Is cricket really that popular in Britain?

Honestly, it seems that on sky sports channels it is split 50/50 between football and cricket in what they show. It surely isn't that popular in Britain. I know it is in India etc but it seems to get put ahead of other sports like golf, rugby and tennis which I thought were as/ more popular.it seems that is all they talk about on sky sports news is cricket. Also why is there so many England cricket games... You have the club teams but it is always England vs Sri lanka, India or bangledesh. Then there is giant hype to lift a wee trophy for the ashes. I find the sport dull to watch and play. So is it really that popular here, I know it isn't in Scotland.

 

cricket is the worst sport ever.

 

Agree with Anthony, unless fishing is classed as a sport, cos its the most boring thing ever

 

After football, cricket is probably the most popular sport in Britain

During the summer when there is very little football and a test series between England and India, the best 2 teams in the world, then obviously SSN will talk a lot about cricket

Cricket is more popular in Scotland than most people would think, there are clubs all over the country

 

Boring as *.

 

I think if i understood cricket i'd probably enjoy it.

Just saying.

 

Because there is no football, no rugby etc, there is often a vacuum that needs to be filled over the summer months. Cricket fits the bill precisely for that. There is golf, tennis, motor sport etc all year around & this has it's appeal, but it's not seasonally intense the way that cricket is. It may be different sports, but there are similiar trends in America, Australia etc also.

 

Thats where you are wrong ..There are more cricket teams to population than in england

 

golf and rugby are more popular surely

 

Word. Closely followed on the heels of Baseball.

 

Maybe rugby i'm not sure and it is hard to work it out but I would say that cricket is more popular than golf

 

International Cricket is the pinical of the game, where as it would be argued that in football if playing for your country, though players would be honoured, playing for your country is an "added bonus" to playing Premier League or SPL. (correct me if im wrong there)

County (or first class cricket) players are payed peanuts compared to most Championship footballers. with average first class australian cricketers only on about AUD100k a year, some even less. Michael Clarke, the Australian test captian is payed about AUD800k to have what is considered "the most important job in Australia, even above our prime minister"

Lastly, the point about the ashes, that trophy is over 120 years old, and has been the only trophy ever competed for between Australia and England in test cricket. Also, that trophy is the ORIGINAL trophy of the competition. What really raises the stakes for this competition is that when England first lost the competiton, there was an article and a following obituary written for the "death of english cricket". Additionally, in the 1930's they used tactics that destroied the gentleman like sport, plus almost cost the lives of several Australian cricketers, and the man Douglas Jardine is nolonger actually allowed on Australian soil.

I appologise for the mini essay, just felt like a vent. I actually cop this from my mates too, most of them don't like sport, let alone cricket

 

You are pretty close there. I know... it's the cricket nerd in me...

The first test between Australia & England was in the 1870's. The match that inspired the Ashes was at the Oval in 1882, when England collapsed from a seemingly unbeatable position, thanks to the 'demon quick', Frederick Spofforth. The 'Death of English Cricket' eulogy was written. On England's next tour to Australia, after they had won the series, the bails were burnt, the ashes were placed in the urn & presented to the touring side. The legend of the Ashes was born.

So far as the Bodyline series goes, Jardine was certainly a most controversial figure for his tactics, but considering he died in the 1950's it would be a bit hard to say he is not welcome, if for no other reason, it would be a bit hard for him to get there in the firstr place. Ironically, his main weapon in 'Bodyline', Harold Larwood, actually immigrated & ended up living for many years in Australia.

But I digress... I'm sure Bossman will back me up on this point however. In Australia for much of the year there are various codes of football - AFL, rugby & rugby league. Until a few years ago, football (soccer) was also played at this tiome, but this is now kind of played during the spring and into the summer to avoid clashing with the other codes. So traditionally cricket was the only summer sport of note in Australia & continues to dominate the summer months, much as it does here in the UK. Golf, tennis etc may have tournaments during this time, but because they play all year round (virtually), they \are not as seasonally intense as what cricket is.

 

Live with two English lads who did the whole Barmy Army thing when England were here for the Ashes.

Couldn't give a * about cricket myself.

 

Think a lot of folk in UK & Ireland are turned off cricket as when they see it it's nearly always England that are playing, English commentators etc. England are * (well until recently), and boring. The English commentators are boring wanks. Check out teams like Pakistan & Sri Lanka and tell me it's boring.

 

My biggest problem with Test cricket is the jingoistic mentality of the reporters and fans at the England games. I watched the news about that England player who made a * of himself and got put out fairly by the rules but watching the so called fans boo and abuse the Indian team as they came on to the field was a disgrace. The clown on SSN was just as bad, you would have thought somebody had shot his mother the way he was slabbering.Then they all start cheering when they realise that the Indians were "real sportsmen" and let the * back in the game, there is nothing more annoying than those red faced bawbags all screaming about percieved injustices then making out they were right all along Cricket is * and the fans are moronic in my opinion

 

Walking is more popular than cricket, in fact most participated activity in Britain. My cousins husband plays for a local team in lancashire, went to watch him play and was bored out ma tree after 5 minutes. More a socialising thing than anything else,but the same could be applied to most team sports.

 

Absolutely hate it and the fact that it seems to have taken over sky sports news for the past month i would rather do a week in Guantanamo than spend half an hour watching * playing * rounders.

 

Out of all the people I know, I think 3 like cricket and one of them is LB.

 

Its only popular coz its England and we get it plastered all over the telly absolute disgrace of a sport