Why I follow the Ashes (even though nobody else in Singapore cares):
1) Because I figured out most of the rules of the game through simple watch-and-inference, with help from Aaron in 2005. In the process, I got sucked into caring.
2) Because it is so amusing to watch grown men in whites (with very white sunblock on their noses) do what seems like nothing for the whole day but then jump up and down in excitement when a few sticks fall down. Relaxing too, with all that green on tv.
3) Because the Guardian over-by-over coverage fulfils everything I desire in a website during work hours: there is new stuff to read every single time I press ctrl-R (about twice a minute). And funny stuff too.
4) Because it brings me back to a golden-tinged happy time when I watched cricket all day while writing my dissertation. When friends came over to have pizza and red wine, and other friends came over to have KFC and coke with the cricket in the background. When England won the Ashes, and the weather was beautifully sunny yet cool. When there was a holiday trip every month, and Starbucks Borders round the corner. When England put us through the wringer BUT WON THE ASHES. (Usually, supporting any English sporting team/individual just puts one through the wringer with no payout you see. Think Tim Henman and England football team. Sole exceptions being the one time Jonny Wilkinson-led Rugby World Cup win in 2004 and the 2005 Ashes.)
And now, a year and a half after that glorious summer of 2005, they're playing for the Ashes again, this time in Australia.
[602-9 declared by Australia! Oh, you are killing me, England. :( ]
[ETA: 28-2 ALREADY by England. Dear God. This is so painful.]
2) Because it is so amusing to watch grown men in whites (with very white sunblock on their noses) do what seems like nothing for the whole day but then jump up and down in excitement when a few sticks fall down. Relaxing too, with all that green on tv.
3) Because the Guardian over-by-over coverage fulfils everything I desire in a website during work hours: there is new stuff to read every single time I press ctrl-R (about twice a minute). And funny stuff too.
4) Because it brings me back to a golden-tinged happy time when I watched cricket all day while writing my dissertation. When friends came over to have pizza and red wine, and other friends came over to have KFC and coke with the cricket in the background. When England won the Ashes, and the weather was beautifully sunny yet cool. When there was a holiday trip every month, and Starbucks Borders round the corner. When England put us through the wringer BUT WON THE ASHES. (Usually, supporting any English sporting team/individual just puts one through the wringer with no payout you see. Think Tim Henman and England football team. Sole exceptions being the one time Jonny Wilkinson-led Rugby World Cup win in 2004 and the 2005 Ashes.)
And now, a year and a half after that glorious summer of 2005, they're playing for the Ashes again, this time in Australia.
[602-9 declared by Australia! Oh, you are killing me, England. :( ]
[ETA: 28-2 ALREADY by England. Dear God. This is so painful.]