Do we have any county cricket fans here? If so, who do you tip to be the top team this year?

I have to say Hampshire look very strong. Of course, I'm supporting Surrey, but I don't think our team looks as good as it has been in recent years.

Even I was amazed at the record breaking total they put on a couple of matches ago!

I'm not an avid follower but if ther eis a match on then I will watch it. I'm going for Warwickshire as champions of the LV this year. Have you ever been to the oval to watch Surrey? It's a great stadium so if you get a chance you should go along to one of their matches.

I've been to the oval several timees, and hoping to go again for a 20-20 match this season. Your right it is a brilliant stadium, probably only beaten by lords.

No opportunity to visit cricket matches in a great stadium, I'm afraid. The best I've managed so far was spotting what would appear to have been some expat Jamaicans playing in a field whilst I was riding on a new trail this Sunday.

No photos though.

Kingfisher

That's better than nothing I suppose! What is the general perception of cricket in America? Is it seen as just a upper-class english game? Or have most people not heard of it?

I think in the US most people are totally without a clue about cricket. If anything, the game is associated with Jamaica or Pakistan (due to the photographs we see here). I don't believe we ever saw any cricket coverage in the local newspaper, except for the very unfortunate death of Mr. Woolmer in Jamaica.

Most Americans know the phrase 'a sticky wicket', but don't know what it means. They do like to say the phrase in a pseudo-'English' accent... .

Overs? Innings? Rabbits? Ferrets? All virtually unknown here.

Kingfisher

Most Americans know the phrase 'a sticky wicket', but don't know what it means. They do like to say the phrase in a pseudo-'English' accent... .

That made me smile! American "english" accents are often hilarious, they are nearly always ultra-posh.

We also have lots of American sports sayings in the UK though, whether we realise it or not. Getting a "curve ball" is one of the top of my head which I assume comes from baseball.

Indeed, apparently everyone in the US believes that all English people sound as if they are broadcasting for the BBC . If not that, then 'Cockney' accents. I go into my best Lanky Lass-speak and thoroughly discomfit my listeners .

Curve balls, out in left field, batting a thousand (or, batting 1.000). There are many idioms derived from baseball (which was probably derived from cricket!).

Kingfisher

Although I've been a cricket fan since I was old enough to hold a bat, I have always found it hard to get excited about county cricket. I think the problem is that with all the continual changes over the past few years (sponsors, formats, schedules...) I've found it difficult to keep track of what's going on. The lack of terrestial TV coverage certainly hasn't helped. Also, with central contracts, it's hard to see the country's top players in action any more, and the endless international circuit means that most of the top players don't come into county cricket - instead we get a load of second-rate 'Kolpak' players.

I have to agree with you Timberwolf that it is much harder to get excited about county cricket than international, mainly for me because of the lack of the real top quality players that are always away with their international teams. It doesn't help that there is no terrestrial coverage either, although I have sky so its not so much of a problem.

I thin kthe "kolpak" situation needs to be sorted out quickly, I woulod much rather watch young English players than kolpaks.