There is no doubt that for most of us watching a great cricket game brings on similar feelings to that of a confused teenage girl reading Twilight.
Even if that game is a T20. If it has great performances, changes of momentum and a close finish most of us will enjoy it.
This makes the T20 match between Australia and New Zealand the sort of match that gets ratings up.
The ICC will probably think this is the perfect match of cricket. They probably have a scientist trying to clone it.
High scoring match, heaps of highlights, a tied finish and a super over. Shaun Tait even gave them a few extra days in the news.
I’m not saying this isn’t a great game. Australia is flying at the moment, and for the Kiwis to score that many runs against them, and then steal the game in the super duper over, wow.
But I saw another game.
It had a team that started by losing 3 wickets before scoring a run, and then scratched their way to the pathetic score of 105 thanks to an over of such ineptitude that if Rampaul was a Pakistani he would be in jail by now.
Then the opposition chasing the low total facing 18 overs of moderately talented spin and falling over 20 runs short of the pathetic total.
It was pathetic on almost every level. Beautifully pathetic.
Other than the brilliant pantomime performance from world number two ODI bowler Ray Price and some amazing bowling from Sulieman Benn, the entertainment value did not come through purposeful actions.
It was horrible cricket. Really horrible.
The Battlefield Earth of cricket matches, so bad that even though it is a sunday afternoon and you are cooking dinner you end up putting everything on hold to watch every craptacular detail.
There was a piece of cricket late in the game so good that Wisden should dedicate 7 books to it.
Masakadza was bowling to Ramdin, it was a nothing ball that started the last over. Ramdin smacked it straight to long on, and instead of being caught, it was dropped behind the fielder and even though there was plenty of time for two runs, Rampaul barely completed one run. The next ball Masakadza missed the pitch.
Neither team really deserved to be wearing matching uniforms.
Now you might think that a game that was dominated by average spinners, crazy spinners, idiotic batting and occasional pathetic fielding is not an entertaining game of cricket. Perhaps it isn’t, but I am a sick man.
I’m very glad I saw this game and not that worried that I missed the kiwis super over triumph.
Who needs close finishes and talent when you have Zimbabwe’s Ray Price acting like a bare knuckle boxer when some shell shocked Windian batsman can’t flick away his door knob deliveries.
No one. That is who.
