Why is this a big deal? According to the Indian Express:
“Is that the eternal return of bad karma? It is. Is it an argument against the ICC’s decision to cut the Cup down to 10 sides? It is. Is it the best thing that could have happened to a tournament derided as a snooze fest before it had even begun? It is. But post-colonial justifications apart, Ireland won on passion, grit, optimism and a little luck, starring Dubliner Kevin O’Brien and partner Alex Cusack. Cricket jokes are sparse in the pantheon of all-time Irish jokes. After all, in the independent, republican part of the Emerald Isle, cricket wasn’t a cult. In the Catholic parts of Ulster, the non-Gaelic “English sport†was “forbiddenâ€. Yet, what was shunned on nationalist grounds has now brought this great national triumph which will be pardoned for acquiring old nationalistic tones.”
A trolley hurtles down a track and a team of eleven can’t stop it, no matter what levers they pull, even though they are meant to be professional lever pullers. The trolley careens into a dismayed crowd of onlookers.
Is it morally right to show the video of the train wreck? I think not.
Absolutely epic. Fan of India myself, but would be happy to see Ireland notch another win on Sunday — or whenever. Not following this quite that closely.
This is all the more cringe-inducing ’cause just a couple of days ago they tied a 328 run match with India, on the same ground and they were chasing. Well done lads! 20 overs of powerplay is really pushing the score to the 350, 360 mark. Not that it matters to the English, what with 13 for 4 in 5!
Ireland fully deserved it, brilliant display. But exactly why is this a bigger upset than Ireland beating Pakistan in the last WC, thereby dumping Pakistan out at the group stage?
Magnificent. Jonathan, it’s a bigger upset for the reasons given by a.y.mous upthread. Nothing to do with whether there’s any history between England and Ireland. Good heavens, no!
There are just two rules you need to know, Zamfir. Scores are computed mod 7, so the score is actually tied 0-0. And then ties go to the country more forsaken by God. Ireland has return to its traditional advantage in this department.
Oh, shouldn’t we be watching for the Duckworth Lewise Method.
What I liked (apart from the cricket) was the attitude — the utter delight — of the (English) commentators, Bumble especially. They love cricket, and that trumps everything else.
Does this mean that 329-7 means 329 divided by 7, or 47, while 316-6 means 316 divided by 6, or 52.6, so that whoever has the most runs per inning leads? Or do they just get 7 innings each and whoever has the highest number of runs wins? Or are those two ways of saying the same thing? And why can’t they just play baseball?
What I liked (apart from the cricket) was the attitude—the utter delight—of the (English) commentators, Bumble especially.
I was listening to the rude, totally unofficial and non-restricted Test Match Sofa coverage, and when it became clear that O’Brien was having the day of his life, they just decided to enjoy it.
another S. African in our office told me that Ireland had beaten England in the World Cup and I had several sequential moments of cognitive dissonance – wait, at rugby ? what, the Irish play cricket now ? HOW ?
Beautiful, whatever.
stostosto – the WC is one-day cricket, deliberately designed to be less boring than the five-day Tests ending in a draw, featuring properly white-clad players. In one-day it’s all about selling the game with bright uniforms and whatever else it takes..
If the score is computed mod 7, why would you bother trying for more than six?
Because of the weekday-exception rule. If you pass seven with a hit that scores the same number of runs as it is day of the week (Monday = 1), the modulus is not taken and you get to advance to the next level.
So let me get this straight: a major revolutionary movement continues to sweep the Arab world including, yesterday night, the destruction of actual secret police buildings with real files and instruments of torture (Bastille = maqarr amn al-dawlah in Arabic) and there is a civil war going on in Libya and you guys can’t manage to discuss it but find cricket more important? What’s wrong with this picture?
Both the matches are happening in India. Both in the south. From the looks of it, the driest pitches so far and getting drier. Some turn off the ground, though not in the air. Low scores so far. Both the minnows batting first. Oh! BTW, was it me who made that comment on India and South Africa during the Ashes, here on CT?
As a tribalistic England fan I had a hard time watching it. The first boundaries were enjoyable as I still thought that Ireland would lose. The next few were worrying as it looked plausible they’d win. The last few were great because even my partisan perceptions could grasp what a stonking innings and achievement it was being.
Ellis is right, of course, though. We should get down to doing what we can for the revolution (ie. absolutely nothing).
26 — there is nothing more thrilling than a five day test, and sometimes the draws are most thrilling of all. Well, except the revolutions spreading across north africa etc (and our goings on here in Madison). Michael Sandel has a nice discussion of it (well, its oblique, since he never actually mentions cricket) in The Case Against Perfection.
