"How shit you must be if I got you out twice!"
-Paul Harris to Andrew Symonds, Perth 2008

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Problem

Lately, I've found it impossible to watch cricket. This is not some dig at the IPL. I am pretty meh about it. Meaning, I really don't care as long as there is cricket to watch and rant about. But not this time. This time I am stuck.

You need to know a little background info before I say anything further. I can watch every minute of a test match between Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, in fact I have. I sat patiently through every day of the India vs Sri Lanka tests and ODI's. I even tuned in to watch the seven ODI's between Australia and England and later on Australia and India. If I had access to domestic cricket, I would probably have watched that too. Cricket just draws me like a zombie to the living (you weren't expecting the traditional analogy were you?).

This is the first time I am watching the IPL from the very beginning. I started following it midway last year since I did not get it on tv and only decided later that annoying live streams that don't work, are a small price to pay for cricket. I wasn't blown away by it but it was a necessary dose. This year for the first time ever, I switched off a cricket match and went to study. It wasn't the match because I wasn't that thrilled to watch the next couple of games either.I joined twitter thinking it will be fun during matches. But even that failed to excite me. I was appalled to learn there are 20 more group games to go (Thanks Adi for increasing my misery!).

This has never happened to me before, so I am genuinely trying to figure out why I don't give a shit about the IPL. I only check the score or look at my live stream when someone says something interesting on twitter or I realize that a Saffa is playing. But really, I can't focus on it for more than a couple of minutes. I will every game to end even before they have started.

If you think I am sick, then please prescribe me something. If you think it's the IPL then call Modi and tell him not to extend this to 94 matches next year. I am pretty certain people will stop watching half-way and only come back during the semis. As I am probably going to do from now on.

But what about my daily dose of cricket then? Do any of you have a link to county cricket? Or Pro20? Cricket tragic over here very desperate for some matches...but can't watch the ones she has access too!

Life is truly cruel.

13 comments:

Mock Wah said...

Honestly, we are all going thru the same. Argh 50 days of LSRK, Sunny, Danny, Ravi u dont even want ur enemies to undergo such stuff.. all u need is a MAXX mobile time out, that should be ur citi moment of success. :)

cheers

Som said...

so many matches are so easily forgettable. i watched a couple of matches from 5th 6th overs and could not say with conviction that I had not watched it. imagine the plight when you have 94 matches!

Anonymous said...

I'm very much in the same boat. Will watch cricket whenever, wherever it's played but I'm yet to watch a full IPL match this season.

I switched on last night and after a couple of overs walked to the bookshelf and instead thumbed through Glenn McGrath's Line & Length ( a book I've already finished)looking up occasionally to watch a replay of a wicket or a dropped catch.

I'm not sure if the IPL do any market research but I can honestly say that after two and half IPLs I still don't know what the acronym DLF stands for. And if I see that gay mid-over ad with Sehwag and Gambhir being boyfriends one more time I might tune out for good.

To be honest I'm a tad disturbed by this change in my behaviour but I'm sure the fatigue will subside when Pup leads the team onto the field for the first match in the Caribbean next month.

Reverse Swing said...

well we got to wait till 28th April else we have no option what so ever but after hat an exciting summer waiting for us.

Unknown said...

I have been following MI's matches and some matches of DD and RCB.

The rest of them get irritating, especially when they are accompanied by Ravi Shastri's baggage of cliches.

Purna said...

I initially found the commercials more entertaining than the cricket but now I would rather gouge my eyes out. The commentary has a similar effect.
I can't wait till April 28th...sadly it's still 21 days away!

Mahek said...

You are all racist and can't stand India doing well. And all you Indians should be ashamed of yourselves for not blindly adoring everything about the IPL. BEGONE HATERZ!

Mahek said...

Alright, that wasn't a serious comment in case some of you didn't realise it :)

Anonymous said...

That is the wrong way to go about the IPL. You have to pick one team and ONLY watch their games or otherwise you lose the will to live.

Or watch for one week and tune out for the next.

Doing the whole thing is getting on the fast-track to madness and sweaty palms.

Anonymous said...

I try to only watch Deccan as it is the one chance I have left in my life to watch Gilly.

Sob.

I even got to watch Mitchell Marsh today. 2 for the price of one.

Purna said...

I don't have a team! I watch it to see what I should be expecting from the Saffers in the T20 WC.

Actually, I love Deccan because of Gibbsy. But he isn't even playing now.

Sob from me too.

Anonymous said...

The exact same thing happened to me! I've been in SA for 3 weeks, and since I usually live in a cricket-free country I took every opportunity to watch cricket. But as cricket-starved as I am, I found myself going for a run halfway through a game! And who goes for a run when they're on holiday, honestly!

I have tried to support a team (Dehli, because I love Warner & hate the aussies), but even this doesn't help much.

die Fraulein

p.s. my husband has started saying he's going for a "Karbon Kamal pee" when he goes to the bathroom, and declares he's had a "Citi moment of success" if all went well. That pretty much sums up my feelings about IPL...

Purna said...

Now there's an unexpected pro for the IPL: keeping people fit even on vacations!

Your husband is awesome!