HISTORY OF CRICKET

Cricket is Today the 2nd most popular sport in the World, 2nd only to Association Football.

The earliest evidence of a cricket-like game being played dates all the way back 1301 In Newenden, Kent...

The term cricket drives from the Old French word "Creckett" one of many old-language variations of the word for 'Stick'.

The first mention of cricket as a sport played by adults sport was in 1611, when two men in Sussex were prosecuted for playing cricket on Sunday instead of going to church. 

• (1697)  First reference to "a great match" with 11 players a side for fifty guineas, In Sussex.

• The game underwent major development in the 18th Century and become the national sport of England.

• (1709) The first record inter-county match was between Kent and Surrey.

• (1729) Date of the earliest surviving cricket bat, now housed in the pavilion at The Oval.

• (1744) Laws of cricket issued by the London Club, formalizing the Pitch 22 yards long.

• (1744) The modern straight bat takes the place of the "Old Hockey Stick" shape.

• (1771) Width of bat limited to 4 1/4 inches, where it has remained ever since.

• (1778) George Washington's troops played what they called "Wickets" at Valley Forge during the summer time.

• (1844) The first ever international game was between the USA and Canada, played at the grounds of the St George's Cricket Club in New York.

Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test Status", as determined by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

(1844) First Test Match:

Australia beat England by 45 runs in Melbourne.

 

(1880) First Test in England:

A Five-wicket win against Australia at The Oval.

(1889) South Africa's First Test Match:

(1909) Imperial Cricket Conference:

(ICC-now the International Cricket Council) set up, with England, Australia and South Africa the original members.

(1928) West Indies' First Test Match:

(1930) New Zealand's First Test Match:

(1932) India's First Test Match:

(1948) First Five-Day Tests in England:

(1952) Pakistan's First Test Match:

(1960) First tied Test, Australia vs West Indies at Brisbane.

(1975) First World Cup: West Indies beat Australia in Final at Lord's. 

(1982) Sir Lanka's First Test Match:

(1992) Zimbabwe's First Test Match:

(2000) Bangladesh's First Test Match:

2001-Sir Don Bradman, arguably the greatest cricketer ever, dies at the age 92.