I am a baseball fan. This must be why I immediately took to Cricket!

It seemed to me that cricket and baseball were very similar. This made it a bit easier to wrap my brain around the game, which had been a bit confusing when trying to watch on television in our hotel.

We met the CEO of the Western Province Cricket Association, André Odendaal, at Newlands Stadium. This is where some of the 2010 World Cup will be played. Also called the ‘Snake Pit’, it is the home of the Cape Town cricket team, the Cape Cobras.  

André shared some fun facts on the history and evolution of the game. In fact, cricket was once played in the US in the 1800s. After that time baseball became the sport of choice for Americans. In the rest of the world, cricket is very popular. More than 120 countries around the globe play cricket!

After our history lesson, I felt ready to play the game. Cape Cobras, Dominic and Henry, who had been playing the game since childhood, explained some of the equipment used, how to throw (or bowl), and how to bat. Cricket has some great terms like googley and wicket - which were explained for us. With a quick lesson I was eager to give it a go at bat. I got into the proper stance, which is somewhere between a golf and baseball swing position.  Henry bowled, I kept my eye on the ball, and bam - I hit it on the first try! Not so shabby, I must admit.

After the ProjectExplorer crew took turns at bat and tried out (or on) various equipment, we learned about what it takes to be a professional player. To stay on top of their game for the long 6-month season, players spend many pre-season hours performing speed, strength, and endurance drills.

I look forward to a Cobra’s game in the near future and tuning into some matches on the television when I get home!

Go Cobras!

Part I: History of Cricket	Part II: Let’s Play!

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