Dear Cricket Monthly,My cricket helmet has lasted 25 years but currently sits in a puddle at short leg in the backyard. Its rarely been hit, and really offers only cosmetic protection, but will soon be unusable. The mistake? I gave it to my children, a pair of young cricket lovers who, despite knowing their Waughs from Star Wars, prefer it as an accessory in their lightsabre duels. Sadly, the force of putting things away is still to awaken.Watching the younglings play one day got me thinking about teaching sports watchers. Or, in our house, ensuring they stay on the light side of the passion-versus-dangerous-obsession spectrum. Because the discussions can get intense quite quickly here, both in the backyard and in front of the television. While its important for them to know Kylo Ren from Mitchell Johnson, at what point does the interest level need to be scaled back?See, we already talk in cricket initials and puns. What six-year-old walks into an international airport to see the customs sign for Australian Border Force and immediately thinks of Allan? When working out directions, we might discuss whether to go Marcus North or Tim Southee. After a shower, one of them is often Mitchell Starc-ers. Outside, my boy commentates himself as SPD Smith, and proudly tells me his school friends now copy the lightsabre-style backlift he interpreted from Australias captain.At this stage I hope were at the quirky end of fandom. And its not totally out of family character. I once tried to name a chook Greg Chappell (we didnt have any ducks) and a puppy Billy McDermott. Were not quite in the phase where a cricket cap is part of the pyjama uniform. But my boy does try to trick me with trivia and sometimes my girl joins in.What does the K stand for in MEK Hussey? Easy. How many did GS Chappell make in the second innings at Headingley in 1975? Seriously? Why is Muralis name spelt in different ways? Um, its cultural? Maybe the children are training me.T20 and Snapchat are banned in the house, but books and Tests are encouraged. Its why the players named are more often historical. My boys self-selected top-shelf reading is based around three cricket books and Lego Star Wars guides. Theres the Cricinfo Guide to International Cricket 2009 - the year of his only Ashes tour, aged one - the Wisden Book of Test Cricket 1876-77 to 1977-78, and Richie Benauds 1981-82 Australian season guide. Wisden arrives in May or June and there is brief excitement, but its only a day or two before Cricinfo 2009 reappears beside his pillow.Scorecards are read for fun - and shared. Dad! BM Laird. Not out 3! RAL Massie - 16 WICKETS! Sometimes Im allowed to add context - like, your grandfather insists he was drunk that day at Lords, or Massie only played five more Tests. But mostly its about runs scored and wickets taken. At what age do we have the talk about Statsguru?Watching involves attempting to sit still but is no less exhausting than playing. This is where some parental training already appears beneficial, and particularly rewarding in the long term. Nobody asks whos winning anymore, or stands in front of the television before the final ball (it happened once, during a World Cup final). They know its okay to watch in silence and save their flood of questions for the ads. And now, sometimes, they even tell me to be quiet.But its not just about the enjoyment of spectating for my boy. A fun thing about watching cricket is seeing how people bat and bowl, he says promisingly, before adding that its also a pretty good way to find out a players weaknesses. So hes watching for statistics, strategy and technical disintegration. Are you Steve Waugh in disguise?Of course, its great for our family that theyre cricket fans. But should this level of interest be encouraged or discouraged? We went to watch Australia and New Zealand at the Gabba last year, a first attempt at a proper days spectating after the Australia-Bangladesh World Cup washout. They had been well briefed on the pace of the day, and that there would be no T20 Rocket Man. This was a practical lesson in watching cricket.My girl remembers it being too hot, sending her under the seat for some cool comfort, and later having her view blocked by a tall man. It was my first time watching a Test match and apart from those catastrophes it was a cool game and I had fun, she says. A little older than her brother, she knows about Lisa Sthalekars catch to seal the 2013 World Cup, and how Ellyse Perry chooses cricket mostly over football.I like to think they will select what they want to watch as sports followers. They also know names and numbers in cycling, football, surfing, golf and tennis. But in their upbringing, cricket has got a significant head start. My proudest moment as a sports-watching teacher was when they started asking how many Chris Rogers had made. Now hes gone and they are back to being excited by David Warner. Thats fine - theres a lot to be excited by - but they have an appreciation of a traditional Test batsman.Then I started fearing for them in the playground. Theres no