{ 50 comments }
dr ngo 03.04.11 at 3:12 am
Actually, the last two overs – or, more precisely, the last 1 and 1/6 over. Glorious nevertheless.
spyder 03.04.11 at 3:42 am
Why is this a big deal? According to the Indian Express:
“Is that the eternal return of bad karma? It is. Is it an argument against the ICC’s decision to cut the Cup down to 10 sides? It is. Is it the best thing that could have happened to a tournament derided as a snooze fest before it had even begun? It is. But post-colonial justifications apart, Ireland won on passion, grit, optimism and a little luck, starring Dubliner Kevin O’Brien and partner Alex Cusack. Cricket jokes are sparse in the pantheon of all-time Irish jokes. After all, in the independent, republican part of the Emerald Isle, cricket wasn’t a cult. In the Catholic parts of Ulster, the non-Gaelic “English sport†was “forbiddenâ€. Yet, what was shunned on nationalist grounds has now brought this great national triumph which will be pardoned for acquiring old nationalistic tones.”
nitish 03.04.11 at 3:56 am
Brilliant!
jv 03.04.11 at 4:03 am
Someone should update the wiki page:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cricket_Ireland
tomslee 03.04.11 at 4:18 am
A trolley hurtles down a track and a team of eleven can’t stop it, no matter what levers they pull, even though they are meant to be professional lever pullers. The trolley careens into a dismayed crowd of onlookers.
Is it morally right to show the video of the train wreck? I think not.
Substance McGravitas 03.04.11 at 4:24 am
If the trolley hurtles into the stands at England vs. Ireland there’s a good chance it will hit nobody at all. Let it go!
geo 03.04.11 at 4:43 am
“Fookin’ best day ever!”, as an Irish laddie says near the end of the clip.
js. 03.04.11 at 5:53 am
Absolutely epic. Fan of India myself, but would be happy to see Ireland notch another win on Sunday — or whenever. Not following this quite that closely.
cheers,
js.
a.y.mous 03.04.11 at 6:50 am
This is all the more cringe-inducing ’cause just a couple of days ago they tied a 328 run match with India, on the same ground and they were chasing. Well done lads! 20 overs of powerplay is really pushing the score to the 350, 360 mark. Not that it matters to the English, what with 13 for 4 in 5!
Phil Ruse 03.04.11 at 7:54 am
Ethically dubious!
Chris Bertram 03.04.11 at 8:27 am
Oh the shame of it!
ejh 03.04.11 at 8:58 am
It’s a shame to actually start with O’Brien getting out.
Jonathan 03.04.11 at 9:40 am
Ireland fully deserved it, brilliant display. But exactly why is this a bigger upset than Ireland beating Pakistan in the last WC, thereby dumping Pakistan out at the group stage?
CharlieMcMenamin 03.04.11 at 9:53 am
Just wait to the English hurling team get into their stride, that’s all I can say….
chris y 03.04.11 at 9:55 am
Magnificent. Jonathan, it’s a bigger upset for the reasons given by a.y.mous upthread. Nothing to do with whether there’s any history between England and Ireland. Good heavens, no!
Zamfir 03.04.11 at 10:40 am
I clearly don’t understand cricket at all. First England leads by 316-6, at the end they lead by 329-7, and then a screen pops up saying Ireland won.
Walt 03.04.11 at 11:07 am
There are just two rules you need to know, Zamfir. Scores are computed mod 7, so the score is actually tied 0-0. And then ties go to the country more forsaken by God. Ireland has return to its traditional advantage in this department.
Zamfir 03.04.11 at 11:17 am
Ah! I thought perhaps one team won when the scores were even and the other when the scores were odd. But mod 7 makes much more sense than mod 2.
Tomboktu 03.04.11 at 11:34 am
I’m waiting for Christy Moore’s new song about Joxer trip to Bangalore.
Harry 03.04.11 at 1:09 pm
Oh, shouldn’t we be watching for the Duckworth Lewise Method.
What I liked (apart from the cricket) was the attitude — the utter delight — of the (English) commentators, Bumble especially. They love cricket, and that trumps everything else.
stostosto 03.04.11 at 4:02 pm
That Bharat Matrimony sure knows a thing or two about cricket.
stostosto 03.04.11 at 4:04 pm
… but aren’t cricketers, like tennis players, supposed to be dressed in white?
aretino 03.04.11 at 6:21 pm
white is for test cricket
geo 03.04.11 at 6:59 pm
Scores are computed mod 7
Does this mean that 329-7 means 329 divided by 7, or 47, while 316-6 means 316 divided by 6, or 52.6, so that whoever has the most runs per inning leads? Or do they just get 7 innings each and whoever has the highest number of runs wins? Or are those two ways of saying the same thing? And why can’t they just play baseball?
nick s 03.04.11 at 7:14 pm
What I liked (apart from the cricket) was the attitude—the utter delight—of the (English) commentators, Bumble especially.
I was listening to the rude, totally unofficial and non-restricted Test Match Sofa coverage, and when it became clear that O’Brien was having the day of his life, they just decided to enjoy it.
Doug K 03.04.11 at 7:21 pm
another S. African in our office told me that Ireland had beaten England in the World Cup and I had several sequential moments of cognitive dissonance – wait, at rugby ? what, the Irish play cricket now ? HOW ?
