With over 2,5 billion fans all over the world, cricket is a complex yet very popular sport that has its origins more than three hundred years ago. A traditional game with many rules and a sophisticated dress code , cricket has evolved and adapted to modern times; in fact, there are three styles of cricket now. But who invented it, and where? The origins of the sport are unclear, but we do know that it first became a hit in Britain.
MURKY ROOTS According to etymologists, ‘cricket’ derives from ‘criquet ’, a French term for ‘goal post ’, which may come from Dutch or Flemish. There isn’t much consensus about the place of origin of cricket, but it is known that it was a popular sport in medieval England. It was first recorded as a children’s game in the 16th century. Back then , the equipment was quite primitive —the ball used in the game was a stone , and the bats were tree branches . They were later shortened and straightened to make them easier to handle .
A GAME FOR EVERYONE By the 17th century, the sport had developed into an adult’s game and was played both among the working classes and the aristocracy with county teams formed across southern England. The earliest reference to an eleven-a-side match dates from 1697 and tells of a match played in Sussex for fifty guineas . This wasn’t unusual. In fact, gambling was one of the keys to the growth of cricket. Aristocrats offered teams their patronage, and players from all social backgrounds were recruited . This way, class divides became less obvious, at least on the cricket ground.
In 1744 the first Laws of Cricket were written, and a year later the first women’s match was played in Surrey. At this time, the straight bat was introduced, and new bowling techniques were developed.
A SUCCESSFUL EXPORT Cricket arrived in America in the 17th century via the English colonies established there. Imperial Britain introduced the sport in the West Indies, India, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, where it took off . The first international match took place in New York in 1844, and in 1877 England played against Australia, introducing one of the game oldest rivalries.
Despite its popularity, cricket is not an Olympic sport due to its ‘cost’ and ‘complexity’. Fans hope that the shortened version of the game known as Twenty20 is accepted in the future.