An enquiry...

I did something similar to this on the wrestling board a week or so ago but thought I'd alter it for you lovely chaps.

What made you start following/supporting cricket? Was there a specific moment that captivated you and grabbed your attention? Was a love of cricket something you were bought into through a family? Or were you just outright a cricket follower from the off?

For me personally, I became a cricket watcher during the 2005 ashes. Something I'm sure will be a reoccurring answer as for me, looking back, that was a series that captured the whole nations attention. From there, I began watching 20/20 cricket a lot more as it coincided with Leicestershire's success in the format. And from there, I went on to begin to play cricket, progressing through the age levels to playing seconds for my local team. Through the years, I have grown an appreciation for all forms of cricket and can safely say it is one of my main sports I follow now. Thank god for the cricket season being on whilst there isn't any football. That's how much I've grown to enjoy and appreciate the sport.

Over to you guys!

in 2004 england vs south africa, in south africa, strauss scored tons of runs, and relle got me into cricket.

(i think this is a great thread sainty )

Cheers chap.

Before the 05 Ashes, I watched fleetingly, but didn't really get it (LOL!). It was only until I started to pay attention and watch the days play that I got an understanding for it. After that, the rest was history!

For me it was when i was in Australia back in the day. I went to a local match and fell in love with the game.

Mine too was the Ashes 05,watching Freddies spells in that series was amazing. Ever since then it's been my favorite sport.

Finding TMS on my watch radio (it was amazing for the time, awesome birthday present) and listening to the Ashes in 19something (lets just say im older than I like to admit) when i was maybe 8? Im pretty sure its was Blowers going on about cake that caught me and got me into following cricket. I guess that says a lot about what sort of child I was/am

Blowers does talk about some really abstract things in fairness lol!

Like some of the above posters, the Ashes 2005 was the turning point.

I'd been watching occasionally for a few years before. I remember seeing Lara get 400 a couple of years before, the Champions Trophy where we came second and I remember the likes of Stewart, Atherton, Butcher and Hussain playing. That said, I wasn't aware of our world standing, or even how series were going.

Before the Ashes, I watched a bit of the ODI series and that was when whispers that we had a team to compete started. The rest is history.

As a kid I was all ways hooked on cricket.

Maybe due to my Indian heritage.

I didn't fully understand the game, but knew the ball was supposed to be smashed lol!!!

Further backed up by India's magical 2-1 come from behind series win vs Australia in 2001. Probably the greatest series ever.

The first innnings I ever remember watching was Mark Butcher's 173* at Headingley in the 2001 Ashes! That was really what started me off!

Watched cricket on telly throughout the 70s, but it was watching Botham's Ashes, especially Willis' 8/43 at Headingly, that turned it into my favourite sport.

started playing in 2001 and got hooked as soon as i started, as a result wanted to watch cricket, first series i remember was when South Africa were over here in 2003 with Greame Smith the run machine hitting 250+ twice in 2 tests.

Thinking back as well what made a difference for me was only having 3 TV channels during the summer holidays (yes kids 3!) and one of those showing test cricket all day.

I do wonder, especially reading this, if there would be anyone under 30 watching cricket now if it hadnt been for the 2005 ashes. Its very hard to "accidentaly" get into the game now as I did as a child. Perhaps dad taking the kids down to the T20 to get away from mum will help but even if I had had Sky (doubtful, parents sold the socialist worker) I wouldve turned over to Nickleodeon rather than sit through 3 days of "rain interupted play"

I'm definitely more in the PSW / Hoggy generation. My Dad played club cricket when I was really young (vaguely remember him giving it up when I was about 4, because the time commitment was too much - he kept up playing rugby until I was 9 or so, after which he found recovering from the injuries was taking too long). We had a toy bat from being about 5 (it was handy for street cricket that we lived on a cul-de-sac), and I played age group cricket from being 11 - actually played against Darren Gough in an age group match.

As far as watching, I think I remember the 81 Ashes series, although that may in part be a fake memory, having seen the re-runs so many times during rain delays of other tests.

As PSW implies, the absence of Test cricket from mainstream TV is a disappointment, and I think the ECB may come to regret this because of the reduced numbers of youngsters who discover the game while looking to pass the time in the school summer hols.

Like I said, I'd watched cricket fleetingly before hand, but it was The Ashes of 05 that really grabbed me. At the time watching KP and Freddie smashing the Aussies to the boundary made me want to the same....

The irony is I've lost all ability to hit a boundary!

96 World cup, semi-final and Warne's spell against the West Indies to turn the game around (think West Indies needed 43 off the last 8 overs with 8 wickets in hand or so, Warne took 4-36 in the game) really hooked me. Followed all forms (inc county cricket) ever since.

First game I saw live was Middlesex vs Hampshire in the old Sunday League (40 overs, before it became 45, before it became 40 again) at Lords (my grandparents are members). Middlesex lost by 16 or so runs chasing a bit over 200, Hayden made 89 for Hampshire, Richard Johnson took 3 wickets for middx as did Udal for Hants, Pooley got 94 not out for Middx, next best was about 17.

As you can tell, I'm quite sad in the way I can remember a lot about cricket...

Nothing wrong with that mate!

I was well and truly captivated by the '77 Centenary Test match.

At the time I lived next door to Rick McCosker's auntie and I remember the look on her face as we inquired about Rick's injury...the broken jaw. When he came out in the second innings with the bandaged head I thought it was a pretty courageous act.

Also, the Hookes onslaught off Tony Greig, Marsh's fighting ton and Derek Randall's amazing innings of 175 odd - after the low 1st innings scores from each side - made me realise what a great sport cricket was.

I do remember watching some earlier news reports and the odd piece of Test Match cricket on ABC (usually Saturday afternoons) but they were all televised in black & white.

The Centenary Test was the one of the first matches 'in colour' and I was impressed with the curators mowing patterns on the outfield...very appealing to my young eye, plus the fact that although I grew up in Sydney I was already a follower of Aussie Rules and loved watching those epic games of the 70s played at the MCG.

Following cricket comes naturally to almost all in Indian subcontinent, in fact its abnormal to know some one not liking cricket.