A brief history of cricket | Cricket | ESPN Cricinfo A brief history of cricket Click here for some more detailed aspects of cricket history The origins of cricket lie somewhere in the Dark Ages - probably after the Roman Empire, almost certainly before the Normans invaded England, and almost certainly somewhere in Northern Europe. All research concedes that the game derived from a very old, widespread and uncomplicated pastime by which one player served up an object, be it a small piece of wood or a ball, and another hit it with a suitably fashioned club. How and when this club-ball game developed into one where the hitter defended a target against the thrower is simply not known. Nor is there any evidence as to when points were awarded dependent upon how far the hitter was able to despatch the missile; nor when helpers joined the two-player contest, thus beginning the evolution into a team game; nor when the defining concept of placing wickets at either end of the pitch was adopted.

Etymological scholarship has variously placed the game in the Celtic, Scandinavian, Anglo-Saxon, Dutch and Norman-French traditions; sociological historians have variously attributed its mediaeval development to high-born country landowners, emigré Flemish cloth-workers, shepherds on the close-cropped downland of south-east England and the close-knit communities of iron- and glass-workers deep in the Kentish Weald. Most of these theories have a solid academic basis, but none is backed with enough evidence to establish a watertight case. The research goes on. What is agreed is that by Tudor times cricket had evolved far enough from club-ball to be recognisable as the game played today; that it was well established in many parts of Kent, Sussex and Surrey; that within a few years it had become a feature of leisure time at a significant number of schools; and - a sure sign of the wide acceptance of any game - that it had become popular enough among young men to earn the disapproval of local magistrates. Dates in cricket history 1550 (approx) Evidence of cricket being played in Guildford, Surrey. 1598 Cricket mentioned in Florio's Italian-English dictionary.

1610 Reference to "cricketing" between Weald and Upland near Chevening, Kent. 1611 Randle Cotgrave's French-English dictionary translates the French word "crosse" as a cricket staff. Two youths fined for playing cricket at Sidlesham, Sussex. 1624 Jasper Vinall becomes first man known to be killed playing cricket: hit by a bat while trying to catch the ball - at Horsted Green, Sussex. 1676 First reference to cricket being played abroad, by British residents in Aleppo, Syria. 1694 Two shillings and sixpence paid for a "wagger" (wager) about a cricket match at Lewes. 1697 First reference to "a great match" with 11 players a side for fifty guineas, in Sussex. 1700 Cricket match announced on Clapham Common. 1709 First recorded inter-county match: Kent v Surrey. 1710 First reference to cricket at Cambridge University. 1727 Articles of Agreement written governing the conduct of matches between the teams of the Duke of Richmond and Mr Brodrick of Peperharow, Surrey.

1729 Date of earliest surviving bat, belonging to John Chitty, now in the pavilion at The Oval. 1730 First recorded match at the Artillery Ground, off City Road, central London, still the cricketing home of the Honourable Artillery Company. 1744 Kent beat All England by one wicket at the Artillery Ground. First known version of the Laws of Cricket, issued by the London Club, formalising the pitch as 22 yards long. 1767 (approx) Foundation of the Hambledon Club in Hampshire, the leading club in England for the next 30 years. 1769 First recorded century, by John Minshull for Duke of Dorset's XI v Wrotham. 1771 Width of bat limited to 4 1/4 inches, where it has remained ever since. 1774 LBW law devised. 1776 Earliest known scorecards, at the Vine Club, Sevenoaks, Kent. 1780 The first six-seamed cricket ball, manufactured by Dukes of Penshurst, Kent.

1787 First match at Thomas Lord's first ground, Dorset Square, Marylebone - White Conduit Club v Middlesex. Formation of Marylebone Cricket Club by members of the White Conduit Club. 1788 First revision of the Laws of Cricket by MCC. 1794 First recorded inter-schools match: Charterhouse v Westminster. 1795 First recorded case of a dismissal "leg before wicket". 1806 First Gentlemen v Players match at Lord's. 1807 First mention of "straight-armed" (i.e. round-arm) bowling: by John Willes of Kent. 1809 Thomas Lord's second ground opened at North Bank, St John's Wood. 1811 First recorded women's county match: Surrey v Hampshire at Ball's Pond, London. 1814 Lord's third ground opened on its present site, also in St John's Wood. 1827 First Oxford v Cambridge match, at Lord's. A draw. 1828 MCC authorise the bowler to raise his hand level with the elbow . 1833 John Nyren publishes his classic Young Cricketer's Tutor and The Cricketers of My Time.

1836 First North v South match, for many years regarded as the principal fixture of the season. 1836 (approx) Batting pads invented. 1841 General Lord Hill, commander-in-chief of the British Army, orders that a cricket ground be made an adjunct of every military barracks. 1844 First official international match: Canada v United States. 1845 First match played at The Oval. 1846 The All-England XI, organised by William Clarke, begins playing matches, often against odds, throughout the country. 1849 First Yorkshire v Lancashire match. 1850 Wicket-keeping gloves first used. 1850 John Wisden bowls all ten batsmen in an innings for North v South. 1853 First mention of a champion county: Nottinghamshire. 1858 First recorded instance of a hat being awarded to a bowler taking three wickets with consecutive balls. 1859 First touring team to leave England, captained by George Parr, draws enthusiastic crowds in the US and Canada. 1864 Overhand bowling authorised by MCC. John Wisden's The Cricketer's Almanack first published.

1868 Team of Australian aborigines tour England. 1873 WG Grace becomes the first player to record 1,000 runs and 100 wickets in a season. First regulations restricting county qualifications, often regarded as the official start of the County Championship. 1877 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. 1882 Following England's first defeat by Australia in England, an "obituary notice" to English cricket in the Sporting Times leads to the tradition of The Ashes. 1889 South Africa's first Test match. Declarations first authorised, but only on the third day, or in a one-day match. 1890 County Championship officially constituted. Present Lord's pavilion opened . 1895 WG Grace scores 1,000 runs in May, and reaches his 100th hundred. 1899 AEJ Collins scores 628 not out in a junior house match at Clifton College, the highest individual score in any match . Selectors choose England team for home Tests, instead of host club issuing invitations.

