What Happens at the End of Cricket?

Through the pattern of this film a ‘Test’ at Lord’s runs like a thread and a broadcast commentary on the match is imposed on the background of cricket as a game, a craft, an interest of a people, a piece of history. The craftsmen are shown who make the ball and the bat–that ‘fourth straight stick’ with which the batsmen defend ‘the other three’. The craftsmen are shown who play the game, from W. G. Grace in the ‘nets’ to D. G. Bradman and Denis Compton in the thread of the ‘Test’. The history of the game is epitomized in the Long Room shots at Lord’s and from there the camera moves to the village green; to the London side- street where the urchins play on a ‘bumping pitch’; to South Africa, and India, where in the ‘blinding light’ there is often ‘an hour to play and the last man in.

Grahame Tharp's narrative builds toward a resolution centered on Ralph Richardson (Narrator(voice))'s journey. The craftsmen are shown who make the ball and the bat–that ‘fourth straight stick’ with which the batsmen defend ‘the other three’.

How Does Ralph Richardson (Narrator(voice))'s Story End?

• Ralph Richardson: Ralph Richardson's storyline wraps up in the final act, though some viewers have found the resolution more ambiguous than expected.
• John Arlott (Narrator(voice)): John Arlott's role in the climax proves pivotal to how the central conflict resolves.

What Does the Ending of Cricket Mean?

The ending of Cricket brings the narrative to a close, though viewer reception has been mixed. The resolution of Ralph Richardson's story may not satisfy all audiences.