See, I'm from 'murica.

So I just took a fastballs4lyfe approach. Of course, I knew next to nothing about pitching at the time and I didn't know the first thing about bowling until just now.

If you like fast bowling, check this out. Please note most of these deliveries have been clocked at between 98-100 miles per hour. Yes. Even with protective gear, its why cricket is one of the only games where people have died on the field, even recently. Toes and fingers get broken all the time.

Is all that protective gear just to protect from the ball or for something else? That seems like way too much armor, like rugby and cricket players switched gear hundreds of years ago and forgot to change back.

Cricket balls are hard as fuck, notice at 1:35 when the man collapses to the ground clenching his face even though the mask took the brunt of the impact.

Again at 2:37 where the cricket bat snaps in half.

Quote from Naimad

Is all that protective gear just to protect from the ball or for something else? That seems like way too much armor, like rugby and cricket players switched gear hundreds of years ago and forgot to change back.

Its from the ball. That ball is'nt your regular tennis ball / baseball. Its like a rock, cloaked in beaten down leather. Even at normal speeds, it can hurt like hell, break noses and fingers. At 100 mph it can crack ribs and kneepads. I just told you even WITH the armour, people have died getting hit with that ball, and your response is "its too much armour".

The following image is from what happened after ONE ball.

Quote from Jutsu

Cricket balls are hard as fuck, notice at 1:35 when the man collapses to the ground clenching his face even though the mask took the brunt of the impact.

Again at 2:37 where the cricket bat snaps in half.

What sometimes happens is that the helmet protects you from injury, but the force of the ball itself is so brutal that the helmet violently shakes and its like a whiplash effect on your face. But its still better than what COULD happen. Sometimes balls break THROUGh the helmet.

I think I could really get into this event. I like games with risk involved, which is why I watch hockey, a game in which players are injured basically every game.

While I'm not specifically looking forward to injuries, I still cheer when an enemy player gets hit really hard and takes a minute to get back up on his feet.

Quote from Nish

I just told you even WITH the armour, people have died getting hit with that ball, and your response is "its too much armour".

I had actually forgotten that you said that, my apologies, I need to get some sleep.

In cricket, the risk of injury itself is not a common occurence. Thats why to people who don't watch it, it seems like a gentle sport. But when injuries DO happen, they're quite brutal. I remember one clip that never made television, I saw the match live at the stadium, where one batsman got hit in his crotch. The team medic ran out to the field, and when they pulled out his "Crotch guard" it had a giant cracked gap in it. The cricket ball had smashed through it and rocketed right into his testicles.

But even without injures, I think you'd enjoy cricket. Start with 20/20 cricket. It lasts only about 3 hours and is VERY quick paced, but involves lesser amount of mental tactics and stamina. Then move on to One-Day cricket which is played for a day. It is medium-paced but involves a lot of planning and strategy and skill.

Finally move on to Test Cricket. It is played over a gruelling 5 days. It is not for the uninitiated because it is like a slow moving chess game but it is like watching a hunt, with a predator stalking its prey and is a huge test of stamina, skill, determination and pure grit.

I'm sounding like I have half a brain at this point but, is there a reason for why the games last so long?

Quote from Naimad

I'm sounding like I have half a brain at this point but, is there a reason for why the games last so long?

Test Cricket isn't a game. Its a sport. They figured it was easier to weed out the boys from the men if it went on for 5 days.

No, seriously why does cricket in general have such long game times?

Because it is a very complicated sport that is based more on physical and mental endurance than flashes in the pan. The 3 hour version is regarded as a vulgar bastardisation of the game, because it is too quick and impulsive, even though it is still longer than other sports.

The 3 hour version is also probably the most popular version of the game, even though the World Cups are One-Day games and are still the highest rated games, TV-wise.

Cricket is so fucking boring to watch.

Being Australian, I constantly have to deal with being asked to go spend a day out in the blazing hot sun, watching cricket. Or rather, watching people stand still for 10 hours, with brief moments of actual movement. No. Can't even stand watching it on TV.

It's fun to play though.

Jutsu, recently we had a cricket player in Australia die from being hit in the head by a cricket ball.

To each his own.

The guy who died, that was a tragedy. If he had lived, he would have gone on to be one of Australia's best in the international stage.