Aussie cartoon Bluey hits a six with touching cricket episode
Cricket players, commentators and fans around the world have another thing in common as the Bluey episode ‘Cricket’ prompts an outpouring of emotion celebrating the essence of the game
READING LEVEL: GREEN
Cricket’s World Test Championship Final rated its socks off across the five days of action but Australia’s latest international triumph* has been unexpectedly outdone by a different cricket event.
It’s no secret that cartoon Bluey has become a worldwide phenomenon*, based on a family of blue heelers and featuring mum Chilli, dad Bandit, sister Bingo and the eponymous* Bluey.
Three seasons and 151 episodes in, the show has tried its hand at cricket and the episode has left grown adults in tears.
While cricket has featured in past episodes, until now it has mainly been something on in the background or casually discussed by the characters.
The now viral story features Bandit recounting* the story of a cricket game at a kids’ birthday party when red kelpie Rusty gets to the crease.
As the adults try to get him out, Rusty smacks them all over the park, while Bandit narrates* how the youngster developed his skills.
Bluey is a minor player in the episode, saying: “Cricket’s just about hitting a ball around the grass,” before her dad says: “Cricket’s about more than that, kid.”
While not necessarily sounding like an obvious tear-jerker*, the twist at the end has left many feeling emotional.
Timed to coincide with the launch of the Ashes* series and on day five of the World Test Championship Final, Bluey’s Cricket episode was the top rated non-news show on Sunday, with 563,000 viewers, beating Australia collecting its cricket world title, which peaked with 524,000 metropolitan viewers.
Speaking on The Grandstand cricket podcast, 18-Test former Aussie batter Ed Cowan admitted he was moved to tears by the Bluey episode.
“Honestly, I was bawling my eyes out,” he said. “So (my daughter) Romy is 10 and a half — she’s too old for Bluey, still loves it.
“If you’re a cricket fan, I don’t care how old you are, you have to watch this episode. And if you don’t have a tear in your eye at the end of the episode, I don’t even know if you’re human.”
And judging by reactions from around the world, Rusty has hit a clear six for the game of cricket.
Broadcaster Andy Maher posted: “Rightfully a lotta love for ‘Cricket’. It’s note-perfect and an absolute joy. What shouldn’t be lost is the respect given to technique in the (episode) – especially Tiny’s action. It’s a thing of beauty. Total respect.”
Cricket journalist Melinda Farrell tweeted: “FINALLY got to see the Bluey ‘Cricket’ episode. It’s simply beautiful! Do yourself a favour, even if you’re not a kid or you don’t have one. So much to love!”
The Daily Telegraph’s Ben Horne posted: “Cricket can spend millions on marketing to kids … but in seven minutes, Bluey captured the essence* and soul of the game for a worldwide audience.”
SEN cricket commentator Adam Collins posted: “Cricket goes straight onto Bluey Mount Rushmore*. Watched with Winnie when she got home from nursery – perfection. Not sure how many Rustys are left, but I’m reassured he’s in the middle batting, with his sister, and that millions of kids are now going to want to be like him.”
The Chaser’s Brydon Coverdale said: “Sometimes I wonder why I’ll bother watching some premium TV series of eight or 10 hour-long episodes when in seven minutes Bluey can pack a bigger punch, more heartfelt moments, greater laughs and deliver far more depth, time after time after time. It is simply perfect storytelling.”
Grade Cricketer Sam Perry tweeted: “Bluey left me in bits. Everyone else I speak to similarly in bits. Details perfect. Soul. Australian cricket is in good hands with Rusty. Dad, why are you crying? That kind of thing.”
BBC’s Kate Bottley commented: “Just watched the ‘Cricket’ episode … Oh my, they did it to us in ‘Camping’ they did it to us in ‘Daddy drop off’. That final second punch to the gut, a masterpiece*.”
The show might even crack the US market. Bluey was named the most streamed acquired* series and sixth overall in the US in the week of April 9 with 737 million minutes watched, which is well over 100 million streams on Disney+.
If you haven’t seen the Cricket episode or are new to Bluey, Australians can watch it free on ABC iview.
Bluey has dealt with sport in the past, with the Queensland-based family revealed to be keen Maroons fans in The Decider episode, where the family watch a State of Origin match.
POLL
GLOSSARY
- triumph: a great victory or achievement
- phenomenon: in this case, something or someone that is extremely successful
- recounting: describing how something happened, telling a story
- narrates: gives an account, in film and TV it is often a voice explaining action on-screen
- tear-jerker: book, film, play, broadcast that is full of feeling for the audience
- The Ashes: the series title and prize given to the winner of a special cricket competition between Australia and England
- essence: the basic or most important element or quality or idea of someone or something
- Mt Rushmore: US national monument to the country’s founding fathers with faces carved into the mountainside
- masterpiece: a work of art made with great skill
- acquired: obtained, brought in from elsewhere
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QUICK QUIZ
- In the Cricket episode of Bluey, which character smacks balls all over the park?
- The episode’s launch was timed to coincide with which two major cricket events ‘for real life’?
- How many viewers tuned in to Bluey and how many watched Australia collect its cricket world title?
- In the week of April 19, how many minutes of Bluey were watched by its US audience?
- Which sporting code features in an earlier episode called The Decider and what is it about?
LISTEN TO THIS STORY
CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. What’s it really about?
Do you agree that cricket, or any sport, is about more than just playing well? Write down your ideas about this question.
Time: allow 15 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English; Health and Physical Education; Personal and Social Capability
2. Extension
Brian Coverdale called the Bluey episode “simply perfect storytelling.” What makes a perfect story? Create a diagram that shows what you think makes the perfect story. Use your favourite stories as examples.
Time: allow 30 minutes to complete this activity.
Curriculum Links: English
VCOP ACTIVITY
Imaginative dialogue
Imagine you were there during the event being discussed in the article, or for the interview.
Create a conversation between two characters from the article – you may need or want to include yourself as one of the characters. Don’t forget to try to use facts and details from the article to help make your dialogue as realistic as possible.
Go through your writing and highlight any punctuation you have used in green. Make sure you carefully check the punctuation used for the dialogue and ensure you have opened and closed the speaking in the correct places.