1900 Six-ball over becomes the norm, instead of five. 1909 Imperial Cricket Conference (ICC - now the International Cricket Council) set up, with England, Australia and South Africa the original members. 1910 Six runs given for any hit over the boundary, instead of only for a hit out of the ground. 1912 First and only triangular Test series played in England, involving England, Australia and South Africa. 1915 WG Grace dies , aged 67. 1926 Victoria score 1,107 v New South Wales at Melbourne, the record total for a first-class innings. 1928 West Indies' first Test match. AP "Tich" Freeman of Kent and England becomes the only player to take more than 300 first-class wickets in a season: 304. 1930 New Zealand's first Test match. Donald Bradman's first tour of England: he scores 974 runs in the five Ashes Tests, still a record for any Test series. 1931 Stumps made higher (28 inches not 27) and wider (nine inches not eight - this was optional until 1947).

1932 India's first Test match. Hedley Verity of Yorkshire takes ten wickets for ten runs v Nottinghamshire, the best innings analysis in first-class cricket. 1932-33 The Bodyline tour of Australia in which England bowl at batsmen's bodies with a packed leg-side field to neutralise Bradman's scoring. 1934 Jack Hobbs retires, with 197 centuries and 61,237 runs, both records. First women's Test: Australia v England at Brisbane. 1935 MCC condemn and outlaw Bodyline. 1947 Denis Compton of Middlesex and England scores a record 3,816 runs in an English season. 1948 First five-day Tests in England. Bradman concludes Test career with a second-ball duck at The Oval and a batting average of 99.94 - four runs short of 100. 1952 Pakistan's first Test match. 1953 England regain the Ashes after a 19-year gap, the longest ever.

1956 Jim Laker of England takes 19 wickets for 90 v Australia at Manchester, the best match analysis in first-class cricket. 1957 Declarations authorised at any time. 1960 First tied Test, Australia v West Indies at Brisbane. 1963 Distinction between amateur and professional cricketers abolished in English cricket. The first major one-day tournament begins in England: the Gillette Cup. 1969 Limited-over Sunday league inaugurated for first-class counties. 1970 Proposed South African tour of England cancelled: South Africa excluded from international cricket because of their government's apartheid policies. 1971 First one-day international: Australia v England at Melbourne. 1975 First World Cup: West Indies beat Australia in final at Lord's. 1976 First women's match at Lord's, England v Australia. 1977 Centenary Test at Melbourne, with identical result to the first match: Australia beat England by 45 runs. Australian media tycoon Kerry Packer, signs 51 of the world's leading players in defiance of the cricketing authorities.

1978 Graham Yallop of Australia wears a protective helmet to bat in a Test match, the first player to do so. 1979 Packer and official cricket agree peace deal. 1980 Eight-ball over abolished in Australia, making the six-ball over universal. 1981 England beat Australia in Leeds Test, after following on with bookmakers offering odds of 500 to 1 against them winning. 1982 Sri Lanka's first Test match. 1991 South Africa return, with a one-day international in India. 1992 Zimbabwe's first Test match. Durham become the first county since Glamorgan in 1921 to attain firstclass status. 1993 The ICC ceases to be administered by MCC, becoming an independent organisation with its own chief executive. 1994 Brian Lara of Warwickshire becomes the only player to pass 500 in a firstclass innings: 501 not out v Durham. 2000 South Africa's captain Hansie Cronje banned from cricket for life after admitting receiving bribes from bookmakers in match-fixing scandal. Bangladesh's first Test match.

County Championship split into two divisions, with promotion and relegation. The Laws of Cricket revised and rewritten. 2001 Sir Donald Bradman dies, aged 92. 2003 Twenty20 Cup, a 20-over-per-side evening tournament, inaugurated in England. 2004 Lara becomes the first man to score 400 in a Test innings, against England. 2005 The ICC introduces Powerplays and Supersubs in ODIs, and hosts the inaugural Superseries. 2006 Pakistan forfeit a Test at The Oval after being accused of ball tampering. Resources relating to the history of cricket General The measurements of cricket - the origin of the dimensions of cricket by AR Littlewood. National cricket | sport | Britannica.com Cricket gridiron football Cricket, England ’s national summer sport, which is now played throughout the world, particularly in Australia, India, Pakistan, the West Indies, and the British Isles . England’s Alec Stewart batting in front of Namibia’s Melt Van Schoor during the Cricket World Cup … Michael Walker—AP/Wide World Photos Cricket is played with a bat and ball and involves two competing sides (teams) of 11 players.

The field is oval with a rectangular area in the middle, known as the pitch, that is 22 yards (20.12 metres) by 10 feet (3.04 metres) wide. Two sets of three sticks, called wickets , are set in the ground at each end of the pitch. Across the top of each wicket lie horizontal pieces called bails. The sides take turns at batting and bowling (pitching); each turn is called an “innings” (always plural). Sides have one or two innings each, depending on the prearranged duration of the match, the object being to score the most runs. The bowlers, delivering the ball with a straight arm, try to break (hit) the wicket with the ball so that the bails fall. This is one of several ways that the batsman is dismissed, or put out. A bowler delivers six balls at one wicket (thus completing an “over”), then a different player from his side bowls six balls to the opposite wicket. The batting side defends its wicket. Location of wickets and principal playing positions on cricket field. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

There are two batsman up at a time, and the batsman being bowled to (the striker) tries to hit the ball away from the wicket. A hit may be defensive or offensive. A defensive hit may protect the wicket but leave the batsmen no time to run to the opposite wicket. In that case the batsmen need not run, and play will resume with another bowl. If the batsman can make an offensive hit, he and the second batsman (the nonstriker) at the other wicket change places. Each time both batsmen can reach the opposite wicket, one run is scored. Providing they have enough time without being caught out and dismissed, the batsmen may continue to cross back and forth between the wickets, earning an additional run for each time both reach the opposite side. There is an outside boundary around the cricket field. A ball hit to or beyond the boundary scores four points if it hits the ground and then reaches the boundary, six points if it reaches the boundary from the air (a fly ball). The team with the highest number of runs wins a match. Should both teams be unable to complete their number of innings before the time allotted, the match is declared a draw.

