AIBU to ask what people actually enjoy about watching cricket?

I mean, how did you expect to find it interesting when you know nothing about it? Surely all sports are boring to watch if you don't know what's going on?

I like watching athletics but not too bothered about any other sport, however I don't mind having the cricket on because my DH is a big fan so I get him to explain what people are doing tactically, or why someone might be going for a certain type of bowling/batting. As with anything, now i know a bit about it it's more interesting. I mean, football is just people running around kicking a ball and often falling over pretending to be hurt. Athletics is just people running fast and jumping over stuff. All sport is boring if you don't care about it or understand it!

An ex-boyfriend used to use the tea comment about cricket.
Now I don't know if you've observed this independently of each other, it's a common expression or you're him.

No. Can't be. He wouldn't be a man on mumsnet-it's just not 🏏 to do so. 😁

It’s my favourite sport in the world and test matches are my favourite type of it. Having said that, as others have mentioned, I would start with T20 or the Hundred - where there is a lot more action and it’s clearer what is happening. Test matches - or 4 day county games like you were watching - are nuanced and there’s ebb and flow, but if you don’t understand what’s happening, you wouldn’t get much out of it. I think it’s perhaps a bit like going to a gig of a band. If you don’t know any of their songs you’re going to get a lot less out of it than if you’ve done some “homework” and listened to their songs and familiarised yourself with their back catalogue. Before watching cricket, if you find out what is going on, what each team is trying to achieve and perhaps learn the names / roles of a couple of players, you’re obviously going to enjoy it more. Tailenders is a fabulous “loosely cricket based podcast” with Greg James, Felix White and Jimmy Anderson which might be a good way in if you want to get into it.

OP, you need to attend a test match involving the West Indies. I grew up watching cricket, playing beach cricket and occasionally being the scorer. DH played in a club here after we moved to the UK.
Full on picnic, drinks, banter and barracking the players and opposing fans, the noise of conch shells being blown, Carib Girls. Fun, fun, fun!
I will always remember staying up really late with a working day to follow, to watch Brian Lara hit 501 in 1994.

This is me too - I'm hopeless because I'm not into any sport - but you'll go a long way to beat Bill Bryson's description of cricket commentary being "full of thoughtful historical rumination" and the game itself "scattered with delicious micro moments of real action", watched by millions, "some of them awake and facing the right way"

There is! Which I only grasp in flashes. Thinking particularly of climactic scenes in !Murder Must Advertise by Dorothy L Sayers and Cricket Term by Antonia Forest.

I used to think this until my children started playing and I learned through watching them play a shorter format and watching the 100 with them. Once you pick up what's going on in shorter formats you can start enjoying it. I now have formalised girls' section and set up the women's section at our club and play cricket too and we are a family obsessed.

🤣🤣😎

There's some great fiction written around cricket matches.

One of my kids plays cricket and I still don't understand the appeal 😂

Often at the end of games I can't tell who won and neither can she 🤔

I love cricket , grew up watching my dad play at weekends and can’t think of many better ways to spend a day . I suppose it is like most sports you either like watching or you don’t . I also love rugby union and athletics but you couldn’t pay me to watch tennis or snooker .

I'd rather get a bit of Dulux and watch it dry.

I also score for 1 DS's team as I'm there watching anyway I think I might as well make myself useful.

I love it. I look after 3 teens who all play. 1 for 1 team and 2 for another team. We are busy every Saturday and every Sunday without exception from April to September. I pack up a big picnic lots of isotonic drinks for them, wine for me. I take a camping chair, a DC lack of coffee, a fleecy blanket, an umbrella, sun cream and a sun hat, cold packs and hot packs in case of injury and I'm all set. We also go to watch The Blast and Hundred too. 50 Over Saturday games start at 12.30 and often go on to 7.30pm. Then after teens change into the club house for a drink. We have all made lots of good friends through cricket. It's a very social sport.

It’s a strategy game rather than a one off thing. I don’t watch it but I like listening to people who know about it.

Rugby is brilliant. It’s hard to follow but it’s a game where either team can win right up to the end ( and it can carry on into extra time). Tense in a way other team sports aren’t as the scoring can be done in multiple ways.

There’s a village team near me that plays on an old pitch surrounded by grazing sheep and apple trees, with a Victorian pavilion in the background. It’s near the road, so whenever we drive past them on the way to the shops, playing in their cricket whites, lads of all ages, it’s like catching a glimpse of a timeless moment in history through the trees.

Priceless. Ditto the "legover" commentary with "Jonners" and "Aggers":

Love cricket. But I can't stand tennis. But obviously thats cause everyone likes different things.
Grew up watching local teams is yorkshire and love listening to tms. Some matches can drag on but when its down to the laat few overs, its so exciting. My kids enjoy the hundred as it takes less concentration.
I also love stats... so enjoy spending time looking them over. I'm not making myself sound interesting but I really do love a good cricket stat and match analysis.

Yes I don’t get why so many on here say it’s difficult to follow/understand what’s going on. It’s not that complicated.

Cricket used to be really boring when each match lasted 5 days and often fizzled out into a draw.
T20 has made it more interesting and accessible.

I didn't understand it but spent a summer watching it and am fairly au fait with most of it. I love watching matches from somewhere hot and sunny when it's freezing here

"I find cricket boring." Fair do's, each to their own.

""Cricket is boring." Ignorant bollox, speak for yourself.

"Cricket is just rounders" ODFOD. Is netball just basketball?

Zen out for a sunny day with the delicious contents of hampers and wine coolers.
Clap when alerted.
Menfolk kept happy.

"The bowler's Holding; the batsman's Willy" Or was it the other way round?

And the classic 'He didn't quite get his leg over'.

And Lillee caught Willey bowled Dilley.

It’s mostly about the drinks, snacks, chats and people watching for me. DH takes me to Lord’s and you can bring in picnic and a bottle champagne per person.

First session is about getting settled and having a coffee. Maybe first cork pops around midday. Second session have a snooze if it’s dull or listen as the buzz grows as people have a drink, prop second cork. After tea it’s there’s a big buzz, singing, beer chains etc. Go for a drink and curry afterwards.

What an incredibly insightful post. So glad you took the time to post that