Cricket originated as a children’s game for many generations before adults increasingly adopted it. It is a widely adopted sport popular in New Zealand, England, and the Netherlands.
The game is also known as the “Gentleman’s game,” and it is the national sport of England.
The ball and bat game evolved in the 16th century and later spread globally. Initially, the bats used during the game were similar to the hockey sticks that date back to 1729.
There was a change in the structure of the bat to enable it to hit the bounced ball. In 1960, shoulderless bats changed the interest in playing Twenty-Twenty cricket.
History of Cricket
There are many theories put forward suggesting the origins and history of cricket. Various individuals have also conducted extensive research and studies to trace its history and come out with various versions. However, there is common knowledge that the game originated from some shepherds or children’s activity during the Saxon times in England.
In the 17th century, the English colonies introduced the game to North Americans. It was introduced to other parts of the world in the 18th century.
However, there is a known history that cricket began in the late 16th century and originated in Southeast England. The sport became a national sport in the country in the 18th century and developed globally in the 19th and 20th centuries.
The initial reference to the game found in a court case occurred in 1598 regarding a land dispute. At the time, John Derrick testified to playing the “creckett” game with his friends half a century ago on the land.
The spelling of the game “creckett” later changed to “cricket”. This shows that the game has been in existence since the 1500s.
Due to the expansion of the British empire, the settlers and soldiers introduced the game to the colonies they were heading. In 1751, the game spread throughout England and faced its first real crisis during the Seven Years’ War. The war resulted in a lack of investments and a shortage of players, which caused the major matches to cease.
Cricket as a Gambling Game
Cricket first attracted gamblers that made large bets after the 1960 Restoration. It thrived greatly in the gambling world and gained recognition as people placed huge bets in the matches. Cricket became a major gambling game towards the end of the 17th century and thrived in the 18th century.
In 1709, there was a match played between Kent and Surrey at Dartford Brent. There was also the emergence of two types of cricket players in the 18th century.
These players are known as the individual player and the retained player. The individual player could play for payment with his skills, while the retained player was a cricketer and the servant of the Lord.
Other changes also began to occur regarding the game in the 18th century. There were large crowds gathered to watch the matches taking place on the Artillery Ground in Finsbury, London.
The limited-overs variant introduced by the English countries started a new era for cricket in 1963. It increased the number of games logistically played. The increase led to the first limited overs One Day International (ODI) Cricket World Cup in 1975 England.
Today, the game keeps evolving while also staying true to its origins. Various casino online sites offer live cricket betting options for their players. The latest significant change introduced to the game is the “Twenty20”. Twenty20 is a new form of the limited-overs game created that is now gaining popularity.
Popular Cricket Tournaments
The following are some of the popular cricket tournaments in the world today:
- T20 World Cup: This is one of the most popular T20 Tournaments in the world, held by ICC (International Cricket Council). The tournament started in 2007 and occurred in a T20 International format. It is always full of interest, enthusiasm, and entertainment. India won the first tournament, which occurred in 2011.
- ICC Cricket World Cup: It is the most popular cricket tournament in the world, administered by ICC. This tournament started in 1975 and is the most prestigious tournament in cricket history today. ICC Cricket World Cup makes use of the One-Day International format. The tournament occurs once every four years.
- ICC Champions Trophy: This is the world’s second most popular Cricket Tournament, administered by ICC in 1998. The tournament operates using the One-Day International format. Australia and India’s teams are the most successful in this tournament.
- Champions League Twenty20: BCCI, Cricket South Africa, and Cricket Australia administered the champions league in 2008. The tournament makes use of the format of Twenty20. It is similar to IPL, and the most successful teams in this league are Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings.
The Globalisation of Cricket
Although Australia and England were the first playing cricket nations in 1877, the game is now widely accepted in various nations.
Each of these countries has an international team competing in a separate Twenty20 League and Test Matches. Some of these playing nations and the years they adopted the games are:
| Countries | Year Accepted |
| Pakistan | 1952 |
| South Africa | 1889 |
| Afghanistan | 2018 |
| New Zealand | 1930 |
| Ireland | 2018 |
| Zimbabwe | 1992 |
Also, online football gaming is very widespread all over the world too. For those, who like to play different games it can be useful to try some games online.
Test Cricket
Test cricket is the highest and longest standard form, often played by national teams. ICC often determines the game’s duration, lasting five or longer days. During the game, each team consists of eleven players that play for four innings. The first official Test match series occurred from the 15th to the 19th of March 1877.
The first Test match was between Australia and England at MCG in Australia. In 2012, ICC permitted day/night matches, and the first day/night match occurred in 2015. Women’s Test cricket is often played slightly differently for four days.
ODI
This is a limited-overs format where each team faces 50 overs. The Cricket World Cup follows this format, occurring for four years. These matches are the “Limited Overs Internationals” (LOI). The first ODI played was between England and Australia at Melbourne Cricket Ground in 1971.
Initially, this format occurs with 60-over matches played, which may vary to 45 or 55 overs with time. However, today, 50 overs are often fixed for this variant of cricket.
The rules in this variant are generic, and each bowler can only bowl a maximum of 10 overs. Therefore, each team must provide at least five bowlers to cover up to 50 overs.
T20 Cricket
Twenty-20 cricket is a variant of cricket with 20 overs created in 2003 by the ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board). This variant was for an intercounty competition in Wales and England that revolutionised the game.
Each team can only have a single inning of 20 overs (120 balls) in this variant. The rules or laws of T20 cricket are the same as those of traditional one-day cricket matches.
The typical T20 game goes on for about three hours. During these hours, there are 10 minutes of breaks between the innings, and each team has 90 minutes to play.
Most test-playing nations often play this format and have domestic cup competitions. Each bowler in the variant of the game has a maximum of four overs.
The following are some of the rules of T20 Cricket:
- Five-run penalties: Here, an umpire can award a team five bonus runs if the opposition needlessly wastes time. This rule helps to keep the pace and flow of a T20 match.
- 90-second rule: If a wicket falls in a T20 match, the following batsman will take up his wicket position within ninety seconds. However, if the batsman does not take the position, they may be disqualified from the match.
- Bowl-outs: The bowl-outs occur at the end of a tied T20 match. Five bowlers from each team can bowl twice at the wicket without any batsman obstruction. The team with the highest number of wickets toppled wins the game.
- Free Hit: The Free Hit penalises the bowler that oversteps his mark and delivers a no-ball. It means the batsman will only be given out for that delivery when he runs out. The batsman receives a free swing without any repercussions.
Cricket is prestigious and one of the most popular games worldwide. Several individuals love to watch cricket matches. Over the years, the game has evolved, giving players more options and variants.
The first existence of cricket documented was in 1598, and it has since become a global game.