Posted on 12/10/2023 5:16:39 PM PST by libh8er
Having "exceeded all expectations", with stirring contests in front of heaving crowds helping surpass its financial targets, the historic Major League Cricket has the foundations to build on as it eyes an expanded second season.
The debut of the well-heeled T20 tournament, as cricket seriously enters the world's biggest sports market, was deemed a resounding success. Even no nonsense Sunil Gavaskar, the Indian cricket legend and broadcaster at the MLC, was left impressed.
"He (Gavaskar) told me the quality of the cricket was high," Anand Rajaraman, San Francisco Unicorns co-owner, told me. "He felt the international players were giving it their all and that the pitches were good, which is a ringing endorsement.
"The overseas players said the ground and pitch in Dallas was as good as anywhere they've played around the world.
"The tournament exceeded all expectations."
There was much anticipation over the MLC's launch with a lot riding on it considering the maligned status of American cricket over the years.
With over $100 million invested, aided by influential Indian businessmen some of whom are ensconced in Silicon Valley, the six-team tournament was able to lure high-profile international cricketers through attractive salaries.
With the U.S. home to a growing South Asian populace, there were plenty of passionate cricket fans eager to watch the matches in person even though some of the matches were rather bafflingly played in the sweltering Dallas heat.
(Excerpt) Read more at forbes.com ...
Actually a really smart move as there are so many Indians in America now.
We have a place in MA called the Longwood Cricket Club but cricket is no longer played there…it’s all tennis
Weird .
….
Ummm ... Mr newspaper-person, exactly what do you think that the weather is like in Pakistan and India?
Uh, no. Did I tell you what the most important part is? NO.
I played this sport for two seasons in Florida with people from all over the world (usually former British colonies.) It was great! The whole gathering beyond the game itself was centered on the hospitality tent with good food and drink after the match was done. This is a pretty tough game to play also,it can be pretty dicey being a batsman and catching a hot ground shot or a fly ball takes practice as no cloves are allowed. I sincerely hope this catches on as it is far more exciting than a soccer game.
gloves not cloves...sorry lol.
“25-30 years ago, ESPN used to air Aussie Rules Football.
THAT stuff was fun to watch!”
Concur
The Ashes is the best, between Australia and England.
Aussie Rules has returned on FS1. You get the whole AFL season. Best sport ever. My friends in the US call it No Rules Football. The only additional protective gear is a mouth guard. Takes real ball$ to play.
>>I sincerely hope this catches on as it is far more exciting than a soccer game.
That is an exceptionally low bar.
This article reminds me of the Mad Men episode where the snot nosed trust fund baby pitches Jai Alai to the ad agency...telling them it was on pace to replace baseball.
al Jezeera tells us South Africa vs India: T20 cricket match rained off
My favorite Cricket-related song:
Roy Harper - When An Old Cricketer Leaves The Crease
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vy-WU7RPxEw
Very few sports more boring than cricket. Maybe competition snoring. Maybe not.
I’ve heard of that one.
Another bit of cricket-related Monty Python, but with no photo—
Fourth Bruce: New Bruce will be teaching political science, Machiavelli, Bentham, Locke, Hobbes, Sutcliffe, Bradman, Lindwall, Miller, Hassett, and Benet.
Second Bruce: Those are all cricketers!
Fourth Bruce: Aww, spit!
Third Bruce: Howls of derisive laughter, Bruce!
There are many English people who do not like the game.
Live and let live.
(Attended my first game when I was 20 days old - September 2nd. 1939.....no more cricket for the next 6 years!)
Depends who is playing. Here is Australia wrecking England from 2013.
It might be a vestige from pre Civil War days. At that time when baseball was in it’s infancy it and cricket were about equal in America in popularity. The Civil War changed that as baseball was played by soldiers in their camps and spread the game far and wide. By the end of the war baseball was king and cricket had faded to almost nothing in America.
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