| Cricket is a very old game that is steeped in tradition. | | | | spectator game with large crowds watching matches |
| The earlier types of cricket go back to at least the | | | | and more formal games being arranged. Lords cricket |
| thirteenth century and the roots of the game can be | | | | club in London was established in 1787 as the home |
| traced back to the south of England. It seems to | | | | of cricket. It is still one of the most important and |
| have been popular among the families of farmers in | | | | traditional clubs in cricket today. It is the home of the |
| the south east. A game that seems to be similar was | | | | MCC who are the official holders of the rules of |
| even mentioned as early as thirteen hundred, | | | | cricket. In the nineteenth century cricket became |
| although it is not sure that this was cricket. However, | | | | more like the game it is today with the start of over |
| the first known reference to the name cricket was | | | | arm bowling. This made the game a lot better as it |
| made in the late sixteenth century in the south of | | | | was more accurate and made it much more |
| England. This was at a school where the game was | | | | interesting to watch. In the mid nineteenth century, |
| being played. The origin of the name "cricket" is not | | | | the first overseas tour was to America and it was |
| actually known, but there are many possible sources | | | | then followed some years later by a tour to Australia |
| for the name. One of the most popular ideas is that | | | | to the Melbourne Cricket Ground. In 1864 the great |
| it is from the French language. The word could even | | | | cricketer WG Grace began playing cricket. He was to |
| be from the French word criqet which means bat. | | | | influence the game more than any other single |
| Although there are also Flemish and Old English | | | | person. He was a doctor and continued to practice |
| contenders for the title. Actually even the French | | | | when he was not playing the game. He played at the |
| word criqet is originally from the Flemish. So it is not | | | | top level for over forty years. He scored over one |
| really possible to say exactly where the name cricket | | | | thousand two hundred runs in the year 1902 when |
| is from, but it has been around since at least the end | | | | he was fifty four. He was a very domineering |
| of the sixteenth century. In the year sixteen hundred | | | | character and was well known for arguing with the |
| the game of cricket was first brought to India by the | | | | umpires when he did not like their decisions. In the |
| east India Company. During the seventeenth century | | | | mid twentieth century, the crowds got to see the |
| the game became more and more popular in the | | | | greatest batsmen that ever lived, the Australian Don |
| south east of England and it was played by a lot | | | | Bradman. He was so good that the England team |
| more people at this time as there are numerous | | | | resorted to very direct tactics in the "bodyline |
| references to the game during the seventeenth | | | | series", where they bowled at the man instead of |
| century. After a while it was played in a more formal | | | | the wicket in an attempt to beat the Australian team. |
| fashion in the later part of this century. It is even | | | | This was so controversial that it led to strained |
| thought that there might have been professional | | | | diplomatic relations between England and Australia |
| players at this time. It is certain that some of these | | | | until the start of the Second World War. In the |
| games were played for large amounts of money and | | | | sixties the game changed as limited over matches |
| there was a lot of gambling on the matches that | | | | were played and made the game much more |
| were being played in the seventeenth century. This is | | | | accessible to many more people. This started the |
| also when the number of players was established at | | | | one day internationals and the first one was played in |
| eleven on each side. This is a time that was very | | | | 1971. The game became even more accessible in |
| important for the game as it was when it really | | | | recent years with the start of Twenty20 cricket. |
| became the early prototype of the game that it is | | | | This is where each team has a maximum of twenty |
| today, although the bowling technique had not yet | | | | overs and makes the game much faster and it |
| been formalised. During the eighteenth century there | | | | generally lasts for no more than 3 hours. Even today |
| were more and more references to the game and it | | | | the game continues to change and gets better and it |
| was much more widespread at this time. There were | | | | is likely to carry on that way. |
| numerous references to the game being played and | | | | Do you want a brand new cricket bat? Browse and |
| there were stories of very high stakes being bet on | | | | buy hundreds of high quality cheap cricket bats online |
| the games. It also became a much more popular | | | | and score lots of runs in your next match. |