Ashes to ashes
Dust to dust
If Lee don’t get you
Warnie must
It’s been a long wait through 2006 for cricket fans. Finally, the English side has arrived to defend their unlikely and unthinkable status as holders of the Ashes, the famed cricket trophy that means more to many Australians than the national anthem ever will. Tomorrow, the Brisbane test match begins. Tomorrow, the short English reign enters its death throes. My prediction is 5-0 to Australia, with a possible boring draw in Adelaide. Bring it on!
But while those of us who feel that all is right in the world when white-clothed figures walk onto a green expanse to hit a red ball around sit back and ready ourselves for the series, let’s spare a thought for those who haven’t been blessed with a love of cricket. This game can go for five days (five times!); it dominates certain TV and radio stations all summer; it has arcane language and strange rules; it alienates non-fans; and it’s just a game.
Life goes on around cricket, and cricket lovers needs to remember it. Especially cricket lovers whose allegiance is first to the Son of God and only second to the King of Spin, Mr Cricket and Pup.
Furthermore, to my regret, I haven't been able to construct any very strong cultural apologetics based around the game. Can anyone help?
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Wednesday, 22 November 2006
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5 comments:
I heard someone recently use the Australian cricket team to illustrate how Adam and Christ each represent mankind (cf. Romans 5:12-21, 1 Corinthians 15:20-28). The Australian Cricket team represents us in our ongoing struggle against the British Empire. When they win, we all win. When they lose, we all feel the shame. Similarly, Christ represented us by his substitutionary atonement.
Okay "placing silly hat on head" here I go:
Cricketers dress in white (well at least in tests) which reminds us of how it was before the fall. But like them, we can't keep ourselves clean. Bowlers end up with red marks, fielders end up with green grassy marks, etc.
Also, cricket is like the world. There are ways of playing and ways of not playing. We rebel and we match fix, we lie when we get out, we try to pretend we are playing by the rules when we are not.
Also, God set this world up like a cricket match, with everyone having a role to play, rules to live by, and a goal, but we ignore it.
Hmm, what about - sin is like getting out in cricket. There are ways which are only slightly your fault (such as an excellent ball from a bowler), or more your fault (such as when you slog a ball down the field towards a fielder) or the worst when you sin against your fellow man and destroy them (such as getting your partner run out when its your fault).
Okay, silly hat off now!
Getting past silly analogies is rather difficult with cricket, isn't it?
"with a possible boring draw in Adelaide" - ah Greg :)
Cultural apologetics based around the game or not... you certainly seem to have the gift of prophesy when it comes to your prediction 5-0 to Australia!;-)
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