THE INDIAN DREAMER

If you're not a fan of cricket and have never attended a match then you may wonder why the sport holds so much appeal to many. Read on for a taste of what it is that makes cricket so popular.

In England, large crowds attend Test Matches. These are versions of cricket that are played between two international teams, lasting a maximum of five days. At the end of those five days, it's perfectly possible that neither side will be declared the winner.

How can anyone enjoy watching a sport where two teams play for five days, simply in order to draw the match? This is one of the many mysteries associated with the sport.

Another is that such draws can be just as exciting as matches that take a few hours to play and result in a victory for one team or another. To many cricket fans, Test Matches are seen as the purest form of the game.

If you're struggling to understand what the appeal is then you need to consider that cricket is far more than a sport. It's an experience.

Spectators like to watch a match, but they also love to be sat in the sunshine, talking to a friend and enjoying a pint of beer. It's one of the few sports where the players stop for lunch and for afternoon tea.

The pace of play may be slow but that's part of the attraction. For spectators, cricket is about relaxing. It's about watching a game that has many twists and turns - a Test Match will often slowly unwind.

Newer forms of the game attempt to bring in new fans, but it's in the five day version of the game that the real joy is to be found.

While the sport may be considerably different from football or rugby, it still offers great excitement. That excitement is provided in a different way.

Cricket has hints of an older, golden age. Few other sports place so much importance on sportsmanship and good grace. These are the real joys of cricket.