Scores in the hundreds are common in cricket. Similar Topics Matches in cricket can range from informal weekend afternoon encounters on village greens to top-level international contests spread over five days in Test matches and played by leading professional players in grand stadiums. History Origin Cricket is believed to have begun possibly as early as the 13th century as a game in which country boys bowled at a tree stump or at the hurdle gate into a sheep pen. This gate consisted of two uprights and a crossbar resting on the slotted tops; the crossbar was called a bail and the entire gate a wicket . The fact that the bail could be dislodged when the wicket was struck made this preferable to the stump , which name was later applied to the hurdle uprights. Early manuscripts differ about the size of the wicket, which acquired a third stump in the 1770s, but by 1706 the pitch—the area between the wickets—was 22 yards long. British Culture and Politics The ball , once presumably a stone, has remained much the same since the 17th century.

Its modern weight of between 5.5 and 5.75 ounces (156 and 163 grams) was established in 1774. The primitive bat was no doubt a shaped branch of a tree, resembling a modern hockey stick but considerably longer and heavier. The change to a straight bat was made to defend against length bowling, which had evolved with cricketers in Hambledon, a small village in southern England. The bat was shortened in the handle and straightened and broadened in the blade, which led to forward play, driving, and cutting . As bowling technique was not very advanced during this period, batting dominated bowling through the 18th century. The early years EU Considers Rules For Robots The earliest reference to an 11-a-side match, played in Sussex for a stake of 50 guineas, dates from 1697. In 1709 Kent met Surrey in the first recorded intercounty match at Dartford, and it is probable that about this time a code of laws (rules) existed for the conduct of the game, although the earliest known version of such rules is dated 1744.

Sources suggest that cricket was limited to the southern counties of England during the early 18th century, but its popularity grew and eventually spread to London, notably to the Artillery Ground, Finsbury, which saw a famous match between Kent and All-England in 1744. Heavy betting and disorderly crowds were common at matches. The aforementioned Hambledon Club, playing in Hampshire on Broadhalfpenny Down, was the predominant cricket force in the second half of the 18th century before the rise of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) in London. Formed from a cricket club that played at White Conduit Fields, the club moved to Lord’s Cricket Ground in St. Marylebone borough in 1787 and became the MCC and in the following year published its first revised code of laws. Lord’s, which was named after its founder, Thomas Lord, has had three locations over its history. Moving to the current ground in St. John’s Wood in 1814, Lord’s became the headquarters of world cricket. In 1836 the first match of North counties versus South counties was played, providing clear evidence of the spread of cricket.

In 1846 the All-England XI, founded by William Clarke of Nottingham, began touring the country, and from 1852, when some of the leading professionals (including John Wisden, who later compiled the first of the famous Wisden almanacs on cricketing) seceded to form the United All-England XI, these two teams monopolized the best cricket talent until the rise of county cricket. They supplied the players for the first English touring team overseas in 1859. Technical development Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram Pinterest Until early in the 19th century all bowling was underhand, and most bowlers favoured the high-tossed lob. Next came “the round-arm revolution,” in which many bowlers began raising the point at which they released the ball. Controversy raged furiously, and in 1835 the MCC rephrased the law to allow the hand to be raised as high as the shoulder. The new style led to a great increase in pace, or bowling speed. Gradually bowlers raised the hand higher and higher in defiance of the law.

Matters were brought to a head in 1862 when an England team playing against Surrey left the field at London’s Kennington Oval in protest over a “no ball” call (i.e., an umpire’s decision that the bowler has thrown an illegal pitch). The argument centred on whether the bowler should be allowed to raise his arm above the shoulder. As a result of this controversy, the bowler was in 1864 officially accorded liberty to bowl overhand (but not to cock and straighten the arm). This change dramatically altered the game, making it yet more difficult for a batsman to judge the ball. Already a bowler was allowed to take a running start from any direction and for any distance. Once the bowler was allowed to release overhand, the ball could then reach speeds above 90 mph (145 km/hr). Though this is not as fast as the pitching speed in baseball , cricket has an additional twist in that the ball is usually delivered so as to bounce on the pitch (field) before the batsman can hit it. Thus, the ball may curve to the right or the left, bounce low or high, or spin toward or away from the batsman.

Batsmen learned to protect themselves with pads and batting gloves, and a cane handle increased the resilience of the bat. Only the best batsmen, however, could cope with fast bowling, because the poor condition of most pitches made it yet more difficult for a batsman to predict the motion of the ball. As the grounds improved, however, batsmen grew accustomed to the new bowling style and went on the offensive. Other new bowling styles were also discovered, causing batsmen to adjust their technique further. Britannica Lists & Quizzes Editor Picks: Exploring 10 Types of Basketball Movies In the early 20th century so many runs were being scored that debate ensued on reforming the “leg-before-wicket ” law, which had been introduced in the 1774 laws to prohibit a batsman from using his body to prevent the ball from hitting his wicket. But the heavy scores were actually due to the performances of several outstanding batsmen, such as W.G. Grace , Sir John Berry Hobbs , and K.S. Ranjitsinhji (later the maharaja of Nawanagar). This was cricket’s golden age. W.G. Grace (right), batting in an 1890s match.

The Bettmann Archive In the 20th century there was a series of attempts to aid the bowler and quicken the tempo of the game. Nevertheless, the game by the mid-20th century was characterized not by overwhelming offense but by defensive play on both sides and by a slow pace. In an attempt to shore up a declining fan base, one-day, or limited-overs, cricket was introduced. One-day cricket had first been played internationally when, after a Test match was rained out for the first days, on the last scheduled day of play a limited-overs match was held in order to give the fans some game to watch. The response was enthusiastic, and one-day cricket came into being. In this version of cricket the limited number of overs (usually 50 per side) leads to a faster paced though much-altered game. In one-day cricket there are some restrictions on placement of fielders. This led to new batting styles, such as the paddle shot (wherein the ball is hit behind the wicket because there are usually no fielders there) and the lofted shot (where the batsman tries to hit the ball past the fielders and over their heads).

