The great game of cricket is relatively young when compared to some sports; said to have originated in the southeast of England, during Saxon or Norman times. The Weald is a picturesque part of the southeast and the first written reference to cricket came in the 16th century, when children invented a game and it became so popular that adults started to play, adding rules and features.
Cricket spread to Europe
The game was exported to other parts of England and across the English Channel to France and Europe. The bat was obviously made from wood and the ball was often made from matted sheep wool; there are references in old texts to a bat that was also a farming implement. People of those times were very resourceful, which meant they would make the best use of what they had and it was a few decades before there was any kind of uniformity. If you are looking for top quality cricket gear, you can buy cricket bats from a leading Australian supplier, where you will find a wide range of cricket gear at affordable prices.
New World
When European settlers sailed to America in the 17th century, they took many things with them and cricket was played by the working class when they had free time. Of course, the settlers retained much of the culture and cricket teams were set up and small leagues were formed.
English colonisation
The Commonwealth saw cricket exported to India and Australia, where it quickly took hold and its popularity spread. Gambling helped to establish cricket, both in England and Commonwealth countries and in the early 18th century, rules were established and they were taken up by most players; terms such as wicket, slips, over, spin bowling and boundary were introduced.
Further development
In the British Isles, cricket began to spread and county teams were formed in Yorkshire, London Dartford; by the 19th century, official County teams were playing each other in a league and teams would travel far to compete against each other. Click here for information on Travis Head’s amazing second century.
International cricket
The 19th century saw the very first international cricket match between the US and Canada in 1844 with a match in New York. In 1862, the English cricket team toured Australia and in 1868, the very first Australian team toured England. The very first Test Matches were played in 1877 between Australia and England and the Ashes were born. In 1889, South Africa created an international team that toured England.
Fast forward to today, when cricket is more popular than ever, especially here in Australia; if you are looking to buy quality cricket gear, the online supplier is the best place to find the top brands. Lots of parents school their kids on this unique sport and all schools have cricket teams, which will ensure that the sport continues to develop and that the next generations carry on playing cricket.
