Cricket History

The game known as cricket has long background that dates back to the 16th century. Having originated in the southeast of England It became an official sport within the nation in the 18th century . The sport then developed globally in between the 19th and 20th century. International matches were played from the 19th-century and formal Test cricket matches are thought to have been played since 1877. Cricket is the world's second most watched sport for spectators, following the association game (soccer).

Internationally, cricket is governed by the International Cricket Council (ICC) which has over one hundred nations and territories that are members although only twelve currently play Test cricket.

Early cricket

Origin

The game was likely created in Saxon or Norman times by children living in the Weald the Weald, an area with dense forests and clearings in the south-east of England which extends across Kent and Sussex. The first documented reference dates from the 16th century.

There have been many speculations about the game's beginnings, including some theories that suggest it was invented in France in France or Flanders. The first of these speculative mentions dates from 1300 and refers to that of the new King Edward II who played at "creag and other games" in Newenden as well as Westminster in Newington and Westminster. Newenden. It is believed there is a possibility "creag" may have been an Old English word for cricket but the majority of experts agree that it was a later form of "craic" meaning "fun and games in general".

It is generally thought that cricket remained an activity for children for several generations until it was gradually taken up by adults around the turn of the 17th century. Perhaps, cricket originated from bowls, assuming bowls is the more popular sport. This was due to the batsman's involvement trying to prevent the ball from reaching its goal by striking it off. When playing on land that was grazed by sheep or in clearings. The original equipment may have consisted of a matted sheep's wool (or perhaps a stone, or a tiny piece made of timber) in the form of a ball. It could also have been a stick or a crook or another farming tool as the bat as well as a stool or an stump from a tree or gate (e.g. it was a wicket gate) as the wicket.

First definite reference

John Derrick was a pupil at the Royal Grammar School, then the Free School, in Guildford when he and his buddies played creckett around 1550.

in 1597 (Old Style - 1598 New Style) a court case in England regarding a dispute over ownership concerning a plot of common land in Guildford, Surrey, mentions the game of creckett. A coroner of 59 years old, John Derrick, testified that the group of his classmates had played creckett on the land fifty years before when they were students at an Free School. Derrick's account proves beyond any doubt the fact that this game was playing in Surrey about 1550. It also is the first universally accepted reference to the game. Also see High Jump Sports

The first mention of cricket being played as a sport for adults was in 1611, when two males from Sussex were charged with playing cricket on Sunday instead of attending church. In the following year, there was a dictionary which defined cricket as a male game, and this suggests that the participation of adults was not a new phenomenon.

Name derived from "cricket"

There are a variety of words believed to be potential sources for the word "cricket". In the first known reference the word was written creckett. The name could be an ancestor of its Middle Dutch krick(-e), meaning stick; also its equivalent, the Old English cricc or cryce meaning a crutch or staff and the French word criquet meaning wood posts. This Middle Dutch word krickstoel means a low, long stool used in churches to kneel and resembled the low wicket that had two stumps that were used in the early days of cricket. According to Heiner Gillmeister, an European specialist in language from the University of Bonn, "cricket" comes in"the" Middle Dutch phrase for hockey"met the (krik ket)sen (i.e., "with the stick chase").

The likelihood is the term cricket was derived directly from the terms that were which were popular in south-east England at the time . Moreover given the close trade ties with the County of Flanders, especially in the 15th century , when it was part of the Duchy of Burgundy, many Middle Dutch words found their way into southern English dialects.

The Commonwealth

After when the Civil War ended in 1648 In 1648, the new Puritan government cracked down on "unlawful assemblies" and in particular, more loud sports such as football. Their laws also required stricter observance of the Sabbath, which was not the case as it had been previously. Because Sabbath time was the only time of free time available to the lower classes and the lower classes, cricket's popularity could have waned during the Commonwealth. But, it did thrive in schools that were fee-paying like Winchester and St Paul's. There isn't any evidence that Oliver Cromwell's administration banned cricket in particular, and there is evidence of it during the period of interregnum suggesting that it was permitted by authorities if it didn't contribute to the "breach on the Sabbath". It is believed that the nobility in general embraced cricket at the time, and were involved in village games.

Gambling and media coverage

Cricket thrived after during the Restoration in 1660 and is believed to have first attracted gamblers that made huge bets during this time. It is also possible, as it is believed by some historians that high-end matches first began. In 1664,"the "Cavalier" Parliament passed the Gaming Act 1664 which limited stakes to PS100 which was still a fortune back then, equivalent to about PS16,000 in present-day standards . Cricket had become a significant gamble by the time of the close in the 17th century which was evident in 1697 with an account in the newspapers of an "great game" held in Sussex which was an 11-a-side match played for high stakes of 50 guineas per side.

