Allow me a moment of idle speculation if you will. Imagine if cricket was never surpassed by baseball as the American bat and ball sport of choice.
Imagine that early cricket authorities embraced America after they contested the first cricket international against Canada at St George’s Club Ground in Manhattan, 1844.
How would cricket look in this alternative world? Would historic ball parks such as Fenway Park and Yankee Stadium reverberate to the sounds of polite applause instead of a novelty electric organ?
Alas, it was never to be.
Cricket in America declined steadily through the 1850s, until the formation of the Imperial Cricket Conference in 1909 dealt the death blow by excluding America from future internationals, paving the way for baseball to consolidate its grip on the nation.
Fast forward to today and franchise-based Major League Baseball still dominates the United States, while international Test cricket is still key in most Commonwealth countries.
Or at least, it was.
Cricket is undergoing a seismic change. The Twenty20 revolution is eroding cricket’s traditional stoicism by transforming a sport stereotyped by begrudging progression.
The excellent documentary Death of a Gentleman, among other things, investigates how the rise of the IPL threatens the very existence of Test and international cricket, creating a club/franchise versus country dynamic previously unseen in the sport.
As an example, West Indian stars Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard, Darren Sammy, Andre Russell, Lendl Simmons and Samuel Badree all plied their trade in the Big Bash League while their international comrades toiled to a humiliatingly simple 3-0 Test series defeat against Australia.
But they aren’t the only players putting their hitting skills to good use.
Kieran Powell, former West Indian left-hander, has left cricket to pursue a Major League Baseball contract in America.
Baseball and cricket have always engaged in some crossover, nowhere more so than in Australia. Test stars such as the Chappell brothers, Neil Harvey and Norman O’Neill were all noted baseball players.
Now, in the big hitting, fast-paced world of Twenty20, the skills required in each sport are matching up closer than ever.
Some people, lead by ex-Great Britain baseball representative and former international fielding coach Julien Fountain, believe that struggling Minor League Baseball players could quickly transition to cricket, setting up a company Switch hit 20 to take baseball players and turn them into cricket stars.
But it’s not just the on-field skill sets that are amalgamating.
The differences between cricket and baseball off the field are shrinking just as fast as the skill sets exhibited by the players on them.
Nowhere has this been more evident than in the BBL.
Throughout the summer, with blaring music between balls, pyrotechnic displays, kiss cam, and overtly enthusiastic announcers, you could be easily forgiven for thinking you were at a Major League ballpark, not an Australian cricket ground.
Cricket Australia operations manager Mike McKenna told the BBC, “We particularly looked at American sports because of the real focus on fan engagement and the game being staged for the fans.”
This Americanisation of the BBL lead the BBC to describe the Big Bash League as, “a gimmick-fest”.
But anyone who has been to a professional baseball game will be aware that gimmicks and over-commercialisation are a major part of the overall experience.
It’s a model that – with a Bollywood twist – has taken India by storm in the IPL, where the colour, glamour and razzmatazz juxtaposes cricket’s traditional temperance.
But the artificial crowd stimuli do not denigrate the exciting atmosphere created, and increased crowd participation is a huge part of what is getting people through the gates in massive numbers.
An average 29,443 attended a BBL game this season, making it the world’s seventh most regularly attended sports league, just behind the IPL (31,750) and last year’s MLB season (30,517).
Back in December, I witnessed the similarities between the Australian Baseball League and BBL first hand, watching the Brisbane Bandits versus Sydney Blue Sox at Holloway Field, followed immediately by the Brisbane Heat versus the Hobart Hurricanes at the Gabba.
Although the ABL doesn’t quite have the same pulling power of the MLB, the fan experience is still a special one, and the game day team at the Bandits pull no punches when it comes to providing first class entertainment.
Big hitting. A close, exciting game. Incredible atmosphere. I could be referring to either game such were the similarities in the match day experience.
And why shouldn’t cricket borrow what is clearly a winning formula from its distant American cousin?
Perhaps having baseball sluggers succeed in Twenty20 cricket could help spread the gospel Stateside?
Unfortunately, if cricketing history is anything to go by, America won’t get a look in lest they somehow dilute the Twenty20 goldmine.
But in marginal markets for baseball, this crossover could be pivotal.
MLB has ambitious expansion plans to match those of the NFL, having already played a historic match in Sydney and reportedly preparing to do so in London, perhaps showing they too have a three-hour product heavy with spectator engagement and exciting hitting.
In Australia, the ABL has been growing steadily. For this weekend’s ABL Championship Series between the Brisbane Bandits and Adelaide Bite in Brisbane, anticipation is so high additional stands have had to be provided to cope with ticket sales.
And although linking a rise in Twenty20 to increased awareness of the ABL is fanciful, fans will be surprised at what the sports are learning from one another.
