Tea-towels and cricket

Another day, another cricket match. For the benefit of Malyss, Scott and others who don't really understand this wonderful game (and sparked off by Vicki's comment a few days ago) here is an explanation. It's not from Wisden, the cricket lover's 'Bible' nor even from an encyclopaedia. It is actually, famously, printed on a tea-towel for drying dishes - but it is nevertheless entirely accurate.

'You have two sides, one out in the field and one in. Each man that's in the side that's in goes out, and when he's out he comes in and the next man goes in until he's out. When they are all out, the side that's out comes in and the side that's been in goes out and tries to get those coming in, out. Sometimes you get men still in and not out.
When a man goes out to go in, the men who are out try to get him out, and when he is out he goes in and the next man in goes out and goes in. There are two men called umpires who stay out all the time and they decide when the men who are in are out. When both sides have been in and all the men have been out, and both sides have been out twice after all the men have been in, including those who are not out, that is the end of the game.'

So now you know! Or, if you don't, and want a lengthier explanation, try this.

This view of the cricket ground in Roberts Park in Saltaire is taken from the riverside beside the scorebox, looking across to the Half Moon Café, which has Sir Titus Salt's statue on its upper level with the bandstand opposite.