by David Reavill in association with Sportingo.com l Click here to become an author l
Football's summer signings aren't everyone's cup of tea. Cricket nut David Reavill is longing for the day when Nottinghamshire and England rule the roost.
Usually by mid-July, I have reached the stage where I feel the cricket season has passed me by. However, there is no need to feel gloomy and despondent just yet as my team, Nottinghamshire, are still in the running in three competitions.
But in just a couple of months, it will all be over for another year. When I was younger I always compared the drawing in of the nights to the closing of the cricket season as if it was pre-ordained and the two events went hand in hand. Even now I feel I have a box seat in the West End and the theatre curtains are being slowly pulled back to reveal the main event, only for them to start closing just as I am beginning to enjoy myself.
I remember when I was young, the thrill and excitement as April approached. The buzz of staying up through the night listening to England on tour overseas during the winter had usually worn off (oh, the nights spent listening to Radio 3, not for the classical music, but the ball-by-ball commentary!). I waited patiently for the days to get longer and hotter as the cricket season neared. The joy of having a blank page, a fresh start, thinking this could be the year, that Notts could sweep the board and England could become dominant. Throughout the 1980s there were many happy times as trophies and Ashes-winning series seemed commonplace.
The 1990s dawned and my love for cricket just seemed to get bigger and better. As I grew older, and responsibilities appeared out of nowhere, I recognised the childlike stomach-churning excitement as the thought of another summer of cricket loomed. It was during this decade that both my ‘chosen’ teams started to flag. Perhaps it was because of my sheer weight of expectation they began to start losing on a regular basis.
But I soon realised it did not really matter and started to appreciate the game for what it is. I agree it is more fun to win matches, and for a county fan there is nothing better than a day out at Lord's. But it is not all about being partisan to club and country, or ensuring you go to a Test Match every year. It is all about enjoying being part of a community that loves the game for what it is. It is feeling a part of something special, part of a club that has something to revel in each and every summer. The thought of five months of non-stop cricket, five months of checking county scores, and of many weekends slumped on the sofa with my feet up watching live cricket, is almost too much.
Many people hate cricket. The only reason for this is that they do not understand it. Having said that, I’m glad not every one likes it; I started to get a little nervous during the Ashes summer of 2005 when people hopped on the bandwagon left, right and centre. It is just like the feeling when people start to like your favourite group, one that may not be well heard of at the time. It’s no fun when everyone likes something - how boring must it be for a Manchester United or Chelsea fan knowing they can be assured of glory every year.
All I ask from these people is not to question us, not to ridicule or belittle us because of the fondness we have for the game. Also, to stop asking us with a smirk on their face how a game that lasts for five days can end in a draw. Surely that is one of the beauties of the game, its uniqueness and idiosyncrasies, the statistics and reports. A game steeped in history, with records dating back hundreds of years, is one to be grateful for, to be thankful that the game continues to be played and prospers.