SIX, FOUR, OUT - 21 reasons to be a cricket fan

Oh I say, how the diddly do are you old bean?

Today was an utterly glorious day in Blighty. The sun shone on the good citizens and this sceptred isle set in a silver sea truly lived up to its reputation.

The boats ghosted by in the misty waters off Portsmouth like half remembered memories from the days when Brittania ruled the waves and all in all it was perfect.

Not only that but my beloved Leeds United won a game of soccer and almost certainly saved themselves from relegation. HOOOOOOOOORAY!!!

But best off all its the start of the English Cricket season and for the first time I can remember its not raining!!

I have to confess to being a cricket nut. Now you may wonder why. Most people do but let me explain it to you.

REASONS TO BE A CRICKET FAN

1. A county season ticket has cost me £160. For that I get 45 days of free cricket.
Thats £3.50 per day.
Less than I spend in a hour at Starbucks or about 40 minutes of parking in London.
Value?
I should say so.

2. You do not need to be athletically gifted to enjoy it.

3. You do not need any special clothing.
4. You do not need to know what is going on.
You need to know who is playing - roughly. No names just geographical areas. Chances are one team is from the county you are in so that's a start.

5. The game is county / country based so there is no chance of aggro between towns.
Eg. knowing its Hampshire versus Warwickshire is enough.
(Who can act like a hooligan when it's a match like that?)

6. You can sit down all day.

7. You can drink all day.

8. There are no police in riot gear or nasty songs to sing.

9.You can drink all day.

10. The general perception is that it is a boring and slow game - it isn't . We pretend it is so that it stays perfectly civilised.

11. You can drink all day and not be called a trouble maker.

12. Posh people love it but they respect poor people who love it too.

13. You can eat all day so long as you are drinking.

14. It is not played in America, China, or South America so the competitions are not stupidly commercialised or played by cry babies who fall over when the umpire looks at them.

15. You can drink all day and talk crap with your mates and still keep an eye on the game.

16. Your wife thinks it is respectable.

17. If you are lucky you can go to: India, Australia, England, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Holland, Canada, West Indies, Sri lanka, Bangladesh and make friends instantly.

18. Your mates will only need to come along once before they are converted.

19. If you loose its not the end of the world. If you win you are supposed to be gracious in victory. There is a nice tradiotion of kids getting involved and playing a game at the intervals on the main pitch - imagine that at the superbowl or Wembley.

20. Even the biggest stars of the game will come over and say hello and sign autographs for your "sisters". Bouncers are fast balls not fat men in shades as far as cricket is concerned.

21. Did I mention you can drink all day?

It's all tickey boo now as far as i am concerned.

Albion is no longer perfidious.
It is perfect and I can't wait for the slap of leather on willow.

FNAAAARRRR.