The on-field crossover is growing. The off-field experience has been matched. The potential is there for baseball in Australia to capitalise on the excitement, and vice versa for cricket in the States.
I have embraced the similarities, and will take my seat at the Holloway Field this weekend wondering if this might signal the start of cricket’s new future too.
Simon Smale
Roar Guru
Thanks for that RR, I remember being in Washington DC and seeing cricket being played a few years ago. It was probably the last thing we expected to see to be honest! But nether the less, a clearly organised game was being played within walking distance of the White House. Remarkable stuff.
RR
Guest
I beg to differ.As an expat living in California,Indians make up the second most nationality in US after Mexicans .Indians in US are majorly in high income group with lots of disposable income.Cricket is surely growing in USA but mostly among Indians .Today many Americans are aware of cricket.You can see people playing cricket in NY ,California and universities.Cricket all stars was a sell out.But yes Cricket won't grow too fast as there are many competitors Soccer is mostly popular among hispanic population but people do watch events like Fifa World Cup.
Simon Smale
Roar Guru
There's a lot of emphasis on fielding in baseball - in particular how players get charged with Errors, so are accountable for any mistakes that they make. It's funny he struggles with the batting though - I guess it must take time to adjust. Hopefully he develops into a secret weapon for you next year!
Simon Smale
Roar Guru
Totally agree Jack - it's kinda naive to think that baseball pitches just come in a straight line... There is just as much variation in pitches as there are types of bowling delivery, albeit without the variation off the pitch in cricket... But you're right, it's the ability to hit the ball and that hand eye co-ordination that's key. Your second point is true as well, although I read an interesting article (I think on CNN) that highlighted that the major fielding positions don't tend to become vacant in too often, whereas there is a constant supply of talent coming through the college system. It's not that these players aren't World Class, it's more that they don't get the chance to take the place of an established name in a Major League side and are left to languish in the Minor Leagues - on a barely liveable wage. Julien Fountain (the switch hit 20 guy) thinks that with the burgeoning number of t20 leagues around the world there might be an option for players to make this switch - but you're right, there are far more cricketers hunting down those contracts and it's probably unlikely that many will make the grade. But it could help in the formation of an American t20 competition in time - in the same way that, in theory, there is a ready made supply of rugby and rugby league players in American based on the number of College football players unable to make the grade in the NFL.
Simon Smale
Roar Guru
It definitely has that advantage doesn't it anon. Although I think when I saw a game at Yankee Stadium I wasn't in the same borough as the diamond I was so far away in the bleachers!
Simon Smale
Roar Guru
Ye I stumbled across that whilst I was reading up for this article - really interesting isn't it! And you're right. Even it it were only popular in a couple of States it would be enough to sustain a decent comp you'd have thought. And that last point is an interesting one as well... I guess there would have had to be come contingency to avoid a draw taking place if it were to have been sustained there... ;-) But having said that, the Japanese football league in the '90's and perhaps before used to end all drawn games with a penalty shootout...
Simon Smale
Roar Guru
Ye you're probably right Skulbow - I've only fairly recently discovered Australian Baseball since I moved here 4 years ago. But they do get half decent crowds - and it's a really great match day experience from a supporter point of view. I know since I've been going I've converted some total baseball novices into pretty avid fans. And there were a sell-out 4,000 fans sat in the pouring rain last night watching Brisbane lift the Claxton Shield - so there still is a culture of people heading to baseball games in Australia - even if it's probably more of a sub-culture at the moment. no one in particular is right in it being a development league - the MLB has a couple of them dotted around the world as "winter leagues" to be used either by prospects to get some game time up or by released players hoping to perform and earn a call up to Spring training. This year Bandits player Donald Lutz was re-signed by the Cincinnati Reds organisation after previously being released from their farm system. I can see what you mean about the baseball converting to cricket too... I think it would be much harder in the longer forms of the game. But I can definitely see an unconventional hitter do well in twenty20 given a bit of practice. There was actually a "home run derby" type exhibition between Ernie Banks (Hall of Fame baseball hitter) and Graham Gooch in 1988. Banks (who was 57 at the time) belted 3 home runs to 33 year old Gooch's 0. Banks blamed Gooch's failure on technique. "It came down to swings, I tried to teach him to swing up and get the ball in the air. He was used to a low, straight swing of cricket, and every time he tried to swing up, he'd pop the ball up." So that suggested that the cricketers would have more trouble - but I can't imagine Gooch put too much preparation in seeing as he was still a current player...
