# Ask the bloke who's forgotten more about cricket than you'll ever know **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 2, 2005, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-bloke-whos-forgotten-more-about-cricket-than-youll-ever-know/292545 "2005-03-02T03:23:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![grimpixie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@grimpixie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grimpixie)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2005, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-bloke-whos-forgotten-more-about-cricket-than-youll-ever-know/292545/61 "2005-03-03T13:07:32Z")
> [@Malacandra](#): > > Next up - Several players have been knighted for services to cricket. Several knights have played Test cricket… but who is the only man to have been knighted for services to cricket, and then have carried on playing Test cricket? Took some more digging, but got there in the end: Richard Hadlee - but it must have been a matter of months before, cause he was knighted in 1990 (can’t find a more specific date, but I assume it was the New Year’s Honours) and played his last test in JulyGrim ---
**Author:** ![grimpixie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@grimpixie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grimpixie)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2005, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-bloke-whos-forgotten-more-about-cricket-than-youll-ever-know/292545/62 "2005-03-03T13:08:39Z")
> [@owlstretchingtime](#): > > The knight - Sir Richard Hadlee? Bah Humbug!! That’s the last time I put things in a spoiler box to save other people… ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Meurglys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@Meurglys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meurglys)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2005, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-bloke-whos-forgotten-more-about-cricket-than-youll-ever-know/292545/63 "2005-03-03T15:41:28Z")
What’s the minimum distance from the wicket to the boundary? And did somebody earlier say the ball was made of cork? That just doesn’t sound right to me… ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-bloke-whos-forgotten-more-about-cricket-than-youll-ever-know/292545/64 "2005-03-04T00:20:52Z")
> [@Meurglys](#): > > And did somebody earlier say the ball was made of cork? That just doesn’t sound right to me… Why not? [http://www.cricketdirect.co.uk/acatalog/gn\_Balls.html](http://www.cricketdirect.co.uk/acatalog/gn_Balls.html) : “4-Piece hand sewn ball with layers of cork and worsted around a natural cork centre.” “Hand stitched 4-piece construction with layers of cork and worsted around a natural cork centre.” but also: “Superb quality hand stitched 4-piece construction with 5 layer-quilted centre.” ---
**Author:** ![roger\_thornhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@roger\_thornhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roger_thornhill)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-bloke-whos-forgotten-more-about-cricket-than-youll-ever-know/292545/65 "2005-03-04T00:43:52Z")
> [@Meurglys](#): > > What’s the minimum distance from the wicket to the boundary? Nothing in the Laws about this, although precise dimensions are given for the length and width of the pitch, the height and width of the stumps, the width of the bat, etc. I guess the reason is historical - some grounds are very small. This results in among other things local rules regarding boundaries - some places I have played you only score 4 runs (not 6) for hitting it over the boundary line. At other grounds, say, those surrounded by houses or greenhouses, you’re Out if you hit the ball out of the ground on the full! Hong Kong has just lost its right to host ACC-sanctioned (Asian Cricket Council) One Day Matches because neither of its two grounds with grass pitches meet the dimensions requirement you refer to. Plans are in place to convert a large playing area that currently houses two feilds with artificial pitches into a single ground with a grass “square”. One or two problems in the pipeline - quite literally, actually, as there is currently no water supply! ---
**Author:** ![UnwrittenNocturne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/6de8d8/32.png) [@UnwrittenNocturne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UnwrittenNocturne)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-bloke-whos-forgotten-more-about-cricket-than-youll-ever-know/292545/66 "2005-03-04T05:39:58Z")
It was a New Years Honours knighthood for “Paddles”. I see nobody has yet answered the question about the Duckworth-Lewis. I suspect that is because nobody actually understands how the bloody thing works. ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-bloke-whos-forgotten-more-about-cricket-than-youll-ever-know/292545/67 "2005-03-04T07:09:26Z")
In the village where I used to live there was a large oak tree growing within the cricket ground boundary. They had local rules to take into account this tree and what happened if the ball hit it etc. ---
**Author:** ![grimpixie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@grimpixie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grimpixie)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-bloke-whos-forgotten-more-about-cricket-than-youll-ever-know/292545/68 "2005-03-04T08:08:39Z")
> [@UnwrittenNocturne](#): > > I see nobody has yet answered the question about the Duckworth-Lewis. I suspect that is because nobody actually understands how the bloody thing works. [This page](http://www.cmmacs.ernet.in/~swathi/dl.html) gives just about the best explanation that I’ve read - it’s long, and my brain began to hurt about halfway down, but that’s statistics for you… Grim ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-bloke-whos-forgotten-more-about-cricket-than-youll-ever-know/292545/69 "2005-03-04T10:45:41Z")
