Uncovering The History Of Cricket
Cricket is a very old game that is steeped in tradition. The earlier types of cricket go back to at least the thirteenth century and the roots of the game can be traced back to the south of England. It seems to have been popular among the families of farmers in the south east. A game that seems to be similar was even mentioned as early as thirteen hundred, although it is not sure that this was cricket. However, the first known reference to the name cricket was made in the late sixteenth century in the south of England. This was at a school where the game was being played.
The origin of the name "cricket" is not actually known, but there are many possible sources for the name. One of the most popular ideas is that it is from the French language. The word could even be from the French word criqet which means bat. Although there are also Flemish and Old English contenders for the title. Actually even the French word criqet is originally from the Flemish. So it is not really possible to say exactly where the name cricket is from, but it has been around since at least the end of the sixteenth century.
In the year sixteen hundred the game of cricket was first brought to India by the east India Company. During the seventeenth century the game became more and more popular in the south east of England and it was played by a lot more people at this time as there are numerous references to the game during the seventeenth century. After a while it was played in a more formal fashion in the later part of this century. It is even thought that there might have been professional players at this time. It is certain that some of these games were played for large amounts of money and there was a lot of gambling on the matches that were being played in the seventeenth century. This is also when the number of players was established at eleven on each side. This is a time that was very important for the game as it was when it really became the early prototype of the game that it is today, although the bowling technique had not yet been formalised.
During the eighteenth century there were more and more references to the game and it was much more widespread at this time. There were numerous references to the game being played and there were stories of very high stakes being bet on the games. It also became a much more popular spectator game with large crowds watching matches and more formal games being arranged. Lords cricket club in London was established in 1787 as the home of cricket. It is still one of the most important and traditional clubs in cricket today. It is the home of the MCC who are the official holders of the rules of cricket.
In the nineteenth century cricket became more like the game it is today with the start of over arm bowling. This made the game a lot better as it was more accurate and made it much more interesting to watch. In the mid nineteenth century, the first overseas tour was to America and it was then followed some years later by a tour to Australia to the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
In 1864 the great cricketer WG Grace began playing cricket. He was to influence the game more than any other single person. He was a doctor and continued to practice when he was not playing the game. He played at the top level for over forty years. He scored over one thousand two hundred runs in the year 1902 when he was fifty four. He was a very domineering character and was well known for arguing with the umpires when he did not like their decisions. In the mid twentieth century, the crowds got to see the greatest batsmen that ever lived, the Australian Don Bradman. He was so good that the England team resorted to very direct tactics in the "bodyline series", where they bowled at the man instead of the wicket in an attempt to beat the Australian team. This was so controversial that it led to strained diplomatic relations between England and Australia until the start of the Second World War.
In the sixties the game changed as limited over matches were played and made the game much more accessible to many more people. This started the one day internationals and the first one was played in 1971. The game became even more accessible in recent years with the start of Twenty20 cricket. This is where each team has a maximum of twenty overs and makes the game much faster and it generally lasts for no more than 3 hours. Even today the game continues to change and gets better and it is likely to carry on that way.
Related Tags: cricket understanding, cricket types, cricket formats, 20twenty cricket, cricket rules
Do you want a brand new cricket bat? Browse and buy hundreds of high quality cheap cricket bats online and score lots of runs in your next match. For more details visit: http://cheapcricketbats.net Your Article Search Directory : Find in Articles
Recent articles in this category:
- Canadiens Early Season Struggles
Inconsistency has reared its ugly head once again. After a shutout loss to the lowly New Jersey Devi - Mens Magazine in the Toronto Market
Magazines are wonderful things. They are able to explore their particular area of interest in more d - They Won the Lottery But Then Lost it All
We all dream about winning the lottery and every time we watch those balls spin we think about what - Manchester City Imploding
Life changed for Manchester City fans the minute their club was taken over by the ultra wealthy Oil - Different Types of Sports Water Bottle
If you are an athlete and there is a competition the next day, there are a lot of things to prepare. - Poker Supplies a Person Needs to Play
There are a lot of people all over the world that enjoy playing poker on a regular basis. There are - Data on NCAA Football 11 (XBox)
EA Sports has always been the pinnacle for sports video games. The Madden franchise for NFL football - World Golf Amateur Team Championship 2012
Golf is said to be the game of nobles. Over a period of time, the game has developed into a craze fo - Will "The Decision" Yield the Result? Lakers, Heat Seen as Likely Finalists
By far the biggest moment in the NBA offseason was the hour-long ESPN special in which LeBron James - The Evolution of the Game: Table Tennis
Table tennis was probably derived from the game "Royal Tennis," a popular diversion during medieval
Most viewed articles in this category:
- Rainbow, Brown And Brook Trout
Maine fishing has Rainbow, Brown, and Brook trout. Trout are an important part of fishing tradition. - Gymnastics Floor Music
Over the last decade or two, gymnastics as a sport has undergone considerable changes in the way it - Texas Holdem Blinds - Understanding Blinds In Texas Hold'em Poker
Posting blinds is a very important aspect of the betting structure of Texas Hold'em poker. It keeps - Indoor Mobility Scooters
Mobility scooters exclusively provide assistance to physically disabled people, who don't necessaril - Texas Holdem Tournament - Learn How To Run A Texas Hold'em Tournament
Texas Hold'em is a popular game, so next time you consider hosting a social function at your house w - The Nfl Channel And The Controversy Surrounding It
If you watch TV, and especially if you are a loyal spectator of the NFL Channel, you might have hear - Texas Holdem - How To Become Better At Texas Hold'em Poker
If you know the rules, if you know the game, if you know the odds, chances are you'll do well at pok - Essential Boxing Equipment For Every Boxer
When you are training to become a boxer there are a few very important pieces of boxing equipment th - Some Advice On How To Stay Motivated To Run
Staying Motivated to Run Do you have a hard time staying motivated to run? There are a lot of thing - NCAA: Three Good Coaches
There are coaches in each and every type of sport out there, and many of them are good at what they