The beginning of summer

So this is an experiment of sorts, born of my own fairly recent and sudden compulsion to follow cricket in a semi-dedicated way despite a few nigh-crippling limitations (stunted knowledge of the sport's nuances and history; my inability to follow high-level cricket either in person or via television; the fact of never having actually attempted to play cricket) and encouraged by the splendid and brilliant S., who suggested giving this compulsion a home and a place to breathe.

Disclaimer: as this will be the meanderings of the unlearned and occasionally clueless, some of this may seem didactic or repetitive to people who actually know the sport in detail.

Also, this will be somewhat discursive; IMO one of the useful things about cricket is that it provides a springboard to talk about lots of other neat things going on in the world. So I will. You have been warned.

Onward we go.