> [@Rayne Man](#): > > In the village where I used to live there was a large oak tree growing within the cricket ground boundary. They had local rules to take into account this tree and what happened if the ball hit it etc. Never mind village greens - one of Kent’s county grounds, Canterbury, has for many years had an English lime (not a citrus fruit tree) well within the playing area. A ball that hit it and did not cross the boundary scored four. Unfortunately the tree fell down this winter ☹ ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-bloke-whos-forgotten-more-about-cricket-than-youll-ever-know/292545/70 "2005-03-04T10:47:27Z")
> [@Malacandra](#): > > Never mind village greens - one of Kent’s county grounds, Canterbury, has for many years had an English lime (not a citrus fruit tree) well within the playing area. A ball that hit it and did not cross the boundary scored four. Unfortunately the tree fell down this winter ☹ They’ve planted another one. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-bloke-whos-forgotten-more-about-cricket-than-youll-ever-know/292545/71 "2005-03-04T11:35:00Z")
> [@owlstretchingtime](#): > > They’ve planted another one. I know, but it’s going to be a while before it matches up to the original. ---
**Author:** ![Meurglys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@Meurglys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meurglys)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-bloke-whos-forgotten-more-about-cricket-than-youll-ever-know/292545/72 "2005-03-04T13:59:29Z")
> [@Askance](#): > > Why not? > “4-Piece hand sewn ball with layers of cork and worsted around a natural cork centre.” > > “Hand stitched 4-piece construction with layers of cork and worsted around a natural cork centre.” > > but also: > > “Superb quality hand stitched 4-piece construction with 5 layer-quilted centre.” I’m obviously mistaken - I think I’ve assumed since I was at school that it was some sort of wooden core - it certainly hurt enough mis-catching it! My ignorance is successfully fought! ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-bloke-whos-forgotten-more-about-cricket-than-youll-ever-know/292545/73 "2005-03-04T15:37:25Z")
Okay, I‘ve been waiting patiently for someone to get to this one: What is the literal and the figurative meaning of “Sticky wicket, what?” I just read in David Lodge’s novel PARADISE NEWS of an American using it to mean something like “You’ve gotten yourself into a uncomfortable situation, haven’t you?” and the Brit-narrator implies that he’s misused this bit of cricket-talk, which is basically all any 'Murican knows about cricket, if that (your corrrespondent very much included). ---
**Author:** ![grimpixie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@grimpixie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grimpixie)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-bloke-whos-forgotten-more-about-cricket-than-youll-ever-know/292545/74 "2005-03-04T15:43:56Z")
Spot on - when the wicket (ie. the ground between the two sets of stumps, where the ball bounces) is damp (e.g. after rain) the ball grips better and so seam and spin bowlers can get it to move around more, making it much more difficult to play against. Grim ---
**Author:** ![roger\_thornhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@roger\_thornhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roger_thornhill)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2005, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-bloke-whos-forgotten-more-about-cricket-than-youll-ever-know/292545/75 "2005-03-04T17:16:44Z")
> [@grimpixie](#): > > Spot on - when the wicket (ie. the ground between the two sets of stumps, where the ball bounces) is damp (e.g. after rain) the ball grips better and so seam and spin bowlers can get it to move around more, making it much more difficult to play against. And you don’t get so m,any sticky wickets these days because the pitches are covered these days when it rains. Before (pre- 1970-ish), pitches weren’t covered after play had begun when it rained, so bowlers like “Deadly” Derek Underwood could wreak havoc when the sun came out and the ball was fizzing. ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2005, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-bloke-whos-forgotten-more-about-cricket-than-youll-ever-know/292545/76 "2005-03-05T10:58:05Z")
Underwood was known as “The Umbrella” as you took him everywhere in case of rain. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-bloke-whos-forgotten-more-about-cricket-than-youll-ever-know/292545/77 "2005-03-07T08:39:25Z")
> [@Meurglys](#): > > I’m obviously mistaken - I think I’ve assumed since I was at school that it was some sort of wooden core - it certainly hurt enough mis-catching it! > > My ignorance is successfully fought! Cork is a form of wood … ---
**Author:** ![grimpixie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@grimpixie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grimpixie)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-bloke-whos-forgotten-more-about-cricket-than-youll-ever-know/292545/78 "2005-03-07T09:19:14Z")
Hola cricket fans - I’ve just discovered this game - [http://www.stickcricket.com/](http://www.stickcricket.com/) Quite fun, sometimes monotonous, but tricky to master… I have yet to progress beyond the pool stages in the tournament… Grim ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-bloke-whos-forgotten-more-about-cricket-than-youll-ever-know/292545/79 "2005-03-07T10:00:15Z")
A sad item of cricketing news. The Reverend David Sheppard , one time England captain and Bishop of Liverpool died a couple of days ago. Some details of his life here:- [http://usa.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/CRICKET\_NEWS/2005/JAN/161599\_WCM\_19JAN2005.html](http://usa.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/CRICKET_NEWS/2005/JAN/161599_WCM_19JAN2005.html) ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-bloke-whos-forgotten-more-about-cricket-than-youll-ever-know/292545/80 "2005-03-07T10:06:34Z")
We real cricket nerds use [Kiren Tanna’s Duckworth Lewis calculator](http://www.geocities.com/kirentanna/dlanalysis.html) to keep up to date on rain affected matches. It is only tiny and easy to use. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-bloke-whos-forgotten-more-about-cricket-than-youll-ever-know/292545.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-bloke-whos-forgotten-more-about-cricket-than-youll-ever-know/292545.md?page=5)