25 reasons why Basketball is more fun than Cricket (Part 1)

Here are 25 logical and coherent arguments which will leave no room for doubt which game can be more fun.

1. In cricket, you make one tiny error and you’re out.

In basketball, you miss one shot and you can go get the rebound or run back on defense and redeem yourself by playing good defense. In cricket a batsman makes one tiny error and gets out, his chance at redemption comes when the innings change.

2. While fielding, you stand for hours trying to appear productive while waiting for the ball to come your way.

Three overs can go by without you needing to move a muscle. Just stand, and watch and stare and catch butterflies as they flutter by.

And suddenly, out of nowhere, a ball rolls towards you as the batsmen run across the pitch to complete a run. You sprint at it, pick it up and throw it towards the wicket. The keeper catches it as the batsmen complete their run.

And you stand still for the next two overs.

So much of standing still.

In basketball, there’s no room, rhyme or reason to stand still, unless you are setting a screen or setting up to take a charge, and in both cases you can expect a heavy body to collide with you.

Which brings me to the next point.

3. Physicality

Backing down your man. Boxing them out for rebounds. Setting screens. Taking elbows. Taking charges and crumbling, only to piece yourself together back again.

Basketball is war.

If Chris Gayle and Dhoni are matched up in basketball, their differences in physique will make for a very heavy advantage for Gayle. Cricket renders the physical attribute of players down to the extent that they can get by with skill and not have to chisel their physique to peak conditions.

Not taking a dig at potbellied cricketers, as long as they get the job done well and good. But basketball does not excuse potbellies.

4. Time is money.

Time is money.

Time taken to bowl one over.Time to play one match.Time for one delivery.Time between overs.Time between change of innings.

Cricket consumes time. Time when half of the players are sitting in the pavilion and a bunch of others are milling about on the field waiting for something to happen.

Sometimes players lie down on the field itself.

On the other hand:

48 minutes. Four quarters. Clock stops in timeouts, out of bounds plays, free throws and at the ref’s whistle. You do the math.

5. Pavilion players awaiting their chance to bat, secretly hoping for some teammate to get out

Captains call the toss. Your team wins and chooses to bat. You are batting 4th down. The openers stride over to the pitch to bat.

And you wait.

The openers play it safe. Testing the pitch, feeling the bowlers out, warming up, take few runs here and there.

And you wait in the pavilion, bat laying across your legs patiently awaiting your turn.

Five overs trickle by, 30 balls have been bowled.

You’re a study in still life. Birds perch upon your head. You’re immobile, a statue. Waiting for the wickets to fall. You patiently await your chance to prove your mettle.

And you get it finally when the third batsman goes out. You make the long walk from the pavilion to the crease. You face the bowler with a steely glint in your eyes. He bowls. You swing.

And the bails fall. Clean bowled. And you make the walk of shame right back to the pavilion. While batting, the most physical exertion you did was the walk to and fro the pavilion.

Talk about setting yourself up for disappointment.