Critically, the reception was mixed. IGN noted it was a "much more enjoyable game than the last few put together," praising the new batting system, but added, "it's still not the addictive, compelling, exciting game that it has the potential to be". GameSpot called it "EA's best effort at replicating the sport to date," while criticizing its "finicky bowling mechanics". Others were less kind. VideoGamer bluntly stated, "The problem is that the game never feels like real cricket," and Eurogamer's summary was equally unimpressed, labeling it "another play and miss for EA".
: Heavy rain showers can cause significant delays, forcing players to rethink their match strategy.
Most community mods for Cricket 07 are hosted on specialized forums and community pages: EA Sports CRICKET 2007 Only By THE RAIN
: Just like real-life Test cricket, play is abruptly halted. In longer formats, this creates the unique possibility of securing a grueling, tactical draw—a concept entirely alien to other fast-paced arcade sports games. 🎙️ The Immersive Broadcast Atmosphere
: A regular batting deck is forced to change texture, quickly converting into a "Damp Pitch". Critically, the reception was mixed
While it became a joke, "Only by the rain" was a symptom of the game's, at times, overly conservative AI. In and County cricket , AI teams (and sometimes the player) would play exceptionally slowly, aiming to draw rather than win.
To understand the significance of "THE RAIN" release, one must first understand the game it preserved. Launched in November 2006 for Windows and PlayStation 2, EA Sports Cricket 07 was the eighth and final entry in EA's cricket series. The cover featured a powerful Andrew Flintoff charging in to bowl, a fitting image for a title that marked the end of an era. Others were less kind
To win a match "Only By THE RAIN" was to cheat the game’s own physics. It wasn't a boundary. It wasn't a wicket. It was an act of atmospheric god-mode.