classroom kudos in having Chris Rogers as your last line of argumentative defence. Maybe they better start looking after that rotting helmet.Yours faithfully, Peter English Washington Redskins Shaun Dion Hamilton Jersey . -- Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson asked his players a simple question during Fridays morning shootaround: How many of them had ever been on a team 14 games over . Redskins Jerseys China . PETERSBURG, Fla. http://www.cheapredskinsjerseys.us/washington-redskins-greg-stroman-jersey/ . The 29-year-old Baines has established himself as one of the top attacking full backs in the country and was the subject of two bids from United during the last off-season. Everton manager Roberto Martinez says that keeping Baines at the club is a "massive boost and exciting for the future" because he brings "maturity and football knowledge in a very specialized position on the pitch" and an "infectious and positive influence to the rest of the squad. Cheap Redskins Jerseys Free Shipping . -- Bobby Ryan helped the U. Wholesale Washington Redskins Jerseys 2019 . -- Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson asked his players a simple question during Fridays morning shootaround: How many of them had ever been on a team 14 games over . SEATTLE -- After weeks of mostly poor performances, Marco Estrada once again flirted with a no-hitter for Toronto.And just when the Blue Jays needed that quality of a performance.Estrada took a no-hitter into the seventh inning, Edwin Encarnacion hit his 41st home run and the Blue Jays beat the Seattle Mariners 3-2 on Monday night in the opener of a critical three-game series.Estrada (9-9) had allowed only two walks before Robinson Cano led off the seventh with a line drive up the middle on a 2-1 pitch. Cano and Nelson Cruz walked in the fourth -- an inning that ended on Kevin Pillars sliding catch to save a run -- but Estrada otherwise kept the Mariners off the bases before Canos single.Estradas outing was exactly what the slumping Blue Jays needed. They arrived in Seattle having dropped two straight and four of six, and their wild-card lead dwindled in the process. Estrada was partly to blame for the September swoon. In his previous six starts, he was 1-4 with a 7.53 ERA. In September alone, Estrada had allowed 12 earned runs in 12 2/3 innings.But he was brilliant against the Mariners, keeping the thousands of Blue Jays fans that made the trip south from British Columbia cheering all night as Toronto pulled even with Baltimore for the first wild-card spot. Both teams are 2 1/2 games clear of Detroit and three ahead of Seattle and Houston.Im not really sure whats been going on, as the game gets going I start to struggle a little bit, Estrada said. We looked at video and there have been little things here and there that we caught. We changed it up and felt pretty good today.Estrada was pulled after walking Leonys Martin leading off the eighth inning, leaving to a standing ovation from the huge Blue Jays contingent. He struck out eight and walked three before being replaced by Jason Grilli.The final six outs were trying for the Blue Jays. Pinch-hitter Ben Gamel walked to put two runners on with no outs in the eighth, and Seth Smith walked on a nine-piitch at-bat with two outs to load the bases for Cano.dddddddddddd.Closer Roberto Osuna entered and got Cano to line out to the warning track in right field where Ezequiel Carrera was playing. Martin hit a two-out, two-run homer in the ninth off Osuna, but Gamel struck out looking to cap Osunas 34th save.We know whats ahead of us, and we arent going to back away from it, Seattle manager Scott Servais said. I thought our guys gave a really good effort tonight, just wasnt enough.Encarnacions two-run homer off starter Taijuan Walker (6-11) came with two outs in the third on a 0-1 pitch that was left up in the strike zone. Pillar added a two-out RBI single in the fourth inning after Troy Tulowitzki led off with a double.NEAR MISSESEstrada has never completed a no-hitter, but hes been close. He lost a no-hit bid in the eighth inning against Boston on June 5, and also pitched hitless ball into the eighth inning in consecutive starts in June 2015.Its not something that I was focused on. Obviously if it would have happened it would have been incredible but it didnt. Cano hit a pretty good pitch, Estrada said.DONALDSON TOSSEDTorontos Josh Donaldson was ejected in the seventh inning arguing with plate umpire Chris Conroy after being called out on strikes. Donaldson was already upset about a check-swing Conroy called a strike earlier in the at-bat and flipped at being called out on a fastball on the outside corner. Donaldson immediately got in Conroys face and was quickly tossed.UP NEXTBlue Jays: LHP J.A. Happ (19-4) goes for his 20th win. Happ would join Bostons Rick Porcello as the only two pitchers in baseball with 20 wins this season. Happ has won 13 of his last 14 decisions.Mariners: RHP Hisashi Iwakuma (16-11) looks for his third straight victory. 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