This post is going to be about cricket so if you wish to run screaming from the room, then do so....NOW
My daughter Kathryn told me the other day I was always moaning about the BBC and after a few mins ponder, I thought You know she is right and then I sat and wondered why. Multiple reasons, but one of my main gripes was their letting the broadcasting of cricket lapse a few years ago. It went over to Channel Five which filled me with horror (all those adverts! utterly ghastly!), but then they proved me wrong by doing a superb job. However, the dreaded Sky intervened when the next round of bargaining came up and they did a swoop and that was that - no terrestrial cricket coverage thus disenfranchising most of the country as, contrary to popular opinion, the vast majority of viewers do not have Sky. I was one of them (living in a block of flats and getting everyone to agree to the installation of dish has been impossible) and fuming and last summer when we won an incredibly exciting Ashes series I had to rely on my laptop all day and checking on the scores and highlights in the evening which Channel Five had managed to secure.
However, that was only for the series at home and England are now currently in South Africa and, once again, an exciting first couple of tests and no highlights, nothing. I was moaning about this on one of the cricketing forums I post on (yes, I know, my daughter thinks this is tragic...why?) and have got to know quite a few of the regulars and it is all highly interesting, witty and fun. I did my usual moan and up pops an answer 'Elaine, why don't you get Sky player and watch it via your computer?'
Well, I had no answer to that save I am not totally au fait with modern technology and can be a bit wary of same, but I duly got on line, did a bit of research and decided to go for it. So I subscribed, downloaded the necessary software and within ten minutes was watching cricket live from South Africa. Totally thrilled and as my laptop has a decent sized screen, it was not hard on the eye. In fact, bearing in mind that the very first television we ever had when I was a teenager was an old 15" black and white set and I am watching in colour on a 17" screen, this is luxury. My neighbour has a lead which he is going to demonstrate to me which means I can link and play it through my TV which will be even better. I am delighted with this and have dropped a line to the forums to say a big Thank you. The cost is £25 per month and I have chosen what I can receive and the bonus about Sky Player is that I am not locked into a contract, I can pay for as long as I choose and stop when I choose, so I may well just keep it until this Test series is done and then cancel. Rejoin later on in the summer when we have the Test Matches here.
(Alistair Cook who, I will freely admit, is rather gorgeous. I do watch the game purely for the cricket but when you have a bit of a dish as an opening batsman, it does help...)
Sorry I am droning on about this, but I am thrilled to bits and have been glued to the screen since 6 am this morning until close of play just about half an hour ago. Wickets falling all over the place and when England began to lose players rapidly as well, I began to fear the worst. However, the batsmen have stuck it out and have blocked, defended and nurdled their way to close of play and are only just over 50 runs behind the Saffers first innings total which looked almost impossible at the start of their innings.
I had forgotten just how fascinating and interesting cricket can be when you sit and watch it all day and see the ebb and flow of play, the field settings for the different bowlers, the tactics, the timing...I know non-cricket lovers cannot appreciate this and that is fine, I used to find cricket boring for years and years until I saw the light. I do think the fact that I sit through long, slow moving Wagner operas and love them has something to do with my love of cricket as well....
The pictures are good, the commentators are good and, what surprised me, is that there were quite often periods of silence where nothing was said at all and we just sat and watched the game. Usually most broadcasters seem to feel they have to fill in every second with inane remarks but not in this instance. I was most impressed.
Best line of the day came from David Gower who, on seeing a huge box of doughnuts being carried by a spectator, said 'Oh look, Ian Botham's tea is being delivered'.....
More tomorrow - I Love Cricket.
