The cricket is built into the chimney for the purpose of shedding water that runs into the chimney. The fact that you are not understanding that blows my mind. I do this for a living, I know what a friggen valley is. The valley is there for a reason, it is not a bad thing like you keep stating. Without the ridge that they built to run into that chimney water would rush down the roof with enough force to cause complications down the line. That "roof" that runs into that chimney was built specifically for the purpose of shedding and slowing water away from the chimney so that a pan would not be needed at that point in the roof. It is impossible to build a cricket into a chimney without there being a valley on both sides.