Far more Bermudians than you might suspect have memorized this terribly British sport's arcane rules. If you arrive in midsummer (the game's high season), you'll probably see several regional teams practicing on cricket fields throughout the island. Each match includes enough pageantry to remind participants of the game's imperial antecedents and enough conviviality (picnics, socializing, and chitchat among the spectators) to give you a real feel for Bermuda.

The Cup Match Cricket Festival is Bermuda's most passionately watched cricket event, with hundreds of viewers turning out to cheer on family members and friends. Conducted during late July or early August, it pairs Bermuda-based teams against one another. The event usually occurs at the headquarters of 2 of the island's approximately 30 cricket teams, either the St. George's Cricket Club, Willington Slip Road (tel. 441/297-0374), or the Somerset Cricket Club, Broome Street off Somerset Road (tel. 441/234-0327). Buy your tickets at the gate on the day of each event, and expect to pay between $12 and $15 per ticket for entrance to this long-standing Bermuda tradition. For more information, contact the Bermuda Tourist Office (tel. 441/292-0023).