David Carruthers

Choose your Bat & Ball


Wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist (L) looks on as India's Sachin Tendulkar defies Australia's bowling attack for almost seven hours to score an unbeaten 154 and help India to a massive total of 532.

My time in the US has been enormously enhanced by my education in the fine game of Baseball. I have been lucky enough to see several games at the hallowed St Louis Cardinals Busch Stadium. I was also blessed with the opportunity to watch on TV every pitch of Cardinals 2006 post season run to win the “World Series”. Yes I have become a fan, bought a shirt, read match reports, eagerly await team moves and the commencement of spring training.

However baseball, as good as it is, does not come close to the real game with bat and ball ‘Cricket’. Cricket is played all over the world, you can watch it 12 months of the year, you can watch 20-20 matches, one day matches, 4 day matches and 5 day test matches, at county level, national level and International level, all in the sun or under lights.

The picture above demonstrates the difference between the two games, forget home runs, you can even forget no hit games. I wonder how long Bonds and Co would last at the wicket.

For me it has to be Cricket.

David Carruthers 5th January 2008.