Twenty20 (T20) , a style of one-day cricket consisting of 20 overs per side, debuted in 2003 and quickly became an international sensation. The first Twenty20 world championship was held in 2007, and one-day cricket, particularly Twenty20, became more popular than Test matches worldwide, although Test cricket retained a large following in England. The pace of Test matches increased dramatically in the late 20th century with the introduction of new bowling strategies. Organization of sport and types of competition Trending Topics Lady Flora Hastings County and university cricket Some of the earliest organized cricket matches were between amateur and professional players. From 1806 (annually from 1819) to 1962, the Gentlemen-versus-Players match pitted the best amateurs against the best professionals. The series was ended in 1962 when the MCC and the counties abandoned the distinction between amateurs and professionals. Other early cricket matches took place between British universities. The Oxford -versus- Cambridge match, for example, has been played mainly at Lord’s since 1827 and became a high point of the summer season in London.

University cricket was a kind of nursery for county cricket—i.e., matches between the various counties of England. Although the press acclaimed a “champion county” (Sussex) as early as 1827, qualification rules for county cricket were not laid down until 1873, and it was only in 1890 that the format of the county championship was formalized by the counties themselves. Gloucestershire dominated the 1870s, thanks to W.G. Grace and his brothers E.M. and G.F. Grace. From the 1880s to World War I , Nottinghamshire , Surrey , Yorkshire , Lancashire , Kent , and Middlesex constituted the Big Six that dominated county cricket. After World War I the northern counties, led by Yorkshire and Lancashire, largely professional teams, were the leaders. Surrey, with seven successive championships, dominated in the 1950s and Yorkshire in the 1960s, followed by Kent and Middlesex in the 1970s. The 1980s were dominated by Middlesex, Worcestershire , Essex , and Nottinghamshire.

Other counties in first-class county cricket are Leicestershire , Somerset , Hampshire , Durham , Derbyshire , Warwickshire , Sussex , Northamptonshire , and Glamorgan . After a postwar boom, slow play and lower numbers of runs characterized the 1950s, and this defensive nature of county cricket led to progressively decreased attendance. In the 1960s the MCC and the counties introduced a one-day knockout competition—called the Gillette Cup (1963–1980), the NatWest Bank Trophy (1981–2000), the C&G Trophy (2000–06), and the Friends Provident Trophy (2006–09)—and a separate Sunday afternoon league (the two competitions were merged in 2010 as the Clydesdale Bank 40), which revived public interest, although most counties remained dependent financially on proceeds from football pools and money received from Test matches and broadcasting fees. The immediate registration of overseas players was permitted, and each county, as of the early 1980s, was allowed one such player, who could, however, still play for his national team.

The change worked well for the counties, and it also strengthened the national teams for whom those players appeared. In county cricket, bonus points were created to encourage batsmen and bowlers to play less defensively, and from 1988, to help the development of young batsmen and spin bowlers, four-day games increasingly replaced the three-day format. The longer game gives batsmen more time to build an innings and relieves them of the pressure to score runs quickly. Spin bowlers benefit from the longer game because the pitch wears as the game progresses and permits greater spin. The Cricket Council and the ECB A reorganization of English cricket took place in 1969, resulting in the end of the MCC’s long reign as the controlling body of the game, though the organization still retains responsibility for the laws. With the establishment of the Sports Council (a government agency charged with control of sports in Great Britain ) and with the possibility of obtaining government aid for cricket, the MCC was asked to create a governing body for the game along the lines generally accepted by other sports in Great Britain. The Cricket Council, comprising the Test and County Cricket Board (TCCB), the National Cricket Association (NCA), and the MCC, was the result of these efforts.

The TCCB, which amalgamated the Advisory County Cricket Committee and the Board of Control of Test Matches at Home, had responsibility for all first-class and minor-counties cricket in England and for overseas tours. The NCA consisted of representatives from clubs, schools, armed services cricket, umpires, and the Women’s Cricket Association. In 1997 there was another reorganization, and the TCCB, the NCA, and the Cricket Council were all subsumed under the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). Marcus K. Williams Rex Alston International cricket International cricket in the early part of the 20th century was dominated by the original members of the Imperial Cricket Conference, England , Australia, and South Africa. Later renamed the International Cricket Conference and then the International Cricket Council , the ICC gradually took over more responsibility for the administration of the game and shifted its power base from west to east. When in 2005 the ICC moved its offices from Lord’s in London—home of the MCC, the game’s original rulers and still its lawmakers—to Dubai , the shift away from the old ways of governance was complete. The priorities of the game changed too.

By the turn of the 21st century, only Australia and England still played Test cricket to full houses. Everywhere else, and particularly in India and Pakistan, crowds flocked to see limited-overs internationals. Test cricket became almost an afterthought. Although the power to change the laws of the game have remained with the MCC, the ICC developed its own Code of Conduct for players, officials, and administrators, which sets out disciplinary procedures and protects the spirit of the game. It also organized major international tournaments, including the one-day and Twenty20 World Cups and the Champions Trophy. In 2000 the ICC set up the Anti-Corruption Unit (renamed the Anti-Corruption Unit and Security Unit in 2003) to combat the growing threat of illegal gambling and match fixing. At the beginning of the 2010s, the ICC had 10 full members and dozens of associate and affiliate members. Lord’s Cricket Ground, London. Paddy Briggs Australia One of the founding members of the ICC, Australia remains one of its most powerful countries both on and off the field.

The history of cricket in Australia dates to 1803 when the game was introduced by the crew of a British ship. The first intercolonial match took place in 1851 between Victoria and Tasmania , and by the end of the 19th century teams from England were touring Australia regularly. The first official Test match was played in Melbourne in 1877 by Australia and England, beginning the oldest rivalry in international cricket, a series that became known as The Ashes (see Test Matches below). D.M. Jones, batsman for Australia’s team in a cricket Test match, placing the ball to the leg side … Colorsport Cricket is played throughout Australia, and matches are ferociously competitive at every level. All the great Australian players from Sir Don Bradman to Shane Warne developed their skills in club cricket before graduating to the state and national teams, and the Australian style of cricket is marked by aggressiveness with bat, ball, and, often, voice in an attempt to intimidate opponents.

