# What is the most difficult sport to figure out? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [May 18, 2011, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-difficult-sport-to-figure-out/582333 "2011-05-18T15:42:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-difficult-sport-to-figure-out/582333/21 "2011-05-18T18:46:38Z")
> [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](#): > > I still don’t know that cricket has rules. It seems to me like it’s a physical manifestation of Mornington Crescent.\*\* Field hockey is equally incomprehensible. \*\* > > American football would be easy to figure out without sound due to all the replays and analysis. You may not understand all of the penalties involved, but the game itself isn’t incomprehensible after repeated viewings. I remember watching a field hockey game in high school (yes there was a girl I was interested in on the team) and I couldn’t figure out why they kept stopping play and giving the ball to the other team. I got some of it-you can’t hit with the wrong side of the stick, but there were others I never got. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-difficult-sport-to-figure-out/582333/22 "2011-05-18T18:47:54Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > Again with the Mornington Crescent. This is an excellent guide: [Cricket for baseball players](http://sccwa.tripod.com/crick.html) ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-difficult-sport-to-figure-out/582333/23 "2011-05-18T19:12:20Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > This is an excellent guide: [Cricket for baseball players](http://sccwa.tripod.com/crick.html) **So:** A cricket batter could be out on the first pitch, BUT would go on batting until someone puts him “out”; _Some batters can stay on base for_ **hours** , scoring 50, 100 runs or more! How could he be out but go on batting? Overall though, I agree that this is the best attempt I’ve seen. Still reading. . . ---
**Author:** ![President\_Johnny\_Gentle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@President\_Johnny\_Gentle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/President_Johnny_Gentle)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-difficult-sport-to-figure-out/582333/24 "2011-05-18T19:31:53Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > This is an excellent guide: [Cricket for baseball players](http://sccwa.tripod.com/crick.html) This is good, and mostly matches with my limited understanding of the game. It does seem specific to limited overs cricket however. Also, one question I’ve had about cricket more generally. I understand the concept of fours and sixes, but have been wondering whether it is possible for more runs to be scored on an individual ball. For instance, the batsman hits the ball near, but not across the boundary, but then the fielders severely misplay the ball. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-difficult-sport-to-figure-out/582333/25 "2011-05-18T19:43:57Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > The guy up there just said the whole point was how many times you could run back and forth while the other team retrieves the ball. that was just beginning to make sense to me. Now you say I can just stand there? Or meander instead of running?!? > > And then you yourself follow up with “run like crazy to the next safe haven.” > > It’s a snipe hunt. Not sure if you’re being serious, but yes, you can just stand there. You need to run to the next “base” to score any runs, though (apart form if you hit the ball all the way to the boundary), so there is an incentive to run. > [@President Johnny Gentle](#): > > Also, one question I’ve had about cricket more generally. I understand the concept of fours and sixes, but have been wondering whether it is possible for more runs to be scored on an individual ball. For instance, the batsman hits the ball near, but not across the boundary, but then the fielders severely misplay the ball. Yep, it’s possible, although rare. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-difficult-sport-to-figure-out/582333/26 "2011-05-18T19:56:13Z")
[QUOTE=Cricket for Baseball Players] **So:** A cricket batter could be out on the first pitch, BUT would go on batting until someone puts him “out” [/quote] This sentence is giving me trouble as well. Why would he continue batting if he were out? ---
**Author:** ![Lantern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d26b3c/32.png) [@Lantern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lantern)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-difficult-sport-to-figure-out/582333/27 "2011-05-18T19:59:35Z")
It’s poorly written. I think what he is saying is that a batsman could be out on the very first ball but if he isn’t he will continue batting till he is out. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-difficult-sport-to-figure-out/582333/28 "2011-05-18T20:00:11Z")
I don’t know what the article means by that sentence. If he’s out on the first ball, he’s out. He can’t continue batting. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-difficult-sport-to-figure-out/582333/29 "2011-05-18T20:02:11Z")
> [@President\_Johnny\_Gentle](#): > > It does seem specific to limited overs cricket however. Yes, it is. I’m not volunteering to explain why a 5 day long Test Match can end in a draw though. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-difficult-sport-to-figure-out/582333/30 "2011-05-18T20:02:39Z")
Aha. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-difficult-sport-to-figure-out/582333/31 "2011-05-18T20:11:39Z")
> [@President\_Johnny\_Gentle](#): > > Also, one question I’ve had about cricket more generally. I understand the concept of fours and sixes, but have been wondering whether it is possible for more runs to be scored on an individual ball. For instance, the batsman hits the ball near, but not across the boundary, but then the fielders severely misplay the ball. There’s a (possibly apocryphal) story of the great CB Fry scoring 66 off one ball. Apparently, the ball got stuck up a tree (inside the boundary!), and as it was still visible, the ball was deemed in play and not lost. It took the fielding team some time to fetch a ladder. I’ve no idea if this is at all true, but it’s a good story. ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-difficult-sport-to-figure-out/582333/32 "2011-05-18T20:16:45Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > Yes, it is. I’m not volunteering to explain why a 5 day long Test Match can end in a draw though. Or that it can also end in a tie. And that these are not the same thing. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-difficult-sport-to-figure-out/582333/33 "2011-05-18T20:19:32Z")
