First memories of cricket following

   What are your first memories of following the game? Who are the players you remember watching on TV or live in your initial days?

The first series I remember watching on neighbours TV (those were the days when the whole street had one or two houses with black & white TV and we all used to go there to watch) was 1981-82 England-India series. I don't remember any results or any other details, but few things which are still fresh in my mind are Ian Botham dancing near the pavilion, GR Vishwanath being the hero of most of us. And I remember Bob Taylor (probably because keepers were shown most of the times), David Gower (due to his curly hairs) and Chris Tavare (no sure why I remember him). In the same year or next, India playing some other series in which I remember a player called Rakesh Shukla (I recently searched for his name and he has played only one test!!!), two or three players Pranab Roy, Ashok Malhotra making debut in the same series.

Strangely I don't remember the 1983 world cup much. Not sure whether it was telecasted live (We didn't have live telecasts when it was played abroad). The first ODI series which I remember very well (and we had a black & white TV then) was Benson and Hedges world series - 1985. For the first time started getting up at 4.30 AM to watch a cricket match.

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kirankri Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Wicket-Keeper Joined: 21 November 2007 Location: India Online Status: Offline Posts: 1088	Post Options Post Reply Quote kirankri Report Post Quote Reply Topic: First memories of cricket following Posted: 10 June 2011 at 10:19am
	What are your first memories of following the game? Who are the players you remember watching on TV or live in your initial days? The first series I remember watching on neighbours TV (those were the days when the whole street had one or two houses with black & white TV and we all used to go there to watch) was 1981-82 England-India series. I don't remember any results or any other details, but few things which are still fresh in my mind are Ian Botham dancing near the pavilion, GR Vishwanath being the hero of most of us. And I remember Bob Taylor (probably because keepers were shown most of the times), David Gower (due to his curly hairs) and Chris Tavare (no sure why I remember him). In the same year or next, India playing some other series in which I remember a player called Rakesh Shukla (I recently searched for his name and he has played only one test!!!), two or three players Pranab Roy, Ashok Malhotra making debut in the same series. Strangely I don't remember the 1983 world cup much. Not sure whether it was telecasted live (We didn't have live telecasts when it was played abroad). The first ODI series which I remember very well (and we had a black & white TV then) was Benson and Hedges world series - 1985. For the first time started getting up at 4.30 AM to watch a cricket match.

Mikey Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List First Slip Joined: 28 March 2011 Location: Australia Online Status: Offline Posts: 949	Post Options Post Reply Quote Mikey Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 10 June 2011 at 10:26am
	I started watching cricket seriously in 2000 when I was about 10 years old. But I do have memories going back to around 1996 or 1997, back when Taylor, the Waugh twins and Warne were at their best. I got to see the best part of McGrath and Warne, which was a privilege. Was a big fan of SAF and Pakistan too, for some reason I always liked watching those teams play. Donald and Klusener were pretty awesome back then, so were Saqi and Shoaib! In saying that though, I have read books about cricket all through the 90s and have seen a lot of footage which I have been able to access.

spin wizard Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Opening Bowler The world�s next great spinner Joined: 21 January 2006 Location: Saint Vincent Online Status: Offline Posts: 9453	Post Options Post Reply Quote spin wizard Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 10 June 2011 at 4:50pm
	I'm a bit like Mikey here, started really remembering Cricket from the 2000's onward but still have some recollection of previous years. Remember Ambrose and Walsh to the end of their careers, was awesome watching as youth and those are 2 very likeable persons around in the West Indies. Cricket still meant so much back then. I too loved Klusener and SA back then. I did enjoy the 1999 WC, I use to get up at 5 am to watch, which had our father saying, "you all can only wake up early when Cricket is playing" haha. Other than that, 7 am is when we use to rise.
	In troubled times, being philosophical helps a great deal, it helps you to remain sane and not do any further damage.

zuhair_abbasi Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Number 3 Batsman Joined: 19 December 2006 Location: Pakistan Online Status: Offline Posts: 6202	Post Options Post Reply Quote zuhair_abbasi Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 11 June 2011 at 8:07am
	Watched Sachin and Waqar debut in Karachi - I guess that was back in 89. Have hardly missed any of he Pakistan games in the past 20 years and I pride myself on that. 90s was the best cricket I have watched. Great batsmen and true fast bowlers in most teams.

vote4peace Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Square Leg Joined: 23 February 2011 Location: India Online Status: Offline Posts: 380	Post Options Post Reply Quote vote4peace Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 11 June 2011 at 9:06am
	Started intensely following the game from the 1996 WC, Sachin Tendulkar , but ofcourse captured my imagination in that tourney, have been glued on ever since. The first memories of cricket though was I think the Asia Cup or something like that, was being played in Sharjah in 1995 I guess. Parents, uncles aunts were all there watching these men in white and I was left wondering what's the Big deal in this game anyways, stupid game takes my cartoon time away.
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sam_ahmed Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Middle-Order Batsman Joined: 27 November 2007 Location: India Online Status: Offline Posts: 4363	Post Options Post Reply Quote sam_ahmed Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 11 June 2011 at 9:07am
	Mine was the 92 WC, we didn't have cable TV at home at that time so I used to rely on National TV and it showed only "Key" matches and matches involving India. Although the first game I watched was perhaps the one in which Aaqib Javed took a hatrick in Sharjah in 1991, I remember that but The 92 WC was the first tournament which actually started my interest in cricket. However even till 2003 Tennis used to be my most favorite sport (mainly because of Agassi), but now it is cricket for sure.
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Sledger Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Captain Dickenson can marry my mother-in-law ! Joined: 08 August 2005 Location: South Africa Online Status: Offline Posts: 15694	Post Options Post Reply Quote Sledger Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 13 June 2011 at 6:43am
	My first live match was at Hove to see Middlesex play Sussex in 1964, Ted Dexter played a sublime innings of 80-odd as I remember. My earliest recollection of watching on TV was the West Indies beating England in the 1963 series in England. Wes Hall and the chucker , Charlie Griffith against Fred Trueman and Brian Statham - fantastic stuff! Then there was a fella called Sobers who could do anything and everything - simply the greatest cricketer to ever draw breath and the reason why cricket became my passion.
	Mental disintegration works for me !!