Category Archives: Cricket

International cricket is divided into three forms of the game, which are becoming more distinct with each passing year. The shortest, and newest form, is Twenty-20 (or T20), which is less than a decade old, lasts about three hours, and consists of 120 balls for each team. The next form is One-Day cricket, which has been in existence for nearly forty years and lasts about eight hours, consists of 300 balls for each team. The third, and oldest form of the game, is First-Class or (when played between nations) Test cricket, and can last up to five days. This site divides its blogs into these three categories, and then sub-divides the categories between the rules of each form of the game and news and thoughts about each form.

Happy Second Anniversary to Us!

Today Right Off the Bat celebrates its Second Anniversary. In the course of two years, we’ve managed to post 417 blogs (including this one), received 281 comments, and had 12,699 bits of spam intercepted by the good people and even … Continue reading

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Putting Downton Abbey to the Sward

Eager fans of Downton Abbey will have noted that the most recent episode (at least in the United States) featured a cricket match, and eager fans of Right Off the Bat are no doubt waiting for this site’s expert analysis … Continue reading

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One Ball Remaining . . . .

Consider this scenario. Bottom of the ninth; two batters out; one run down. And you’re the Chicago Cubs playing the Yankees. And it’s Game One of the World Series. That’s the baseball equivalent of what just happened in the Women’s … Continue reading

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February Frolics

While I (Martin) may have been quiet the last few months on Right Off the Bat, the world of cricket continues to make some noise. Currently going on in India is the Women’s World Cup, which is being televised by … Continue reading

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The Wit & Wisdom of Cricket

Much recommended by the Right Off the Bat Project is The Wit and Wisdom of Cricket, 2012, anonymously compiled, and published by Prion/Carlton: A collection of some of the best quotes from players, pundits and avid followers past and present. … Continue reading

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Right Off the Bat, Sir! Right Off the Bat!

One of Alfred Hitchcock’s great films of the 1930s, The Lady Vanishes, significantly involves cricket. Before this year similarly vanishes—along with The Lady—we call your attention to a super deal. “While supplies last,” as the pitchmen (not pitchers) say, our … Continue reading

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The Winter of Our (English) Content

For the first time in 28 years, England has managed to win a Test cricket series in India, a task that has eluded many great sides over the years, and which nobody gave this one a prayer of doing when … Continue reading

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Not So Super Superstars

They’re overpaid, over the hill, prone to injuries, and move about the infield and outfield with all the grace and speed of arthritic tortoises. They make elementary errors and they’re just not hitting the ball cleanly and racking up the … Continue reading

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Punter’s Last Pull

Former Australian captain and all-time great Ricky Ponting, a.k.a. “Punter,” has announced his retirement from international cricket, having amassed nearly 27,500 runs and 71 centuries at a very, very healthy average. Ponting was a hard man to warm to: he … Continue reading

Posted in Australia, Cricket | Tagged | 1 Comment

Welcome Back, West Indies!

You’d have had to be particularly partisan not to rejoice in the West Indies’ cricket team’s unlikely and much-celebrated victory at this year’s World T20 championship. In the last 25 years of the twentieth century, the West Indies produced some … Continue reading

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