| Cricket is a sport of English origin, which has become | | | | Glamorgan (1921); the competition was attracting |
| increasingly influenced by international interest. As | | | | interest across England and Wales. The county |
| commercial opportunities have arisen, the sport has | | | | championship had no fixed setup until after the |
| made itself more appealing to its followers. | | | | Second World War. In 1968 a format was agreed |
| There is evidence to suggest cricket was played, in | | | | that stayed in place until the 1990s. By this time |
| some form as long ago as the 11th century, but it | | | | county cricket was in disarray; teams were getting |
| was not until 1646 when the first organised game | | | | into debt as crowds sharply declined. |
| took place for a bet of twelve candles. | | | | After the addition of an eighteenth county, a two |
| Cricket continued to develop for another hundred | | | | division championship was set up to remedy the |
| years or so without any standard written rules. The | | | | problem of diminished interest, but this did little to |
| earliest laws of the game were formally composed in | | | | help the crumbling county game, which still struggles |
| 1744. Although it would be another 43 years before | | | | greatly as gate revenue fails to compensate for |
| any central governing body existed. In 1787 | | | | overheads. |
| Marylebone Cricket Club (more commonly known as | | | | However the tale of the international game is very |
| the MCC) was set up at Lord's Cricket Ground to | | | | different. England and Australia began to play against |
| protect the standard laws of cricket. | | | | other countries. South Africa became an official test |
| The MCC was to be the international guardian of | | | | cricket nation in 1888. West Indies, New Zealand and |
| cricket for another two hundred years and it is still to | | | | India followed in the years after World War One. |
| this day, the copyright holder of the "Laws of | | | | Pakistan became a test nation when they split from |
| Cricket". | | | | India in 1947. |
| Despite its previously strong English history, the first | | | | From then on no major changes occurred in |
| international cricket game was between the USA and | | | | international cricket, until 1970 when South Africa |
| Canada in New Jersey in 1844. The MCC later | | | | were suspended for their government's policy of |
| adopted a policy to encourage the global | | | | apartheid. |
| development of cricket - particularly in British colonies, | | | | The following year, a one day match was trialled |
| where the sport was becoming increasingly popular. | | | | between Australia and England. This form proved to |
| The first international game played by England was | | | | be more attractive than test cricket, since then |
| not until 1877, when James Lillywhite captained a side | | | | one-day-international series have regularly |
| that travelled to Australia and lost at the Melbourne | | | | accompanied headlining test series between all |
| Cricket Ground. The event was a tremendous | | | | nations. A regular World Cup now takes place every |
| success and arrangements were hurriedly made for a | | | | four years as a one-day-international tournament. |
| rematch, which was won by England. This lengthy | | | | In 1993 came the biggest sign of the shift in world |
| format of match (typically lasting five days) was to | | | | cricket - the MCC handed over global authority to the |
| become "test cricket". | | | | International Cricket Council, whilst allowing the ECB |
| Australia played a return match in 1882 and defeated | | | | (England and Wales Cricket Board) to handle |
| England at the Oval. It was seen as a national shame | | | | domestic affairs. Regardless of its decline, it still holds |
| and a mock obituary appeared in The Sporting Times | | | | the copyright to the Laws of Cricket. |
| the following day. It announced the death of English | | | | Today the ICC fully controls world cricket and the |
| cricket, infamously stating "the body will be cremated | | | | game's new power base is arguably India; a country |
| and the ashes taken to Australia". This later spawned | | | | of one billion inhabitants where cricket is the sole |
| an ongoing battle between the nations for ownership | | | | national sport, but growth is global; Sri Lanka, |
| of these fabled Ashes. | | | | Zimbabwe and Bangladesh have all gained test status |
| Regardless of the national team's failure at that time, | | | | in the past quarter of a century and South Africa |
| domestic cricket in England continued to thrive. And | | | | were reinstated in 1991. |
| eventually, in 1890 the inaugural County Championship | | | | Cricket is continuing to flourish in more and more |
| took place, comprising eight regional teams. | | | | countries and with the teams choosing to employ |
| It had expanded to fifteen teams by 1900 and with | | | | more attractive tactics; the sport's future has never |
| the addition of Northamptonshire (1905) and | | | | looked more prosperous than it does now. |