Beautiful, whatever.
stostosto – the WC is one-day cricket, deliberately designed to be less boring than the five-day Tests ending in a draw, featuring properly white-clad players. In one-day it’s all about selling the game with bright uniforms and whatever else it takes..
EWI 03.04.11 at 8:35 pm
@ spyder
In the Catholic parts of Ulster, the non-Gaelic “English sport†was “forbiddenâ€.
I understand Martin McGuinness to be something of a cricket nut. The rest of their piece looks just as accurate and insightful, from what you quote.
Thers 03.05.11 at 6:05 am
I understand Martin McGuinness to be something of a cricket nut.
Samuel Beckett was even more so. Write that screenplay and win a fellowship!
nick s 03.05.11 at 6:13 am
Wisden’s obituary for Beckett is a thing of delight, just for its deliberate relegation of his literary career to a subclause of his cricketing life.
Walt 03.05.11 at 8:24 am
geo: It means the score wrap around. So every time you get 7, your score is reset to zero.
DPirate 03.05.11 at 4:36 pm
I was a star cricket player when I went to Ireland at age nine. We only stayed a few weeks, though. What a pity…
ben 03.05.11 at 5:23 pm
If the score is computed mod 7, why would you bother trying for more than six?
Bernard Yomtov 03.05.11 at 10:56 pm
Would it be fair to say that England could have used a cricket version of Mariano Rivera, or have I misunderstood?
tomslee 03.05.11 at 11:27 pm
If the score is computed mod 7, why would you bother trying for more than six?
Because of the weekday-exception rule. If you pass seven with a hit that scores the same number of runs as it is day of the week (Monday = 1), the modulus is not taken and you get to advance to the next level.
ben 03.06.11 at 12:47 am
Ahhhhhhh.
sg 03.06.11 at 2:34 am
Is bowling underarm illegal now?
Ellis Goldberg 03.06.11 at 9:40 am
So let me get this straight: a major revolutionary movement continues to sweep the Arab world including, yesterday night, the destruction of actual secret police buildings with real files and instruments of torture (Bastille = maqarr amn al-dawlah in Arabic) and there is a civil war going on in Libya and you guys can’t manage to discuss it but find cricket more important? What’s wrong with this picture?
Leinad 03.06.11 at 10:44 am
Yeah, CT – bring your immense background in North African affairs to bear this on topic!
Anyone would think you’re an academic group blog with idiosyncratic interests in HE admin, Jack Vance, cartoons and the like.
Kieran 03.06.11 at 10:47 am
Back from the barricades so soon, Ellis?
a.y. mous 03.06.11 at 11:39 am
Both the matches are happening in India. Both in the south. From the looks of it, the driest pitches so far and getting drier. Some turn off the ground, though not in the air. Low scores so far. Both the minnows batting first. Oh! BTW, was it me who made that comment on India and South Africa during the Ashes, here on CT?
ejh 03.06.11 at 11:42 am
I missed the Trafalgar Square poll tax riot to watch Oxford lose at Barnsley.
a.y. mous 03.06.11 at 11:54 am
I spoke a bit early. Broad did a good job. Much needed and deserved.
dsquared 03.06.11 at 12:33 pm
well, at least we have now mentioned the subject, albeit 37 comments down in the cricket thread. Thanks Ellis.
BenSix 03.06.11 at 2:09 pm
As a tribalistic England fan I had a hard time watching it. The first boundaries were enjoyable as I still thought that Ireland would lose. The next few were worrying as it looked plausible they’d win. The last few were great because even my partisan perceptions could grasp what a stonking innings and achievement it was being.
Ellis is right, of course, though. We should get down to doing what we can for the revolution (ie. absolutely nothing).
Harry 03.06.11 at 2:33 pm
26 — there is nothing more thrilling than a five day test, and sometimes the draws are most thrilling of all. Well, except the revolutions spreading across north africa etc (and our goings on here in Madison). Michael Sandel has a nice discussion of it (well, its oblique, since he never actually mentions cricket) in The Case Against Perfection.
BenSix 03.06.11 at 2:37 pm
What I liked (apart from the cricket) was the attitude—the utter delight—of the (English) commentators, Bumble especially.
Yes, same. It’s hard to imagine it from, say, Mark Lawrenson or Brian Moore in their respective sports.
mollymooly 03.06.11 at 4:10 pm
“It’s hard to imagine it from, say, Mark Lawrenson”
Hang on; when Ireland play England in soccer, which is Mark Lawrenson biased in favour of?
BenSix 03.06.11 at 4:34 pm
Heh, yes. I meant “generic minnow” rather than Ireland specifically but with that match ML might be as neutral as they come.
dsquared 03.06.11 at 5:15 pm
since he never actually mentions cricket
the man has no sense of proportion.
Terence 03.08.11 at 5:54 am
When did cricket players start wearing baseball caps and uniforms with colors, names and numbers?
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