With the cricket season well and truly upon us, we thought we’d look at what else has changed in this great game over the years.
Body Types
Believe it or not, once upon a time our cricketing heroes weren’t the picture of health. In fact, between all the eating and drinking it’s doubtful they allowed any time for physical conditioning other than a leisurely single to deep mid off. Our models today are David Boon and Shane Watson. Can you spot any differences?
There’s smoking and then there’s smoooooking.
Hairstyles
In a much simpler time, terms like ‘Top Knot’ and ‘Quiff’ weren’t in the male vocabulary. As a bloke you had two options, shave your head or grow a mullet. Fortunately for us cricket fans, Dizzy Gillespie chose the latter. These days, the players tend to go for a more refined look. And by refined, we mean crap.
Well…they’re both better than Warnie’s latest ‘do to be fair.
Helmets
There are doubts doubts over whether the first cricket helmet actually offered any protection. But despite looking like something from the slalom at the Nagano Winter Olympics, it’s still an infinitely better design than the ridiculous lid Michael Carberry has been rocking of late.
As an added bonus you could wear the old school helmets on your motorbike to the ground.
Bats
Although there were some serious questions over its design back in the day, namely the fact half the bat was missing, the Gray-Nicolls Scoop was considered pretty advanced for its day and if you owned one you were the envy of the cricket field. These days cricket bats come in all manners of unusual, geometrically-augmented shapes that can even help the average legs 11 send one over the boundary. Not to mention the fact they are covered with more garish artwork than Mitchell Johnson’s biceps.
The scoop used to be cool. Don’t know about that cardigan however Chapelli.
Watching at the ground
It wasn’t long ago when going to the cricket meant donning a singlet and some shorts and plonking yourself on a grassy hill with your mates. These days you’re expected to dress up like Lady Gaga or a giant jar of Vegemite and dance like a twat every time you and your crew make are on the big screen.
You know you’re dressed like an idiot when T20 players outfits look tame by comparison.
Alcohol
There was once a time when the crowd were permitted to bring Eskys loaded with as much ice-cold beer as possible. It didn’t even matter if it was glass! Unfortunately for today’s fans, we are forced to fork out $13 for a lukewarm mid-strength beer in a plastic cup. Make sure you put that cup in the bin too and don’t even think of making a snake out of it.