;souvineer&quot; ball.
thereyet

Cricket lovers? thereyet

Readers of Teston (a small town in Kent)were a cricket ball manufacturer from the early 19th century till the 1970s. I think the manufacturing end - like virtualy all cricket ball manufacture -has now moved to Pakistan, but Reader's are still in business, trading a few miles down the road from Teston.

Lord's is awash with virtually identical shops, strategically positioned so no-one can get out without buying something. You'll have no difficulty getting to buy anything on offer. What you might not be able to do, though, is see the museum and the Long Room (which is what farce was on about), and you'll probably need to book a Lord's tour (see www.lords.org)

The real cricket fans will tell you more, but as far as I'm aware, cricket doesn't go in for special balls. There's a HUGE theology around balls, enforced with a monomania, attention to detail and surrounding poublicity that the Spanish Inquisition would envy.

Incidentally, the founder of Lord's, Thomas Lord, retired to the Hampshire village of West Meon, little more than a good boundary hit from Broad Halfpenny Down at Hambledon, which is generally accepted as the birthplace of organised cricket. The Thomas Lord pub in West Meon served me a remarkably good Sunday lunch the other day, is splendidly unostentatous about its cricket memorabilia and the Meon Valley has exceptionally fine (and highly walkable) scenery, a number of other, equally splendid pubs and a few terrific churches, some pre-Norman. The flannerpooch loved it

If you've a vague interest in cricket and an unstructured UK visit plan, you could do a lot worse than potter round the Meon Valley for a day: much of it's within the boundaries of the city of Winchester.

Thanks flanneruk for your part. Hope to here from the fanatics also. Id the huge theology something like our annual ta;k fest about whether or not the baseball or player for that matter are juiced? thereyet

The real cricket fans will tell you more, but as far as I'm aware, cricket doesn't go in for special balls. &gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;

Pay no attention to the mickey (they don't play cricket in Liverpool - too busy killing small birds of prey. It's grim up north).

All county games are played with the Reader ball, which is what you found:

http://www.reviewcentre.com/reviews69449.html

Aussies play with the Kookaburra ball -and there is a difference. (the kookaburra loses it's hardness faster and has a lower seam). There are other makes which are used in the other leagues (we tend to use the Gray Nicholls - 'cos it's cheaper)

You can buy them in any decent sports shop - and certainly at Lords - they're aruiond &pound;15-20. You can go anywhere in Lords apart from the members only bits - which means the Long Room; members pavilion and the Real Tennis Courts and cricket schools. You can certainly go in any of the shops (but they won't sell you MCC gear - eg the egg and bacon ties and panama hats). You can go to the museum (which is worth a look if only to see the Ashes and the dead sparrow)

I'm practically the only catho cricket player to come out of Ireland. I used to be a bit of a fanatic - but there's nowhere for me to play in Belgium.

I brought my husband to his first cricket match on our honeymoon in Barbados. I was rivited and he was asleep.

I picked cricket as my sport as I wanted a team sport, I don't like getting particularly hot and sweaty, I'm lazy, I like eating sandwiches and drinking alcohol in the afternoon. It's perfect. And I get to wear a short white skirt which I would be arrested for anywhere else.

It should be pointed out that I don't wear a short white skirt. Well not at the crease anyway.

&quot;Crease&quot; incidentally is a cricketing rather than anatomical term.

&quot;Crease&quot; in hockey is that bit of ice in front of the goal. Is crease i cricket that bit in front of the batsman? thereyet

Audere, speaking of the sparrow. Here is something from a baseball game.

http://www.goyk.com/video.asp?path=624

Sorry about the extra stuff on this site. thereyet