Obsession, purely a cricket thing?..

I was given some sound advice the other day when batting, not to obsess so much about playing the perfect shot and this got me thinking why do we as cricketers 'obsess' so much about our game? 

What is obsession? Cars? No, Money? No, Fame? Well maybe a little.

The dictionary describes obsession as the domination of one's thoughts or feelings by a persistent idea, image, or desire and in my case the desire is the game of cricket. 

I can't think of any other sport that attracts so many people that once captured by the game obsess about it in so many different, unique and utterly crazy ways. 

Whether it be the latest kit (has to be perfectly lined up in my case after each game) to frantically checking the weather on a Friday afternoon for the upcoming game on a Saturday, it is a sport that attracts some of the greatest characters you'll ever meet, whether it be your wily old boys to the fresh faced juniors. 

The obsession for me begins on that final delivery of the Summer and the impending onset of Autumn and Winter.  Here begins a 7 month mission to surpress the 'blues' of not playing again unless you count indoor or office cricket as a game and there barely a day goes by where I don't long for the first cut of the grass in April, the 'unique' smell of your batting gloves and the well earnt pint at the end of the game.  I'm sure I am not alone in this.

Can any other sport lay claim to these obsessions? Probably but I have yet to experience this, maybe I suffer from tunnel vision, but I know that in the coming weeks the 'clubbies' and the pro's will be grabbing their bags from the loft or garage (ok maybe not the pro's) and clearing those spiders and breathing in that musky smell trapped 7 months previous and thinking "I can't bloody wait for this season!".  I know how you feel and I'll be right there doing the same..

I'm not obsessive, honest...