ODD BIZARRE PUZZLING. Alive and well today on Answermug. Why do I so say?

 Geez Sbf never heard of the bloke until now. Another country heard from. I wonder wonder wonder wonder what else is in store for us this day? Better we don't know in advance.  Many decades ago I think there was a Broadway play titled "Stop the World I want to get off". I have no idea why that popped into my head. Thoughts are curious creatures going hither and yon randomly. So is this guy worth findin out about? Does he PLAY cricket? Is he a cricket? Is there an Aussie team called the Crickets that you like? Is there an Aussie beer you favored called Cricket? Inquiring minds wanna know and so if it pleases to tell me please do. Thank you for your reply and the video m'dear! Appreciate both! :)

Cricket is a sport. I used to play it, now I'm a professional umpire (I don't make a living at it but it's a paying hobby). Baseball is checkers to cricket's chess - cricket is slower, far more nuanced and you pretty much have to grow up with the game to ever have a prayer of understanding it.
It's also far more dangerous. In baseball, if the pitcher hits a batter with the ball he gets a free base, right? What does a batter get for free in cricket if the ball hits him? A bruise, if he's lucky. Batters and wicketkeepers do wear pads and gloves, but that doesn't completely mitigate a blow and you can be hit where the padding doesn't reach. Broken fingers are not uncommon, broken jaws used to happen before helmets were introduced in the early 80s and Phil Hughes was tragically killed in 2014 when a ball sruck him just under his helmet, rupturing an artery and causing a massive stroke. Helmets were redesigned after that. The bowler is allowed to hurl the ball at a batter with murderous intent - that's what your bat's for, Charlie. It does have to bounce, but in a way that's worse - slows it down marginally but instead of coming flat, it's rising.
That aside, it's an engrossing battle that's as much mental as physical - and the once mighty Australian national team is as weak as I've ever seen, currently in danger of losing a home Test series against India for the first time ever.

As far as the ball slowing down being more dangerous ... here's an analogy:

During the American Revolution and Civil War, some soldiers lost limbs because cannon balls moved so "slow". 
Soldiers would react without thinking; and try to kick, catch, or block the cannon balls.

God it sounds so freaking BORING.  If it is slower than baseball?  Let me out of there.

Can't possibly be slower than curling.  I can't imagine in what universe anyone invented that "sport" or why.

Lawn bowls on ice. It's hilarious when a sweeper goes a$$ over teakettle.

I've never heard of lawn bowls but it sounds like a lot more laughs than culing.

Wow R you sure do live life on the edge don'tcha? I mean what if the ball goes astray and HITS YOU? Has that ever happened? Has an Ump ever suffered an injury on the field? I wonder why Cricket never made it here. Too complex? I mean we picked up soccer from somewhere else and I think it's kinda sorta popular here in the states. Is Cricket too refined and requires an equally refined mind? I think we Americans aren't into nuance so much as we are blood and guts and concussions and broken bones. We like the yamayamayama drama!  SIGH. Thank you for your informative reply R. So does your wife worry when you are "on duty" at a Cricket match? Why do they call it a Cricket Match and not a Game? I'm gonna ask! :)

Cricket used to be played in the States,  in fact the first ever international match was between the USA and Canada. Philadelphia used to be quite good, but the team was decimated in the Great War and then baseball took over. It's still played in California, mostly by British expats.
It's the time factor, Americans in my experience seek quick gratification in sport and won't stand for a game that can take five days and not produce a result (draws are common).
Umpires are rarely injured, but it can happen. I've been hit by an errant throw from the outfield but wasn't seriously hurt. A cricket ball is harder and heavier than a baseball.
I'm more worried about her hobby - she's into motorsports as a track marshal. Those peeps sign a waiver indemnifying the organisers from any liability if they are injured or killed in the performance of their duties - she's in close proximity to race cars going two hundred miles per hour. This post was edited by Slartibartfast at January 2, 2019 5:20 AM MST