I am a sports fan, I always have been. I love to watch American football, both college and NFL, during the fall. I grew up playing not only football but also basketball, baseball, volleyball, softball and track & field. I also enjoy a good game of golf, as well as racquetball. My family and I support our home town minor league baseball team, and I even make time to watch our local rugby team in Major League Rugby. However, I had no idea what cricket was until a few years ago. After learning that it was more than just the insect, and is a sport enjoyed by millions of people around the world, well, my life changed in a few ways!

An American Sports Fan in London

I now count myself as a fan of cricket. How did this happen to an American boy who didn't even know what it was until I was in my 50s? Well, it all started with a family trip to London in the summer of 2022. I had previously been trying to learn some basics of the Hindi language, and I kept coming across references to cricket but never paid them much attention. Then when I was planning what to do while in England, I saw that we were staying very close to a world famous cricket stadium: The Kennington Oval. Since it wasn't the season for English Premier League football, I decided to try an English tradition and attend a cricket game - even though I knew nothing about it. I did watch a few basic videos on YouTube and read a book about the fundamentals of cricket beforehand, however.

When the time came to attend the Surrey county match, I was a little bit prepared. The whole experience was wonderful! The Oval is a beautiful place full of tradition and history. I, along with my two sons (who were equally as clueless as I) actually enjoyed watching the 8 hour long game, with its lunch and tea breaks, all while munching on fancy hand-pies. I knew then that I was caught in the clutches of a new sport I could be passionate about! After returning home, I discovered Willow.tv - a place where I could watch live and/or recorded games from England, Australia, the West Indies, Pakistan and India. For less than $10 a month I had access to thousands of cricket games. That was the clincher - and I became a dedicated fan after that.

Here in the USA cricket is a nearly unknown sport - except among people of South Asian heritage. India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are all big cricket playing nations, as is Australia, New Zealand, the West Indies and South Africa. Do you notice a common thread there? (Or maybe I should say a "commonwealth thread" instead!) Yep, the British empire was responsible for many things, and the spread of cricket was one of them. However, growing up in the United States I had never seen or even heard of a cricket game being played. Maybe that is part of the appeal for me now: something different that I could really sink my teeth into in my middle-aged years.

Good Sporting Fun

I very much enjoy watching professional cricket now, and find it to be full of many subtle strategies that are exciting to behold, including: the battle between bowler and batsman, how a captain sets the field, and the intense international rivalries. Much like golf or baseball, cricket is simple to understand and play, but difficult to play well.

I have become a loyal supporter / fan of the England national teams - both men and women. There are some very talented players that are a joy to watch, like Jos Buttler, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Harry Brook, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Lauren Bell, Amy Jones and Heather Knight - and many others. That is part of the reason that now, in my third year of being a cricket fan, I am so looking forward to the 2025 English cricket season! I've already watched England men take on Zimbabwe, and both teams battle the West Indies. (Can I just say that the West Indies' Hayley Matthews is an amazing player!) I can't wait to see the matches against India and South Africa as well.

If You Are Interested Too

Cricket is certainly not everyone's cup of tea, but if you are even remotely interested then I would highly suggest watching some games - or at least the abridged highlights. Like I mentioned, here in the USA you can watch cricket games on Willow - either the cable channel or the over-the-top internet service. (Another amazing thing about cricket: relatively few commercial ads!) You can also watch some older games on YouTube. If you are in another country, especially a commonwealth country, then I'm sure you can find a service that allows you watch cricket.

If you are like I was, clueless about the game of cricket, then maybe watch this short video about the very basics of cricket before you try taking in a full match.

Finally, cricket will be one of the sports at the 2028 summer Olympic games in Los Angeles! Since that is relatively close to me, I plan on taking advantage of having so many world class teams in the USA and seeing a match or two.