Question for cricket players/experts

[Lady Whistledown]

Why, when batsmen come in, do they stick the fingers up in the umpire's direction and ask him for a particular guard?

Perhaps I'm being a bit thick here having never actually played the game, but if they're standing three feet in front of the stumps, can they not look around and work out where they are for themselves?

Or does it actually mean something else?

 

[bathseagull]

Umpire has the best view to give them their guard.

1 = leg stump
2 = middle & leg
3 = middle stump
4 = middle & off
5 = off stump

(i think)

 

[Barrel of Fun]

I have given up taking guard and it seems to work for me. Obviously a psychological thing, but I tend to give my wicket away far more than have it taken from me!

I always thought it was just three fingers. Middle being two fingers and off/leg one or three.

 

[Everest]

It's where the batsmen feel more comfortable when facing. Some people take their guard with the bat right behind the back foot, some with the bat further away from the body. Depends on how they use their feet when batting too.

Either that or they don't like the umps.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

To avoid any sort of clash with the Rugby World Cup, maybe? We returned the Ashes to Australia after just over a year and a bit, so the two year business is, perhaps, not set in stone. Is there another major sporting event around then? Cricket World Cup?

 

[Everest]

Maybe so it doesn't clash with HB&B going to Pride.

 

[tedebear]

Why, when batsmen come in, do they stick the fingers up in the umpire's direction and ask him for a particular guard?

Perhaps I'm being a bit thick here having never actually played the game, but if they're standing three feet in front of the stumps, can they not look around and work out where they are for themselves?

Or does it actually mean something else?

I reckon its more habit than anything. My ex (who used to open for NSW Uni) did it religiously, seemed to think the other stumps were that far away the unpire had gps to locate him and gave him the signal when he was plumb middle stump... (or something like)

 

[tedebear]

I've got a cricket question too. I was thinking of starting a thread but it doesn't really deserve one, although I'd still like to know. Why, on the list of upcoming home series including which grounds they're to be played at, which can be found on this link,

BBC SPORT | Cricket | England | Durham to stage 2013 Ashes Test

does it say that the Australians are next in England in 2013 (four years from now, no problems with that) and then 2016? I have always known the ashes in England to be every four years. Indeed, the last time this sequence was broken was 1975. So why is it going to be just three between the next home series and the one after?

Lifted from a goggle search......An incomplete list of fixtures issued yesterday by the England and Wales Cricket Board also indicates that the cycle of Ashes series is about to change. Following 2013, Australia are expected next to visit only three years later in 2016.

The intention is then for England to visit Australia in 2017-18 and break the cycle which has meant the sides having to play a World Cup immediately after an arduous Test series in Australia – which, it must be conceded, has affected one side more than the other.

 

[vegster]

I thought that one finger is for leg stump and two means they want leg and middle. I think it used to be bad form to take guard over off stump as it gave the bowler very little or nothing to line up on.

 

[Marc]

theres been a call from the groundsman in the land to stop batsmen scraping lines and generally making our life harder! especially when they start scratching a channel thats big enough to get a small BOAT in it......bloody annoying!

 

[vegster]

theres been a call from the groundsman in the land to stop batsmen scraping lines and generally making our life harder! especially when they start scratching a channel thats big enough to get a small BOAT in it......bloody annoying!

And hammering in a bail to make a hole in front of middle.

 

[John Bumlick]

We returned the Ashes to Australia after just over a year and a bit, so the two year business is, perhaps, not set in stone. Is there another major sporting event around then? Cricket World Cup?

that's due to England and Australia being in different hemispheres and, therefore, having different seasons. if England went to Australia exactly two years after playing them here, that would be in the Australian winter (such as it is). the cycle is (usually) play in England July-ish, play in Australia 18 months later (December/January - their summer) and then back to England two and half years later...and that gives you the four year cycle.

feel free to :dasreich: me if i'm talking complete arse.

edit: bugger. took too long to type that and CB got there first...

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Gents, I was being dense. Extremely dense and did not factor in the weather conditions. I had a feeling that the recent gap was shorter than it had been previously. Oh dear. It is not even Monday morning yet.

 

[Marc]

And hammering in a bail to make a hole in front of middle.

yeah Chanderpaul is well known for that!

 

[tedebear]

theres been a call from the groundsman in the land to stop batsmen scraping lines and generally making our life harder! especially when they start scratching a channel thats big enough to get a small BOAT in it......bloody annoying!

Exactly, what is that about...they live at the crease they should know where middle stump is....

 

[Dave the OAP]

being an umpire, I get asked for 1, one leg or leg stump....2 or middle and leg, or two legs....middle stump. I have never been asked for miidle and off or off stump.

Basically, its where you put yor bat when standing facing the bowler.

Personally I always took one leg ( leg stump) as my first movement was moving the back foot across and therefore covering the whole of the stumps....if you take middle and do this, you end up outside the off stump.....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz BUMP


sorry I bored myself to sleep there

 

[Andrew]

I remember last season I was the only batsmen who didn't do it and I ended up being not out!