On Tuesday night we had our first outdoor training sessioon of the season. I (bad girl) missed all the indoor nets due to work at the house and visitors. There were only ten of us at this first training, but more will be coming. We usually have somewhere in the region of 20-something people each year join us. We have only one team – but the more ‘advanced’ of us play the more difficult games and the beginners play the non-league games. I am considered advanced.
Cricket definitely has taken over softball for me. I used to love joining co-ed softball leagues and playing in the summers, but the cricket ladies got me first over here. And I love the challenge of it all. Batting is quite a bit different. Let’s look at the bats:
Clearly one is much more flat & thus you (try) to use one of the surfaces more often (saw a cricket game earlier this year where the guy used the back of the bat…very unusual, but it worked for him). In softball there is no ’side’ of the bat – you just try to hit it toward the middle of the top. Both bats have a ’sweet spot’ – the place that hits the ball the best. Holding the bat is completely different too:
As you can see…you also wear different equipment. I typically do not wear a helmet as we do not have people tossing the ball near my head (though with one team I will wear it as they have a VERY speedy bowler).
The person throwing the ball at you is also called different names and does it differently. In softball, you are the pitcher & throw underhand (elbow can be bent):
In cricket, you bowl the ball relatively straight armed over-hand.
So in a way – both actions are somewhat circular in motion, but in different directions. In softball, the ball cannot hit the ground in front of the batter. In cricket, you want the ball to hit the ground in front of the batter…the closer to the feet the better (at times).
There are many more differences which would be tough to explain in this blog, but as we go through cricket season, I’ll try to explain a few concepts so that my non-cricket understanding friends can get the gist. I am still learning a lot, but after four seasons of playing, I’m able to watch it on t.v. and really get it & enjoy it. In fact, I have tickets to go to Lords to see a 20-20 game in June! Go Middlesex!
If you are in London and want to join a great cricket club (be you man or woman or child), then check out the Hampstead Cricket Club. There are competitive and more relaxed sides, so everyone can find their niche. I’m at training almost every week!
April 16, 2009 at 5:06 pm
This is really wonderful! I’m an American too who first learned about cricket four years ago. I grew up playing baseball, but now I’m hooked on cricket. I spent all of last summer playing cricket for a club in Hertfordshire, just north of London. Now I’m back in the NYC area and playing cricket here. It really is a fantastic game. If only there were more people like you who are willing to learn and give it a try, then Americans would like it. It really is not that complicated and a whole lot of fun.
Even better is the fact that you are a woman! I have met some other guys who switched from baseball to cricket, but never a girl who switched from softball to cricket. That’s awesome.