AN URGENT INQUIRY REGARDING CRICKET AND UMBRELLAS

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I've noticed whenever I am walking holding an unopened umbrella, or simply standing talking to someone, I get the urge to play cricketing shots with it as my prop.

Usually I will stick with the regulation forward defensive stroke, with a bit of an off drive thrown in. However this can branch out into a backwards defensive stroke, a cut, a paddle around the legs or a flick off the pads, a pull (but never a hook), and a smash over midwicket. If I think no one's watching me I even go for the reverse sweep. This is both hands too, if I'm holding something else in my right hand I'll just play with my left hand and my front foot, you know, push the ball around it a bit.

My question is this: Does anyone else have this urge? I haven't noticed anyone else doing it when I talk to them. Also, what can I do to stop it? People are starting to look at me funny.

Please help.

― webber (webber), Sunday, 11 May 2003 23:23 (twenty-two years ago)

The problem is made worse when you consider I'm not very good at cricket.

― webber (webber), Sunday, 11 May 2003 23:25 (twenty-two years ago)

I fully understand. The late cut is your friend, here. rock gently onto the back foot and push.

― Matt (Matt), Sunday, 11 May 2003 23:40 (twenty-two years ago)

i have a similar problem, in that I tend to act like I am playing the drums with anything that's roughly the right shape (chopsticks, ballpoint pens...). This might be acceptable if it were not for the fact that I cannot play the drums, never have played the drums and have the sense of rythym of a (something with no sense of rythym).

Maybe its a v mild type of tourettes?

― isadora (isadora), Monday, 12 May 2003 00:04 (twenty-two years ago)

Just be sure to look behind you should you ever be tempted into the hook shot.

― Oliver, Monday, 12 May 2003 00:54 (twenty-two years ago)

I usually swing my umbrella like a police baton, to clear the path. It works, too. Go figure.

― I'm Passing Open Windows (Ms Laura), Monday, 12 May 2003 01:18 (twenty-two years ago)

I have found that people are more disturbed when I do this with a ball as well.

― b.R.A.d. (Brad), Monday, 12 May 2003 01:47 (twenty-two years ago)

there is no shame webber and if you harbour ambitions for national selection in england, practice, practice, practice.

i find myself playing cracking cover drives with the back of my left hand, this is usually accompanied with the appropriate vocalisation; "crack" and then "four!". the back foot punch through the covers is another favourite.

following a culmination of these strokes, i then salute and point to the teamates in the pavilion, who once again have been privileged to watch such an impressive display.

― Christopher William Radford (Chris Radford), Monday, 12 May 2003 07:07 (twenty-two years ago)

go aussies. here comes the sweep!

― Christopher William Radford (Chris Radford), Monday, 12 May 2003 07:08 (twenty-two years ago)

Mrs W, not being very good at cricket hasn't been a barrier to selection for England for quite a while now.

Your story tends to bear out the assertion I made on another thread about umbrella-carrying behavior: that it is almost impossible for anyone to carry an unused umbrella without looking like an A grade clot. At least you can claim playing cricket with it is original.

― Fred Nerk, Monday, 12 May 2003 09:30 (twenty-two years ago)

My favourite shot is the old Robin Smith square cut to the boundary.

Anyway, I think this behaviour is pretty cool, and you shouldn't want to stop it.

― jel -- (jel), Monday, 12 May 2003 15:08 (twenty-two years ago)

tell that to people i talk to on a regular basis

― webber (webber), Tuesday, 13 May 2003 03:56 (twenty-two years ago)

two years pass...

I usually turn mine into a shotgun. The hook goes under my armpit. I don't know if there are any guns that actually work this way.

― Alba (Alba), Thursday, 15 September 2005 09:50 (twenty years ago)

haha, me to, i hope you aren't kidding.

― N_RQ, Thursday, 15 September 2005 10:04 (twenty years ago)

http://www.secretintel.com/questions/images/umbrellaGun.jpg

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Thursday, 15 September 2005 10:08 (twenty years ago)

umbrellas are the shit.

― umbrellas are the shit, Thursday, 15 September 2005 10:11 (twenty years ago)

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