Through the 20th century, Australia produced a series of outstanding teams, and the country dominated international cricket into the new century, winning three successive one-day World Cups (1999–2007) and twice recording runs of 16 consecutive Test victories (1999–2001 and 2005–08). In 2005 England’s Test victory over Australia, the first since 1987, was celebrated with an open-top bus ride through the city of London. Australia’s Shane Warne bowling the final ball of his Test career at the fifth Ashes Test match … Rob Griffith/AP Bangladesh In June 2000 Bangladesh became the 10th country to be accorded full Test status. It played its first Test match in November of that year, against India in Dhaka . Known as the Tigers, the Bangladeshi team struggled to perform at the highest level, winning only three of its first 68 Tests. However, Bangladesh has defeated the nine countries that preceded it to Test status in one-day matches, a feat completed with a victory over England in Bristol in 2010.

Bangladesh’s first appearance in an international tournament had come in England in the ICC Trophy competition for associate members in 1979. In 1997 Bangladesh won the trophy and qualified for the 1999 World Cup, beating Pakistan in the group stages. A domestic first-class tournament between six regional teams was established in 2000–01. Since Bangladesh gained Test status, cricket arguably has become the most popular sport in the country. India Cricket is played in every corner of India , on city streets, in village fields, and on maidans—open playing fields, the largest of which (such as the Azad, Cross, and Oval maidans in South Mumbai ) can host dozens of overlapping matches. Historically, Indian cricketers have displayed a good eye and strong wrists, and Indian batsmen, most notably Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin Tendulkar , have been some of the most productive and stylish in the history of cricket. The dry flat pitches of the subcontinent have also traditionally produced high-class spin bowlers. Sunil Gavaskar. Adrian Murrell—Allsport The origins of the game in India date to the 18th century.

A touring team led by the English gentleman cricketer Lord Hawke played a match against the “All India” team in January 1893. India played its first Test in 1932 and waited 20 years for its first Test victory, against England in Madras (now Chennai ). The game developed so fast in India, however, that by the end of the 20th century India was one of the world’s foremost cricketing countries. With the growth of the Indian Premier League in the early 21st century, it became the undisputed home of Twenty20 cricket and the financial hub of the international game, though the popularity of Test cricket has declined dramatically in India. India’s prominence in one-day cricket was further confirmed when it won the Cricket World Cup in 2011. New Zealand Cricket has always taken second place to rugby in the sports priorities of New Zealanders, but, as in Australia, the game has a strong national structure in New Zealand. The long history of domestic cricket in the country is often dated from the first representative interprovincial match, between Auckland and Wellington , in 1860, though there is evidence that unofficial matches between provinces were played in New Zealand decades earlier.

The NZ Cricket Council was formed in 1894 and was admitted to full membership of the ICC in 1926. With only a small base of players on which to draw, New Zealand has always struggled to compete with England and Australia in Test cricket. As in most cricketing countries, the one-day game has proved more popular in New Zealand. In Richard Hadlee, who was knighted in 1990, the country produced one of the greatest cricketers of any era. New Zealand’s Ross Taylor batting a ball as South African wicketkeeper Quinton De Kock (right) … David Rowland/AP Images Pakistan The development of cricket in Pakistan has been chaotic, quixotic , and exotic in roughly equal measure. Under the leadership of Imran Khan , Pakistan won the 1992 World Cup, but often its cricket was blighted by political interference and scandal.

A low point was reached in 2010: To begin with, the national team was in virtual exile, unable to persuade other countries to play in Pakistan for fear of terrorist attacks in the wake of an assault in Lahore on the visiting Sri Lankan team bus in March 2009 that left six policemen dead and several players injured. Moreover, three members of the Pakistani team touring England were involved in allegations of “ spot fixing”—that is, fixing the results of certain bowls in return for money—and were banned by the ICC. Huge profits could be made in illegal betting markets in Asia by predicting the results of individual bowls. Only a few years earlier several Pakistan players also had been banned as a result of investigations over match fixing. Yet Pakistan has also produced a host of talented cricketers such as Khan, Wasim Akram , Abdul Qadir , and Inzamam-ul-Haq and has proved itself adept at Twenty20 cricket, winning the T20 World Cup in 2009. South Africa South Africa played its first Test, against England in Port Elizabeth , as early as in 1889. Cricket has been at the heart of the country’s sporting culture ever since.

When South Africa was banned from the ICC from 1970 to 1991 because of its apartheid policies, cricket administrators worked quietly to integrate nonwhite players into the system, which was based largely on traditional all-white schools and state teams. When apartheid was abolished, cricket was far more prepared to cope with the social and political changes than was rugby union . Makhaya Ntini, a world-class fast bowler, who made his international debut for South Africa in 1998 and played in more than 100 Tests, served as a role model for the new generation of black cricketers. On the other hand, in 2000 Hansie Cronje , the captain of South Africa, was banned for match fixing in a scandal that brought into question the integrity of South African cricket. It was not until 2003, when South Africa hosted a successful World Cup, that the rehabilitation of country’s cricketing reputation was complete. South Africa has always been a great exporter of cricketers, mainly to England.

Allan Lamb and Robin Smith were prominent members of the England team in the 1980s and ’90s; Kevin Pietersen and Jonathan Trott were mainstays of the Ashes-winning side of 2010. Sri Lanka Even before Test status was awarded to Sri Lanka in 1981, the island country was a popular destination for touring teams, particularly for English teams on the way to Australia by boat. Given the disadvantages of its relatively small population and of the civil war that disrupted life on the island for three decades, Sri Lanka developed into a top cricketing country with surprising speed. In 1996 it won the World Cup, beating Australia in the final by playing aggressive, innovative cricket under the inspired leadership of Arjuna Ranatunga. The victory instilled belief in a new generation of players that included Sanath Jayasuriya; Mahela Jayawardene, an elegant and aggressive batsmen; and Muttiah Muralitharan , who in 2010 became the first bowler to take 800 Test wickets.

The Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004 devastated the cricket-playing regions of southern Sri Lanka, including the Test match ground at Galle , and took the lives of many promising young players. Nonetheless, Sri Lanka recovered to reach the World Cup final again in 2007. Calamity struck again in 2009, when the Sri Lankan team’s bus was attacked by terrorists on the way to the ground for the second Test against Pakistan in Lahore. Sri Lankans Mahela Jayawardene (right) and Kumar Sangakkara congratulating each other after the … AP West Indies Cricket has been a unifying force in the Caribbean since the West Indies became the fourth Test-playing side in 1928. The islands have generally played other sports as independent countries, but British colonial influence contributed to the formation of a united regional team. For a time in the 1970s and ’80s, when the West Indian team featured a quartet of fast bowlers—led by Michael Holding , Malcolm Marshall , Andy Roberts , and Joel Garner —and batsmen of the destructive capacity of Sir Viv Richards and Clive Lloyd , the West Indies were virtually unbeatable.

