Cricket

I went to a cricket game today. My first one ever (not really that shocking since there’s no cricket in the US). Since I first got to Kolkata last year I’ve been trying to understand cricket. How does it work? What do all these strange phrases I keep hearing mean?!? I wasn’t very successful at learning out the game when I lived in Kolkata. But since I’ve been here I’ve had some very patient teachers who’ve helped me understand the game.

Cricket is actually a really long game. There can be games that last 5 days – and have no winner. “Regular” games last all day. There’s this new league that plays the faster/shorter/more exciting game (its half of a regular game) – so that’s what we watched today. Our city’s team has been doing really poorly. The star player is injured and hasn’t played at all. The team captain just received an 11 game suspension for hitting an opponent in the face instead of giving a “high 5” at the end of the game. On top of all this, they were 0-3. they finally won their last game…and they won again tonight…so it was especially fun J

The game came complete with cheerleaders (which are actually very controversial) and blow-up mascots. There were vendors too – but I didn’t hear a single “Hot dogs, get your hot dogs here”…there were McDonalds vendors though, and pizza hut, ice cream, pop, chips…kind of like at home – except half of the vendors were carrying their goods in plain ‘ole card board boxes. (I’ve been sick the past couple days though so I didn’t get to enjoy any of the treats!…I must have had some water that wasn’t purified…or ate something I shouldn’t have…cause my stomach is not fine!)

I was especially entertained by the one mascot whose costume kept deflating…and then he would just sit and watch the game for awhile…and sometimes he would keep dancing around even in his deflated costume…that was hilarious too.

And no trip to any ball park would be complete without the wave. Cricket stadiums are round, so they really do lend themselves to the wave. Once it got started I figured it would last for awhile. I mean, in America we get sick of the wave after like 3 rounds – not here…NINE times that wave went around…I’d just mentioned to Katie that I thought it might go on forever – really, what’s gonna stop it? Its so fun and exciting…when all of a sudden it was stopped – by the only force capable of stopping thousands of South Asians excitedly engaged in “The Wave”…a bollywood song started blaring – and the wave party turned into an instant dance party! some folks did try to re-start the wave...but it just didn't work.

I’m so glad I got to go to the cricket game. In addition to all the random and fun things I got to see – I really did enjoy the game. :)