As to the OP, I believe the answer will have to be something technical. I remember reading more than one article about Greco Roman wrestling by reporters who had no idea what constituted a scoring move (in particular people writing about Rulon Gardner). Certain martial arts are similar - the basic concept is easy (hand-to-hand combat) but the conditions for victory are completely unclear to the uninitiated. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-difficult-sport-to-figure-out/582333/34 "2011-05-18T21:11:06Z")
> [@Jas09](#): > > Certain martial arts are similar - the basic concept is easy (hand-to-hand combat) but the conditions for victory are completely unclear to the uninitiated. Good point - judo fits this description. The basic idea is pretty clear, but the scoring and reasons why certain techniques and executions are awarded ippon (full point), waza-ari (half point) and yuko (tiebreaker point) can be baffling to a casual viewer. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-difficult-sport-to-figure-out/582333/35 "2011-05-18T21:51:44Z")
[QUOTE=Baron Greenback’s link] A cricket batter could be out on the first pitch, BUT would go on batting until someone puts him “out”; Some batters can stay on base for hours, scoring 50, 100 runs or more! [/QUOTE] This is poorly phrased and thus seriously misleading. Should be rendered as: A cricket batter continues batting until he is put out; this could happen on the first pitch or after many hours, during which he may have scored 50, 100 runs or more. ---
**Author:** ![lisiate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@lisiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisiate)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-difficult-sport-to-figure-out/582333/36 "2011-05-18T22:50:19Z")
> [@Ximenean](#): > > I happened to be reading about the bat-and-ball family of games the other day (games such as baseball and cricket), and I came across Romania’s national sport, [Oină](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6gzU3vH4XA). Now, admittedly that video is narrated in Romanian, but it looks like one complicated game, and for the life of me I cannot work out the scoring for the batting side (blue, or “albaştrii” in this case). After reading the description on [wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oina) I’m voting for this, seriously. ---
**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-difficult-sport-to-figure-out/582333/37 "2011-05-18T23:26:05Z")
> [@Xema](#): > > This is poorly phrased and thus seriously misleading. Should be rendered as: > > A cricket batter continues batting until he is put out; this could happen on the first pitch or after many hours, during which he may have scored 50, 100 runs or more. I believe your right, I read it, “as opposed to baseball in which a non-swinging batter will get at least three pitches…” ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-difficult-sport-to-figure-out/582333/38 "2011-05-18T23:31:50Z")
> [@Ximenean](#): > > I happened to be reading about the bat-and-ball family of games the other day (games such as baseball and cricket), and I came across Romania’s national sport, [Oină](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6gzU3vH4XA). Now, admittedly that video is narrated in Romanian, but it looks like one complicated game, and for the life of me I cannot work out the scoring for the batting side (blue, or “albaştrii” in this case). > [@lisiate](#): > > After reading the description on [wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oina) I’m voting for this, seriously. Yeah, I was going to nominate [pogolfit](http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?491616-Let-s-Play-Grailquest-3-The-Gateway-of-Doom/page3) but that one has it beat. ---
**Author:** ![BarryB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@BarryB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarryB)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-difficult-sport-to-figure-out/582333/39 "2011-05-18T23:33:59Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > Again with the Mornington Crescent. > > The guy up there just said the whole point was how many times you could run back and forth while the other team retrieves the ball. that was just beginning to make sense to me. Now you say I can just stand there? Or meander instead of running?!? > > And then you yourself follow up with “run like crazy to the next safe haven.” > > It’s a snipe hunt. What’s hard to understand? Imagine in baseball if you could stay at home plate after hitting the ball and not be out, and have another at bat. You hit a grounder straight to the short stop. Do you run to first? ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-difficult-sport-to-figure-out/582333/40 "2011-05-19T01:07:40Z")
> [@Gagundathar](#): > > Cricket still has me stumped. > I think it is all of the names of the positions. > “Silly Mid Off”? As distinct from Tight End or Safety? :rolleyes: If you look for similarities rather than exact matches getting a workable handle on most games isn’t difficult. Gridiron is what rugby league would look like if the dummy half could throw the ball forward like a quarterback and no offside. Cricket is what baseball would look like if there wasn’t the concepts of foul territory and forced plays. I find games where breaches of technical/arcane rule result in match winning scores the most frustrating, even when I do understand the game. For example in rugby union nobody, including the players and referees, really knows what happens during a ruck or maul. In many instances both sides have players in some technical breach of the rules, and the referee tries to pick the first, or most egregious. Penalty = kick at goal = 3 points. Winning an internationals on a (or series of) dodgy scrum/ruck penalties is routine. Some teams have it as their prime strategy. Baseball has instances where, despite the fact that one thing actually happened the game proceeds as if it didn’t e.g. foul tips and infield flys. That’s a bit confusing to novices. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-difficult-sport-to-figure-out/582333.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-difficult-sport-to-figure-out/582333.md?page=3)