Simon Smale
Roar Guru
I agree with what you're saying to an extent Ryan - compared to t20 baseball is, dare I say it, a bit more of a thinking sports-fans game - which does make it more like Test cricket for the reasons you mentioned. The statistical approach in baseball too is one which matches Test cricket over the fun, carefree attitude of t20 matches. However I disagree that there is no crossover. From a playing perspective you're right again, I don't think there will be Major exchange of personnel, but the idea is not totally abstract or fanciful. Cricket teams at a number of levels has employed baseball coaches to improve fielding for one, and while power hitting becomes more and more important in cricket through t20's, the skills involved in hitting a fastball over 100metres to the fence with a baseball bat aren't a million miles away from slapping the ball to a boundary just 70 metres away with a much wider implement. Another aspect, and perhaps the main reason I wrote the article was that I went to a baseball game (Sydney v Brisbane at Holloway Field in the ABL) then straight to the 'Gabba for a Heat v Hurricanes BBL match. The game day experience was virtually identical. Music, fan engagement, gimmicks. It felt like I was watching some kind of double header where the off-field entertainment was organised by the same group. The fact that Cricket Australia operations manager Mike McKenna said they specifically looked at American Sports to see what they could do makes this no surprise - and underlines my point that off the field, there is a crossover. It's an outlandish statement to say they are merging no doubt - but I don't think it should be dismissed... I know they aren't going to evolve into one another and I don't want them to either - I like both sports. But the sports could learn from each other - and if that makes each "product" better - then how can we as fans not support it?
Pope Paul VII
Guest
I think King was the bowler
Pope Paul VII
Guest
We have a baseballing Texan in our team lwho, apart from being a chasmpion bloke, was a brilliant outfielder. He struggled with batting though, even without me running him out. Bowling was also a struggle. Still it was only his first year.
Pope Paul VII
Guest
they only need a fraction of the population
no one in particular
Roar Guru
The national league exists. Funded by the MLB and is used as a development/minor league. On ESPN every weekend
no one in particular
Roar Guru
Hitters from either sport will find it difficult to adapt to the other. Put simply, the way their eyes are trained and muscle memory will end them. Cricket players are used to the ball rising to them, while baseballers are used to the ball falling to them. Add in baseballers not used to the 360 degree field and one strike, and cricketers struggling with the hit and run
Pepper Jack
Guest
No it doesn't. Soccer has taken 40 years to finally make an impact in the US, and that is with a large and growing Latino population and solid junior base. Cricket has a few expat Indians, who make up a fraction of the population. it will go no where
Jack Russell
Roar Guru
Baseballers are used to picking different pitches. Curveballs, sliders, changeups etc all have different finger and wrist position on the ball that baseballers are trained to pick as early as possible. So I don't think picking leggies from wronguns will be much more difficult for them than anyone that's played cricket for years. A little more training but nothing excessive. Same with the vertical/horizontal bat position. The key thing is the eye. Being able to hit the ball. But i'd question whether minor leaguers are going to be good enough to become world class cricketers. There's probably more cricketers in the world than baseballers - a sub-world class baseballer is unlikely to make a higher grade in cricket.
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
Where's Bearfax?
fp11
Guest
Ha, ha! You're so right about Murali the Chucker.
anon
Guest
T20 is a superior game to baseball, and I say that as a baseball fan that has been to many games in the US. T20 has as much in common with baseball as Aussie Rules does with American Football. I'd still rather watch MLB live simply because even the best seats at a cricket ground are the equivalent of bleacher seats at a baseball park. All the action takes place 100m away. Cricket must be one of the worst spectator sports on earth for that reason alone.
The Bush
Roar Guru
The history of American cricket is actually very interesting. Right up to the First World War, Philadelphia produced a team that was deemed First Class (they had four strong clubs in the city) and they regularly beat English and Australian opposition. They had a particularly fine bowler whose name escapes me. Alas, as you say the combination of the ICC restricting cricket to the Commonwealth and the First World War ended this Golden Period of cricket in the US and the Philadelphia side was never against granted First Class status. It's actually quite sad. Due to the immense size of America, it would never have been necessary to rival the popularity of baseball to have seen the survival of a perfectly competitive side emerge from America. By sheer virtue of scale they could have maintained a decent standard had they been supported. It's also interesting to note that due to the nature of professional baseball in the US, where teams play essentially six days a week and this usually consists of "series" played several days in a row in one city, Americans were probably uniquely suited to following FC cricket - i.e. turning up to see four straight days of the same teams playing.
Skulbow
Guest
I have never watched a baseball game but I can't imagine it is as fast paced as the current T20's format which are action packed. I could see a good batsman being a good baseball hitter but I can not see how a baseball batter could ever transfer his skills to cricket. I also don't believe that baseball is as popular in Australia now as it was in the 1990's when I can remember thousands going to Claxton??? Shield games every weekend and the results were often broadcast on the sports news...never see anything about baseball on the news now. And didn't they even start a national league recently which just collapsed through lack of money or interest.... I don't know why it disappeared just guessing.