As another Australian summer edges close, cricket lovers like me have started to wake up from their sporting hibernation. Rugby and Footy (Australian rules football) are adequate appetite to get through the soggy winter months, but for cricket tragics like me the Australian sporting calendar only heats up with the arrival of the summer sun. The Australian way of life is much adored across the globe. Gorgeous beaches, lush landscapes, breath-taking deserts, and a lifestyle to match this natural splendour – all make Australia a dream to live in. Something that is of equal merit about the quality of life in Australia is the country’s passion for sports.
Growing up in India, cricket was the only thrill that ran through my veins. I have played countless cricket matches in those narrow streets and ‘mohallas’ of India and I do have a pristine straight drive and some elegant wristwork to show for the cricketing skills acquired from those days. However, once I migrated to Australia almost two decades ago, I found out that Indian way of associating with Cricket remains starkly different to the way Cricket is looked at in Australia. India thrives on an unending obsession with the glitter and glamour associated with Cricket and cricketers. On the other hand, Cricket in Australia is a way of life.
Cricket is Australia’s national sport and a long-standing summer icon for the relaxed Aussie lifestyle. As the summer skies warm up a bit, the backyard cricketers sprout like wild mushrooms. Australian summers remain synonymous with the cricketing calls of the late Richie Benaud, and the legendary Bill Lawry.
Summer weekends in Australia smell of meat and sausages, sizzled to perfection on humble barbeques, as the backyards turn into cricket arenas for entire households. The rules of these back-yard contests are as sketchy as the equipment, often, dictated by the dimensions of the backyard and the fences that line it up. Garbage bins, eskys, perfectly spaced pairs of thongs (yes, we don’t call them flip-flops here), and pieces of furniture, all make decent wickets to conduct a game of cricket around them in the backyard. Take a stroll along an Australian beach in summers, and you will walk past several cricketing encounters being played out along the shore. A drive through the suburbs over the weekend in the summers will take you past countless cricketing ovals, all hosting a game of cricket.
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Cricketing clubs in each suburb offer playing opportunities to all age groups. Young kids get introduced to the wonderful world of cricket through grassroots programs at these local clubs, while the seniors play the more competitive versions. Those who cannot play (for any reason) can volunteer to coach, umpire, keep scores, or help out with administrative duties of the club. These cricketing clubs are an integral aspect of Australian communities – places that bring together the diverse diaspora of Australia through a summer-long carnival of community cricket.
Cricket is a healthy mix of competition and fun in Australia. Those who play the game, give it their all (regardless of the level they are playing at). Those who come to watch, cheer on the players from the fringes of the grounds. And once the game is over, the entire community indulges in a laughter fest over ‘stubbies’ of beer, and hot food. Absolutely everyone is welcome.
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Then as the Australian cricket teams take on visiting teams from around the globe each year, the Aussies descend upon the world-class stadiums in all major cities, dressed in shimmering green and gold. International cricket matches are a spectacle to behold. The grounds are easily accessible by public transport, tickets prices are affordable, and kids often attend matches for free or at discounted prices. A day at the cricket is a family event throughout the summer. A healthy dose of sunscreen, a back-pack armed with water bottles and sandwiches, and casual summer attire is all that is needed for the entire family to spend a day at world-famous stadiums watching the best international cricketers showcase their skills. With the advent of T20 cricket in recent years, the Australian Cricket Board has ensured to market its Big Bash League as a real family affair (and with much success as well).
So as spring makes way for a scorching summer, yet again, Australians, with their sunscreen lotions, thongs, and hats, are ready to take on an old cricketing foe and bring home the ‘Ashes’.
