Because even I am not fortunate enough to travel abroad for both the ODIs and the Test matches, I watch the former from the comfort of my couch. There's something vaguely reassuring about getting out of bed in the middle of the night (somehow a lot easier in order to watch cricket than for any other reason) to watch England playing abroad.
While the good people of India go about their daily business, I'm guessing an immense percentage of the population is either trying to watch the game or constantly asking for updates. In England there's no sense of the whole country watching events unfold. Instead you know that across the country a bunch of dedicated, or slightly bonkers, fans are watching the game alone as the non-cricket lovers in their households continue to sleep.
But while I might have been watching the game in solitude, the wonders of modern technology mean you are never truly alone. Whilst watching the game this morning I had a chat online to a friend in Mumbai, another to a fellow Barmy Army fan 50 miles away from me and read the comments of both English and India fans on Cricinfo's live commentary. So thank you, internet, for bringing the cricket community across the globe together... now if you could just do something about England's batting line up.
I too follow the England teams every move thanks to cable televsion. Difference is that I am 100% dyed in the wool Australian, but I've seen a greatness in the English side since Vaughan drew with South Africa in 2001 (Martin Bicknells great swansong)..
So all I wanted to say was "Go the Poms" and remember that whatever time you are watching there is an avid English (albeit Australian) fan in another time zone cheering the boys on.
Get Michael back for the test series and let's hope that Strauss can avoid the temptation of flashing outside off stump..
And GO HARMY (:
Posted by: Mukund on 11/20/2008
Yeah you are right Paul, in India when cricket matches are on, you can bet India's productivity is zilch! Not just at homes, but also at offices, at every available opportunity, people can't have enough updates.
As for the internet, well there's nothing to add really, it's stirring a silent revolution in the way we lead our lives. I'm on Cricinfo almost daily, throughout the day!
Posted by: Karan on 11/20/2008
And thank you Paul for writing these blogs. I especially appreciate your previous blog where you took on the BCCI. That was very brave and we do need such brave bloggers like you. Its through these blogs that we are able to express our concerns and thoughts. So in a way, reading or commenting to your blog posts also brings the cricketing community together and connects them , regardless of the time of the day/night.
So thanks again Paul and keep writing!
Posted by: Vikram Kewalramani on 11/20/2008
Yup, thats the case all around the world. I'm in Canada and cricinfo is my hook up: on the net and now on the BlackBerry :-)
I remember following cricinfo in the mid 90s in India when all I had was a text based internet connection (thats right: no graphics).
There's a fan in every corner (well, maybe not an English fan. I am almost looking forward to an excuse from the English team/ media as the series progresses - prawns, smog ... I kid ;-)
Posted by: Vinod on 11/20/2008
Paul
Spot on mate the internet has bridged gaps admirably but I guess doing something about the English batting line up would be a bit too much even here :) because apart from KP the others (esp. Flintoff seems to find it difficult)dont know how to play spin, an important component when it comes to sub-continent. I hope England turn it around and give India a hard fight just for the sake of the good old game called cricket
Posted by: Divya on 11/21/2008
I know what you mean when I stay up till 3 in the morning watching cricket in the US and then getting up at 5 to go to school. Cricket is the only thing in the world that can do that.
Go India!!!
Posted by: redneck on 11/25/2008
Geoff Plumridge???? what are u smoking mate! the mother counrtys the enemy! (in sport anyway) do you warm you beer over the stove before you drink it too??? couldnt agree more paul, nothing gets you out of bed on a cold winters night like watching your team play abroad! except us aussies normally see our team win!
Posted by: uday mallik on 12/06/2008
I am greatly impressed by the sensitivity of the comments that have appeared on your site- a far cry from the likes of Geoff Boycott.All of us in India pray the tour will go on and I can tell your readers that there are no safer places in India than Chennai and Mohali where the tests have been scheduled.
Any of the Barmy Army visiting Mumbai are welcome to contact me to join in a discussion on cricket- and only cricket!
Paul Winslow is the Barmy Army's web and magazine editor, a role that allows him to turn an unhealthy and expensive addiction into something vaguely productive. No-one is quite sure how he's managed to combine a career as a sport, travel and motoring journalist with so much travelling to watch cricket but he's blagged it somehow, although he will remain unfulfilled until 2012 when England tour Bangladesh and he will have seen them play in every Test nation.
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