Wednesday, September 14, 2005

The One Day I Didn't Bring My Camera

So during cricket training (practice) tonight, there was an interesting development on the adjacent rugby field. Everything at practice stated as normal. We had our usual warm up of playing a game other than cricket (this time it was ultimate frisbee), so we were a bit puffed (tired) once the actual cricket training began. While we were waiting our turn to bat, when we noticed some men playing a game of "touch footy" in the field adjacent. (Touch footy is basically rugby without tackles or scrums).

Some of the guys were playing without shirts -- this is normal, but it was a bit cold out. And then some of the guys were playing without shirts and wearing only their tighty-whities and trainers. Huh. Strange, but then there are a number of weird things about Sydney, so maybe this is just one of them. Maybe guys play sports in their undies. And then - oh my! - a naked guy runs past! Uhh... is that dude just an exhibitionist? Nope. Another guy drops his drawers. And then another. The footy game keeps going. The team with the fewer naked dudes scores a try. Clothing is scattered all over the field. Another try is scored. White butt checks are running back and forth. More clothes are removed. Things that we shouldn't normally see bouncing are bouncing back and forth. The women cricketers are getting more giggly. The footy game is slowly moving further and further away from our side of the field. Eventually, all of the male players are completely naked, still running and throwing the ball around. Then a whistle blew, there was a cheer from the nude dudes, and they all ran around the field like a bunch of embarassed naked guys looking for their clothes. They got dressed, and it was over. We went back to playing cricket. Other than that, it was a normal practice.

While I don't know most of the rules of cricket, I have been assured that the only items of clothing that are ever removed during a test match are the hat and the v-neck sweater of the bowler.

posted by Peggy C. at 8:46 PM