Crazy for cricket, gaga for golf

It's little wonder that Barbados has produced some of the world's greatest cricket players; the game is not only the island's national sport, it is a national addiction.

Like American baseball, cricket uses a bat and ball, but that's where the similarities end. Cricket has its own lingo: the red leather game ball is bowled, not pitched, toward a batsman protecting stumps and bails (also called a wicket), rather than a plate.

"The object of the game is to score runs and reach the total set by the other team ... or even better it," said Gus Logie, the West Indies Youth Team coach.

Cricket is played virtually year-round on Barbados. The official domestic season runs from May to December. International matches are held between January and April. Major matches can often last three to five days or more, with each team scoring hundreds of runs.

"The object of the game is to score runs and reach the total set by the other team ... or even better it."

Visitors can enjoy the game without having to understand all the terms and rules. At Kensington Oval, Barbados' main playing field, those who find the action baffling can bask in the festive atmosphere.

It's thought that cricket originated in England as early as the 1300s and became a major sport there sometime in the 1700s. Eventually, its' popularity spread around the world.

"The English came here many years ago, and since then, we've taken up the game, and we've become very proficient at it," said William Bourne, the coach of the Barbados Cricket Team. "A couple of years ago we were champions in the West Indies, and the West Indies team itself was champion of the world for many years."

While most Barbadians believe no game compares to cricket, many wealthy locals and tourists seem to prefer golf. Royal Westmoreland Golf Club opened in August 1995 and has contributed to Barbados' growing popularity as a golf destination. The 18-hole course is a Bobby Trent Jones, Jr. design which plays up the island's natural beauty.

One of Royal Westmoreland's honorary members is cricket legend and national hero, Sir Garfield Sobers. Sobers retired from the sport in 1974 and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II the following year, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to international cricket. These days, he prefers playing golf.

"I've played a lot of golf courses all over the world and I think that this is probably rated among some of the best in the world," Sobers said of Royal Westmoreland.

However for most of the locals, when it comes to a sport, cricket is the only game in town.

"In the West Indies, you will see cricket being played in almost every village," Coach Logie said. "In Barbados, cricket is more than just a game ... it's a religion."

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