Baseball season may be in high swing, but if you’re tired of watching the Yankees get slaughtered game after game, then you need to save yourself the heartache and find another sport to watch. (YES Network Channel /Available in America’s Top 100 and higher) I suggest Cricket, which is the 3rd most televised sport and is played in 220 countries, is actually a bit like baseball. Teams bat in consecutive innings and attempt to score runs, while the opposing team in the infield, attempt to dismiss the run and bring an end to the batting team's innings. Instead of a pitcher, there’s a bowler who runs and then throws the ball towards the batsman who will try to hit it.
You’re in luck, because the new season of Cricket has just arrived, as it precedes the Cricket World Cup 2007 that was played just a few months ago. In fact, it seems that even the Yankees could learn a thing or two from the World Cup match, especially from the Indian Cricket team. You see the Indian team and the Yankees have quite a few things in common. For one, the Indian team is one of the highest paid national sports team in the world, much like how the Yankees are the highest paid baseball team. Just like the Yankees have made it to the World Series continuously, the Indian team, as well, have been in their fair share of World Cup matches.
Unfortunately, the Indian team is still licking their wounds from their terrible loss in this year’s World Cup. The Indian team, hit rock bottom, when they lost to Bangladesh in the opening game of the Cricket World Cup. The Bangali Tigers, who are rather a mediocre team, played far more superior to their Indian counterparts. The damage was done, as the loss proved to be a major setback. Critics were slamming their performance left and right, and their fans were losing hope.
The new season of Cricket opened with 3 One-day Internationals and two test matches between India vs. Bangladesh. The trip across the border to Bangladesh was essential in getting the team back on track and to regain some confidence. While Indian fans had only revenge in mind, the Indian team was desperately looking to redeem themselves. Climbing back from the bottom, India, with a little luck, won the Test Series 1-0 and the one-day series 2-0. The man of the hour had to be batsman, Dinesh Kartik, who I’m sure was feeling a little love struck, having just gotten married to his childhood sweetheart days before the test match. His outstanding performance had given the Indian team the lead, and he was even announced Man of the Match.
So what can the disillusioned Yankees learn from the Indian Cricket team? Well one, they need a lot of luck to get them out of their second to last place standing. Perhaps A-Rod needs real love, not like the one he gets from his "lady friend", to get him playing back to normal. Finally the Yanks might have their fair share of critics but the ball game isn’t over and they have time to get their confidence back and their winning streak in gear.
Want to watch replays of the India vs. Bangladesh match and the rest of the season’s edge-of-your-seat live games? Then order it now on Dish Network’s Pay-Per-View (Channel 457/471).