Blessed with an abundance of talented players and true pitches, Caribbean cricket has always been played with an unorthodox flourish, seen most clearly in the batsmanship of Sir Garfield Sobers , Richards, and Brian Lara . Sir Viv Richards. © Getty Images In the 21st century cricket declined in popularity in the West Indies, a result of a lack of strong administrative leadership and because of the increasing appeal of potentially more lucrative sports such as athletics (track and field), football (soccer) and basketball . After playing in the finals of the first three World Cups (1975, 1979, and 1983) and winning the first two, the West Indian team failed—with the exception of 1996—to reach even the knockout stage of subsequent World Cups, including in 2007, as the host of the event. Zimbabwe Until Test status was granted to Zimbabwe in 1992, the country’s best cricketers, such as Colin Bland, played for South Africa. Indeed, the history of the cricket in the two countries has been inextricably linked.

Long before the newly independent and renamed Zimbabwe became an associate member of the ICC in 1980, teams representing its Rhodesian forerunner states had participated in the Currie Cup, the South African domestic first-class tournament (first in 1904–05, then in the early 1930s, and again after World War II). Competing in its first World Cup in 1983, Zimbabwe surprised the world by beating Australia, yet Graeme Hick, arguably the country’s best batsman, left shortly thereafter to play for England. Zimbabwean cricket in the early 21st century has been marked by chaotic administration and political interference. In 2004 Heath Streak was sacked as captain of the national team, precipitating a crisis from which Zimbabwe took years to emerge, including an exile from Test cricket that began in 2006 and ended in 2011. The country’s political volatility during this period had much to do with the situation. In the 2003 World Cup, for example, England forfeited its match in Zimbabwe, citing security concerns.

During the same tournament, two Zimbabwe players, Andy Flower and Henry Olonga, wore black armbands to “mourn the death of democracy” in their country. Andrew Longmore Test matches The first Test match, played by two national teams, was between Australia and England in Melbourne in 1877, with Australia winning. When Australia again won at the Oval at Kennington, London, in 1882, the Sporting Times printed an obituary notice announcing that English cricket would be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia, thus creating the “play for the Ashes.” The Ashes, kept in an urn at Lord’s irrespective of which country is victorious, are supposed to be those of a bail burned on the England tour of Australia in 1882–83. For the rest of the 19th century, the two countries met almost yearly. With W.G. Grace , the greatest cricketer of Victorian England, on its side, England was often too strong for the Australians, though Australia had the greatest bowler of this era in F.R. Spofforth and the first of the great wicketkeepers in J.McC. Blackham. Ashes urn.

Daniel Greef In 1907 South Africa first played Test matches in England and also took on Australia, whose dominance between the two World Wars was symbolized by the prodigious run scoring of Sir Don Bradman . This period saw a notable growth in the number of Test match countries with the arrival of the West Indies in 1928, New Zealand in 1930, and India in 1932. Don Bradman, 1934. © Lordprice Collection/Alamy The visit of the English side to Australia in 1932–33 severely strained relations between the countries because of the use of “ bodyline” bowling tactics, in which the ball was bowled close to or at the batsman. This scheme was devised by the English captain, D.R. Jardine, and involved fast short-pitched deliveries bowled to the batsman’s body so that the batter would be hit on the upper body or head or, alternatively, would be caught out by one of the fielders on the leg side (the side behind the striker when in a batting stance).

The plan was devised to curb Bradman’s scoring, but it led to a large number of serious injuries on the Australian team. The practice was felt to be unsportsmanlike by the Australians, who protested vigorously. The series was played out (with England winning 3–1), but it created bitter feeling on the part of Australia for some time to come. Bodyline bowling tactics were banned soon after the series. After World War II there were Test matches in England every summer, Australia being the most frequent visitor, and the Test ranks were increased by the addition of Pakistan in 1952. There was a steady escalation of tours between the Test-playing countries to the extent that, while the first 500 Test matches were spread over 84 years, the next 500 occupied only 23. Sri Lanka’s entry in 1982 as the eighth Test-playing country came during an era dominated by the West Indies, whose devastating attack was founded, for the first time in cricket history, on four fast bowlers. Zimbabwe was admitted as a Test country in 1992 and Bangladesh in 2000.

One-day internationals—answering the complaint that Test matches went on too long—began in 1972. In 1975 the first World Cup was contested in England in a series of one-day matches of 60 overs a side (the number of overs was reduced to 50 in 1987). The event was a great success and continued at four-year intervals. It was held outside England, in India and Pakistan, for the first time in 1987. Sri Lanka defeating Australia at the 1996 World Cup cricket matches. Shaun Botterill—Allsport/Getty Images Test cricket has faced a number of crises since the late 1960s. In one such case in 1969–70, a South African tour of England was canceled because of opposition to South African apartheid. Violence, damage, and disruption of play had been threatened. A further threat to Test cricket was posed by an Australian television network executive, Kerry Packer , who signed many of the world’s leading players for a series of private contests between 1977 and 1979.

Reprisals were brought against the players but were overruled after court action in England. The players returned to the fold, but commercialism had taken hold of the game. In 1982 the agreement of 12 first-class English players to take part—in breach of official guidelines—in a commercially sponsored South African tour with fees of up to £50,000 per player led to the players’ being banned from Test cricket for three years. Cricketers from Sri Lanka and the West Indies also toured South Africa and received more stringent sanctions, and the engagement of English professionals as players and coaches in South Africa threatened a serious division between the Test-playing countries that ended only with the repeal of apartheid. Test cricket was again rocked by a scandal that began in 1999 regarding match fixing. While betting on matches had been common in England in the early days of cricket, many Test countries had banned such betting in the modern era. In India and Pakistan betting on cricket was legal, however, and cricketers playing international matches there reported being asked by bookmakers and betting syndicates to underperform in return for money.

