As the ball get old in cricket its charasteric changes, such as reverse 
swing, easier for spiners, etc.

So time is an important parameter in Test Cricket.
Detoriation of pitch, changing charasteric of ball.

What about in the recent Ashes series. Langer getting his elbow smashed up 
by the second ball balled in the Ashes series, goes on to score 90 odd runs.

Ponting getting his cheek bone smashed up, and ending up with stiches, still 
has the scar on his face.

Straus getting smashed in the ear, then having it bandaged up, and this was 
when he had only score a few runs, but goes on to score a century.

What about Kevin Petreson, getting smashed on the ribs a few times just 
before lunch on the last day , and then almost geting his head ripped off 
and landing flat on his back, and goes on to score a century.
But after lunch, lee tired to knock his head off again, but Peterson 
countered attacked and smashed him for sixes (home runs), just like a heavy 
weight boxing match, where one boxer evades a punch and counter attacks and 
connects, that was just electrifing stuff, where only one ball would have 
been enough to get Peterson out.

This kind of stuff keeps you on the edge of your seat.

"latecut" <latecut@gmail.com> wrote in message 
news:1127445427.353835.41270@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> On the topic, a while back, I took a slightly irreverent look at
> softball :)
>
> http://www.rediff.com/sports/2000/sep/09soft.htm
>