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