Members of the Australian, South African, Indian, and Pakistani national teams were all tainted by this scandal, several players were banned from cricket for life, and the integrity of the game was called into question. Marcus K. Williams Rex Alston 21st-century developments The advent of Twenty20 cricket (T20) and the wild success of the IPL in the first decade of the 21st century led to a period of great innovation in the game. The new, truncated form of the game privileged batting, partly by restricting the placement of fielders and shortening the boundaries. To counter free-scoring batsmen with heavy bats, bowlers began to perfect a great variety of different balls (deliveries). Disguise became an essential part of the bowler’s armoury. Slow spin-bowling, which forces the batsman to generate “pace” (that is, to provide the bulk of the power to propel the batted ball, whereas fast bowling contributes more force to the batsman’s swing), proved a surprisingly effective weapon.

Among the new shots that became commonplace for batsmen in T20 cricket was the reverse sweep, wherein a right-handed batsman, in mid-delivery, changes hands to swing at the ball like a left-hander (or a left-hander swings like a right-hander). Batters also began employing the scoop, a shot played almost vertically over the wicketkeeper’s head. Test cricket also benefited from these new techniques and from the new era of creativity, not least from the introduction of the doosra, a delivery disguised to look like an off-spinner that actually turns away from the right-handed batsman like a leg-spinner. Developed by the Pakistan off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq and taking its name from the Urdu expression meaning “the other one,” the ball was perfected by Muttiah Muralitharan of Sri Lanka, Cricket also followed other sports in its use of video technology in making onfield decisions. Initially, from its first trial in 1992, only line decisions such as run outs were decided by referral to a third umpire off the field.

But in 2008 a new referral system, in which players were allowed to refer any onfield decision to the third umpire, made its international debut in a series between India and Sri Lanka (it had been put on trial in English county cricket in 2007). Each side receives two referrals every innings (down from three when the system was first tried out). Referrals that result in the umpire changing an original decision are not counted against this total. The system was designed to eradicate an umpire’s innocent but obvious mistake and has been greeted with more enthusiasm by players than umpires. Andrew Longmore Women’s cricket Women first played cricket in England in the 18th century. In 1887 the first club, White Heather, was formed, and it survived to 1957. In 1890 two professional teams known collectively as the Original English Lady Cricketers were in action. In 1926 the Women’s Cricket Association was founded, and in 1934–35 it sent a team to Australia and New Zealand. Australia paid a return visit in 1937, and, since World War II, tours have increased.

The International Women’s Cricket Council was formed in 1958 by Australia, England, the Netherlands , New Zealand , and South Africa and later included India , Denmark , and several West Indian islands. A World Cup was instituted in 1973, two years ahead of men’s cricket, and England and Australia played in the first women’s matches at Lord’s in 1976. Cricinfo - England England The County Championship Timeline 1890-present The Secretaries of the major cricket-playing counties met at Lord's on December 16, 1889 to agree the fixtures for the following season. A meeting attended by Gloucestershire, Kent, Lancashire, Middlesex, Nottinghamshire, Surrey, Sussex and Yorkshire took place on the same day. This latter meeting agreed upon a method of deciding the order of merit between these first-class counties for the 1890 season. This was the birth of the first official County Championship. Prior to 1890, there were 'unofficial' county champions given the title by 'popular' or newspaper acclaim.

Conditions of play, points scored and Counties contesting the title 1890 - Gloucestershire, Kent, Lancashire, Middlesex, Nottinghamshire, Surrey, Sussex, Yorkshire compete in the Championship. Position decided by total points given by number of losses minus number of wins, draws are ignored. Each county played a maximum of 16 matches. 1891 - Somerset are included in the Championship. 1895 - Derbyshire, Essex, Hampshire, Leicestershire, Warwickshire are included in the Championship. Each county play a minimum of 16 matches. 1896 - Position decided by total points (as previously) as a percentage of completed matches (i.e. excluding drawn games). 1899 - Worcestershire are included in the Championship. 1905 - Northamptonshire are included in the Championship. 1910 - Position decided by wins as a percentage of all matches played. 1911 - Position decided by total points scored as a percentage of possible points with 5 points for a win, 3 points for first innings lead in a drawn match, 1 point for first innings deficit in a drawn match.

1912 - Matches in which both sides did not complete the first innings counted as no result (as are matches not started). No result matches are not counted towards the possible points total. 1919 - Worcestershire did not compete. Position decided by wins as a percentage of all matches played. The Championship was played as two-day matches in this season, with extended hours of play on each day. 1920 - Worcestershire again compete in the Championship. Position decided by total points scored as a percentage of possible points with 5 points for a win, 2 points for first-innings lead in a drawn match. 1921 - Glamorgan are included in the Championship. 1922 - Each team to play at least 11 home and 11 away matches. In addition to the other scoring, 2.5 points are now awarded for a tie. 1924 - Each team to play at least 12 home and 12 away matches.

Position decided by total points scored as a percentage of possible points (matches in which not even a first innings result is obtained are ignored) with 5 points for a win, 3 points for first-innings lead in a drawn match, 2 points each for a tie on first innings in a drawn match and 1 point for first innings deficit in a drawn match. 1927 - Position decided by total points as a percentage of possible points (matches in which not even a first-innings result is obtained and under six hours' play are ignored) with 8 points for a win, 5 points for first-innings lead in a drawn match, 3 points for first-innings deficit in a drawn match, 4 points for a tie and for a match in which not even a first-innings result is obtained but in which more than six hours' play is possible. 1929 - Each team to play exactly 28 matches. Position decided by most points.

1931 - Position decided by most points with 15 points for a win, 7.5 points to each side in a match where the scores finish level, 5 points for first-innings lead in a drawn match, 3 points for first-innings deficit in a drawn match, 4 points to each side where the first-innings scores are level in a drawn match or where there is no result on first innings or where there is no play. 1932 - If no play is possible on the first two days, the match to be played under the one-day Laws with 10 points to the winner and 3 points to the loser. 1933 - Each team to play a minimum of 24 and a maximum of 32 matches. Position decided on percentage of points gained to points possible.

