Cricket

So, while I was sitting here yesterday waiting on a flight back to Warrior, I noticed a group of Iraqis gathering on a field, so I figured I'd walk out and see what was up. Turns out they were setting up for a game of Cricket. They invited us to play, and since really there wasn't much else to do, we agreed, provided they show us how to play. Well, I had a blast. We didn't have enough people for a real game, as there are 11 on each side and we had about 8 guys total, but we still made it fun. The bat is heavy, somewhere between a baseball bat, a hockey stick, and the "board of education". Its flat on one side. The swing, best I can figure is somewhere between a baseball swing and a chip shot in golf. It is a lot like baseball, but not exactly. It reminded me of days in-between games back in little league, playing wall-ball next to the concession stand. The guys don't really have a "field" or "rules" or anything like that, its just for fun. They do enjoy the competition though. Our "field" was the corner of a makeshift muddy soccer field with goals made from steel bars and camo netting. We had no lights but an old yellow street light. Old parking barriers as wickets and bumpers. No helmets, no gloves, no pads, like a bunch of kids on a sandlot. Just a few soldiers from different walks of life, from different sides of the world, getting through a deployment the same way.