With freedom of the press being granted in 1696 in 1696, cricket for the first time could be reported in the newspapers. But it was a long time before the media evolved enough to provide regular and complete coverage of the sport. In the beginning into the 18th century news reports would usually focus on betting, not on the play.

18th century cricket

Players and patronage

Gambling was the first to introduce patrons because some of the gamblers decided to boost their wagers by forming their own teams and it is believed the early "county teams" were formed in the aftermath of the Restoration in 1660, especially when members of the nobility employed "local experts" of village cricket as the first professional.<> The first time we have a game played in which teams are referred to by counties was played in 1709 but there could be no doubt that these types of events were already being played long before this. The 1697 match could have been Sussex versus another county.

The most prominent of the patrons at the beginning was a group of aristocrats and businessmen who were active from around 1725. This was the year when press coverage became more regular, perhaps due to the patrons' influence. These men comprised the Duke of Richmond, 2nd of Richmond, Sir William Gage, Alan Brodrick and Edwin Stead. This is the first time, newspapers names individual players like Thomas Waymark.

Cricket expands beyond England

Cricket was introduced to North America via the English colonies around the 17th century, possibly before it had even reached the north of England. The 18th century was when it came to other parts of the globe. They introduced it to West Indies by colonists and to India by East India Company mariners in the early part of this century. It was introduced to Australia in the midst of the colonisation process began in 1788. New Zealand and South Africa began to follow in the early part of the 19th century.

Cricket never caught on in Canada despite the efforts of the upper classes to promote the sport as a way of identifying and identifying with their "mother home country". Canada however, unlike Australia and the West Indies, witnessed a constant decline in the appeal of the game from the period of 1860 to 1960. In the popular consciousness as a high-class sport it was not popular with the general population. In the summer time, it had to compete against baseball. In this time of the First World War, Canadian units stationed in France used baseball instead of cricket.

Development of the Laws

It's not clear when the essential rules of cricket such as cricket bat and ball wicket dimensions, pitch sizes overs, how far out etc. were first developed. In 1728, The Duke of Richmond and Alan Brodick drew up Articles of Agreement to define the rules for one particular game. This became a regular feature particularly in relation to the making money for stakes and awarding winnings due to that gambling was a major aspect.

In 1744 In 1744, the Laws of Cricket were codified for the first time , and then amended in 1774, by adding new rules such as lbw, middle stump and maximum bat width were added. These laws stated that "the principals will choose from amongst the gentlemen present two umpires that will decide any dispute". The codes were drawn up by the known as the "Star and Garter Cricket Club" which was founded by its members the Marylebone Cricket Club at Lord's in 1787. The MCC quickly became the custodian of these Laws and has made frequent revisions and recodifications since then.

Instant growth in England

The sport continued to be played across England, and, in 1751 Yorkshire became the first to be mentioned as a venue. The initial version which involved bowling (i.e., rolling the ball on the ground like in bowls) was replaced sometime around 1760 when bowlers began to throw the ball and investigate variations in line length and pace. Scorecards began to be kept every day from 1772, and since then an increasingly clear picture is emerging of the sport's growth.

The first clubs to be famous comprised London and Dartford in the 18th century. London played their matches at the Artillery Ground, which still exists. There were others who followed, such as Slindon in Sussex which was patronized by the Duke of Richmond and featured the star player Richard Newland. There were many other renowned clubs in Maidenhead, Hornchurch, Maidstone, Sevenoaks, Bromley, Addington, Hadlow and Chertsey.

The most well-known of the early organizations of the time was Hambledon situated in Hampshire. It was founded as a parish organization that became famous in 1756. The club itself was founded in the 1760s, and was well-liked to the point where it was the focal point of the game for nearly thirty years , until the formation of MCC and the opening of Lord's Cricket Ground in 1787. Hambledon had a lot of great players, including the master Batsman John Small and the first great fast bowler Thomas Brett. The most well-known opponent was Chertsey and Surrey bowler Edward "Lumpy" Stevens, who is believed to be the principal proponent of the flighted delivery.

It was to combat the pitching, or flighted delivery that straight bats were introduced. The traditional "hockey stick"-style kind of bat only worked against balls moving along the ground.

First-class cricket started in 1772. Three surviving scorecards exist of 1772 matches played by the Hambledon Club which commence a ongoing statistical record. The three games were between an Hampshire team and an England XI. The first match was held at Broadhalfpenny Dow n on the 24th and 25th of June. The two top online archives begin their first class coverage with this match which is designated "first-class no. 1" from ESPNcricinfo along with "f1" from CricketArchive. Broadhalfpenny Down continued in regular use by Hambledon/Hampshire teams till 1781.

Also see Long Jump Sports.