1938 - Position decided by dividing total points by number of matches played, with 12 points for a win, 6 points to each side if scores finish level, 4 points for first-innings lead in a drawn or lost match, 2 points to each side in a drawn match if first-innings scores level, if no play on the first two days, the match to be played under the one-day Laws with 8 points for a win. 1946 - Each team to play exactly 26 matches. Position decided by most points. 1950 - Each team to play exactly 28 matches. 1953 - Six points are awared only to the side batting when the scores finish level in a drawn game. 1957 - Two points for first-innings lead in a drawn or lost match, 2 bonus points for the team leading on first innings if it also scores faster by runs per over, where there is no play on the first two thirds of a match which is not played beyond the first innings, 8 points for the side leading on first innings.

1958 - Position decided by total points, if equal then by number of wins, if still equal then by bonus points. 2 bonus points for the team leading on first innings if it also scores faster by runs per over at the time of passing the opponent's score. 1960 - Teams may play either 28 or 32 matches. Position decided by average points per match, if equal then by greater percentage of wins, if still equal then by greater average of bonus points per match. 1961 - Teams are free to forfeit their second innings. Follow-on not allowed. 6 points for the team batting last in a drawn match unless an innings had been forfeited in which case 2 points. 1963 - Each team plays 28 matches.

Position decided with 10 points for a win, 5 points to each team for a tie, 5 points to the side batting when scores finish level in a drawn match, 2 points for first-innings lead, 1 point to each team when first innings tie, if there is no play in the first two-thirds of the match and the match is decided on first innings, 6 points to the team scoring most runs, 3 points to the side batting second in such a match if the scores finish level. 1966 - The first innings of some matches (102 out of the 238 played, the first 12 matches played by each county on a home and away basis) are restricted to 65 overs, normal play in the return matches and in any matches where teams meet each other only once in the season. Two points for first innings lead, 1 point each for scores level on first innings, these first innings points awarded whatever the result of the match. 1967 - 65 over restrictions abolished.

Position is decided by most points, if equal by most wins with 8 points for a win, 4 points each for a tie, 4 points for the side batting if the scores finish level in a drawn match, 4 points for first innings lead, 2 points each if scores level in first innings, 2 points go only to the side batting if the scores on first innings finish level in a drawn match and the two first innings are not completed, 2 points each for a draw. 1968 - Points changed to 10 points for win, 5 points each for a tie, 5 points for the side batting second in a drawn match if scores finish level. Bonus points for first 85 overs of each first innings: batting: 1 point for each 25 runs above 150 scored, bowling: 1 point for each 2 wickets taken. 1969 - Each team plays 24 matches. 1972 - Each team plays 20 matches.

1973 - Bonus points: batting: 75 runs in first 25 overs, 1 point, 150 runs in first 50 overs, 2 points, for each 25 runs over 150 in first 85 overs 1 point, bowling: unchanged. 1974 - The first two innings restricted to 200 overs with the team batting first being restricted to 100 overs and any overs unused by the team batting first being added to the allocation for the team batting second. Bonus points: batting: 150 runs, 1 point, 200 runs, 2 points, 250 runs, 3 points, 300 runs, 4 points, bowling: 3 wickets, 1 point, 5 wickets, 2 points, 7 wickets, 3 points, 9 wickets, 4 points.

1975 - Bonus point: batting: unchanged, bowling: 3-4 wickets, 1 point, 5-6 wickets, 2 points, 7-8 wickets, 3 points, 9-10 wickets, 4 points. 1977 - Each team plays 22 matches. 12 points awarded for a win. Sponsored by Schweppes. 1979 - Six points each awarded for a tie, 8 points to the side batting in a drawn match where the scores finish level. 1981 - The 200 overs limit on the first innings is abolished. 16 points awarded for a win, 8 points each for a tie, 8 points to the side batting in a drawn match where the scores finish level. 1983 - Each side plays 24 matches. 1984 - Sponsored by Britannic Assurance. 1988 - Each side plays 22 matches, including 6 four-day matches. 1989 - Provision to impose a 25-point penalty for a sub-standard pitch. 1992 - Durham are included in the Championship.

1993 - Bonus points awarded for achievements only in the first 120 overs of the first innings. Batting: 200 runs, 1 point, 250 runs, 2 points, 300 runs, 3 points, 350 runs, 4 points. Each side plays 17 matches, all four-day. 1995 - In addition to the 25-point penalty for a pitch unsuitable for first-class cricket, a penalty of 10 or 15 points may be deducted for a poor pitch. In a one-innings match, a tie gives 6 points each and the side batting second in a drawn match scores 6 points. 1997 - A match abandoned without a ball being bowled now scores 3 points to each side. 1999 - 12 points for a win, four points for a draw. Now sponsored by ppp Healthcare.

2000 Div 1 2000 Div 2 Bonus points awarded for the first 130 overs: Batting 200 runs, 1 point, 250 runs, 2 points, 300 runs, 3 points, 350 runs, 4 points, 400 runs, 5 points. Bowling 3 wickets, 1 point, six wickets, 2 points, nine wickets, 3 points. Penalty for poor pitches reduced to 8 points, with the provision that this penalty be increased to 12 points if the county has prepared a poor or unfit pitch in the previous 12 months. The Championship splits into two divisions of nine teams each team playing 16 matches. the first promotions - relegations take place at the end of the season. 2001 Div 1 2001 Div 2 - CricInfo sponsors the competition, henceforth known as the CricInfo Championship.

Bonus points awarded for the first 130 overs: Batting 200 runs, 1 point, 250 runs, 2 points, 300 runs, 3 points, 350 runs, 4 points, 400 runs, 5 points. Bowling 3 wickets, 1 point, six wickets, 2 points, nine wickets, 3 points. If penalty runs are awarded to a team which at that time had faced less than 130 overs in their first innings, or completed their first innings before they had faced 130 overs, those penalty runs will be considered as counting towards the total as far as the award of bonus points is concerned. If penalty runs are awarded to a team which had already faced 130 overs or more in their first innings, or had previously completed their first innings after they had faced 130 overs, those penalty runs will be not be considered as counting towards the total as far as the award of bonus points is concerned. 2002 - Frizzell County Championship.

Question: Which county cricket team were the first winners of the Sunday League in 1969?
Answer: Lancashire