

"This one though, was different – it had a charm, an appeal that so many of its competitors lacked."Īdding to the entertainment was Ian Bishop – one of the most famous voices in global cricket – and the late Tony Greig, who despite being famed for it, did not pull out his car keys for a virtual pitch report. Although this tended to be virtually the same every match, it did not matter – it was just pleasant to get that detail. Sitting in the other commentary chair was Bill Lawry, who gave you a lovely pitch report.

When Gower was not available, Jonathan Agnew was there to promise us those few empty seats around the visibly full ground will fill up as the day progressed. It was there where you were welcomed by the soothing and reassuring voice of David Gower a sound that would surely calm the most stressful environments down. After the game loaded and the rays of the pixelated sun descended upon the outfield, the camera panned towards the captains in the middle. This one though, was different – it had a charm, an appeal that so many of its competitors lacked.įirstly, the commentary was glorious. In an ever-growing industry, the overwhelming majority of them have failed to compete with the likes of FIFA, Call of Duty and Grand Theft Auto. Since the dawn of the console, cricket titles have struggled to capture the public’s imagination. Pre-loaded with a plethora of international sides and famous stadiums from all over the globe such as the MCG, Old Trafford and Newlands, cricket-loving gamers had the opportunity to enjoy the very best the sport had to offer from the comfort of their bedroom.Īlthough it had a prequel and a sequel, there was something special about BL05.

The truth is there are many reasons why young adults love cricket – and one such reason is a certain video game that’s now more than 13 years old.īrian Lara International Cricket 2005 – or Ricky Ponting International Cricket if you are an Aussie – was released by Codemasters in July 2005 just in time for the Ashes. Is it because of great players like Murali, AB and KP? Or is it due to the countless hours spent bowling at bins for makeshift stumps? Maybe. Many young people in their twenties can look back on their short lives and figure out exactly why they love cricket.
