Yeah, I don’t know either.
And I did promise talk of the lower tier international tournament, as well as a recap of the County 40s, but as I mentioned over on Twitter last night, I had the opportunity to watch a whole lot of cricket highlights on the Internet…FOR FREE!
First of all, I watch some more Sussex highlights on Sussex TV. I have already reviewed their new and improved video page, but the one thing that really struck me while watching highlights of their recent County Championship matches was just the sheer amount of stamina required to be an elite batsmen. The best ones bat for HOURS at a time, facing 200+ deliveries. Every D League softball player will tell you that 15 minutes in the batting cage is a workout, but imagine being out there ALL DAY. It is shocking the level of conditioning that would require. I think I forget that Cricketers are not just good athletes, they are in world class physical shape.
I also watched two full length highlights of two IPL matches on the IndiaTimes’ YouTube channel. For whatever reason, this was the first time I had really explored the channel, probably because we only get delayed highlights here in the States and most of the time I am well aware of the outcomes before I have a chance to watch the highlights.
The picture quality is just wonderful. I blew it up to full screen on the iMac and was impressed by how clear it was. The audio was perfect, too. You really got a feel for the atmosphere, which I really appreciated.
The long form highlights are 25+ minutes in length, so you really do get a chance to see the majority of the overs. All the wickets, all the sixes, most of the fours, all the big plays are represented. They do jump from ball to ball to ball a little too quickly, but I am not going to complain too much.
Wait, yes I am.
Their are commercials every three or four minutes or so. Now they are only 15 seconds long, but it is a JARRING interruption of the video. And it is the same commercial over and over and over and over again. It is torture.
In the end, it was nice to get a feel for the IPL. The cheerleaders, the pop music, the uniforms all rubbed me the wrong way, but the crowds were blisteringly loud the entire time – a real ruckus atmosphere under the bright lights. I could definitely see why players enjoy the IPL – it is cricket for rock stars.
Tomorrow: thoughts on the lower tier tournament, I promise.
Limited Overs 