Re: Mysteries of cricket

[Anthony D'Costa <dcosta@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Some of us are not so ignorant of the game, having played in school and
college teams and have trophies to show for them!  When I have the time I
might tell you about what a "googli" ball is.  I wouldn't read that much
into the game.  South Asians are bloody good at the game, a game that is
as popular in the shanties and rural villages as futbol is in Brazil.

Cheers, anthony

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Anthony P. D'Costa, Associate Professor
Comparative International Development
University of Washington                        Campus Box 358436
1900 Commerce Street
Tacoma, WA 98402, USA

Phone: (253) 692-4462
Fax :  (253) 692-5718
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

On Sat, 13 Mar 2004, Chris Burford wrote:

> A cricket match takes place in Pakistan today between Pakistan and
> India, two of the most populous countries on the planet, who have been
> in a state of war or armed hostility for many decades and which have
> nuclear arms.
>
> As the son of a good cricket-player I have never understood the game
> and always felt doomed to disappoint my lovely father.
>
> Nevertheless in order to help the equally ignorant members of this
> list let me explain that cricket is a grand and appropriately long
> drawn out ritual of male dominance and submission.
>
> It allows teams to compete from different towns, and it allows
> admiration for the performance of individuals which can transcend team
> rivalries. It can embrace the class traditions of an English
> semi-manorial village, and the imperialist and sub-imperialist
> contradictions of the old British Empire.
>
> Now today behind this important ritualised  trial lies the context
> that the national bourgeoisies of India and Pakistan have decided it
> is in their economic interests to promote a free trade area and some
> sublimation of the extraordinarily dangerous potential for war.
>
> Other sections of national capital have won out over the sections
> associated with the arms economy. The push is for regional capital and
> for south Asia to have its place in the sun.
>
> So while the culture may have residues of the ango-Indian culture of
> the old British Empire, the form of the game of cricket is being used
> to promote a regional economic bloc to resist and compete in a larger
> US hegemonic Empire.
>
> The secret agenda is that probably between them and aided by fairer
> weather than in England, India and Pakistan have the best cricketers
> in the world.
>
> May there be many "Jolly fine shots". They are better than nuclear
> explosions. And give something to talk about over business lunches
> between entrepreneurs of the two countries.
>
> But don't ask me actually how to play the game. I always went
> paralytic.
>
> Chris Burford
> London
>