In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, when cricket around the world was put on hold, a group of cricket-starved Englishmen and enthusiastic Australian cricketers decided to answer the call for the game to be played. Riding Mill Cricket Club, an English cricket team, embarked on a unique virtual tour of Australia in 2020, bringing the excitement of cricket to life through dice cricket. Led by Matt Ellis, the Australian tour coordinator from the Cricket Library podcast, the Riding Mill Cricket Club’s dice cricket tour brought together players and fans from different corners of the world. This article delves into the concept of dice cricket, the historic virtual tour, and the impact it had on the participating teams.
The Advent of Dice Cricket: Dice cricket has a rich history, and for Matt Ellis, it has been a long-standing passion since he discovered the game as a child. The concept is simple: players roll a dice, and the numeric value on the dice determines the outcome of each delivery. A one represents a single, a three signifies three runs, and a five triggers an appeal for a wicket. A subsequent roll of the dice determines the mode of dismissal, adding to the excitement and anticipation of the game.
Connecting Through Cricket: The Riding Mill Cricket Club’s virtual tour of Australia came to fruition when Brian Watson, a member of the club, reached out to Matt Ellis through social media. The team from England was seeking an opportunity to continue playing cricket and connect with fellow cricket enthusiasts during the pandemic. The dice cricket format provided the perfect platform for socialising, banter, and camaraderie among the players, despite being physically distant. Through social media channels and WhatsApp groups, the cricketers from Riding Mill Cricket Club could enjoy the thrill of the game and maintain their friendships in a unique way.
The Tour: The virtual tour commenced with the Cricket Library Invitational 11 taking on the Riding Mill Cricket Club in the tour opener, held at Matt Ellis’s residence in Burrabadine, near Dubbo. This double-header event kicked off the tour, which spanned various locations in Australia. The participating clubs included the Dubbo CYMS Cougars, Wagga Wagga RSL Bulldogs, Kissing Point Cricket Club, UTS North Sydney District Cricket Club, West Meadows Cricket Club, St Kevin’sOld Boys, Parkdale, and the Morley District Cricket Club. The tour concluded with a game against the prestigious Morley District Cricket Club in Perth.
Engaging Australian Clubs: Brian Watson was pivotal in engaging cricket clubs from across Australia to participate in the virtual tour. Through persistent communication and his passion for dice cricket, Watson managed to secure the involvement of various clubs, allowing them to participate in this unique cricketing experience.
Following the Action: To keep cricket enthusiasts engaged and updated, the tour scores were posted on the Cricket Library’s Twitter handle (@CricketLibrary). Score updates on Twitter were the primary method of following the action. The clubs themselves distributed the scores within their own groups, generating banter and excitement throughout the tour.
Conclusion: The Riding Mill Cricket Club’s dice cricket virtual tour of Australia in 2020 brought the joy of cricket to life during a time when the world was grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic. Through the unique format of dice cricket, players and fans were able to connect, compete, and experience the thrill of the game from the comfort of their homes. The tour showcased the power of cricket in bringing people together, transcending physical boundaries, and creating a sense of camaraderie and community, even in challenging times.
This interview originally aired on ABC Radio on June 12, 2020, when the world was shutting down as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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