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| Sunday, 30 January 2005 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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The style of bowling by A. C. De. Slva One of the first controversies in cricket was the style of bowling. As the quality of pitches improved due to greater care being taken in their selection and preparation, batsmen became increasingly dominant. To counter this, the bowlers began to change their style of bowling from gentle underarm to quicker roundarm.
This was frowned upon by the majority, and efforts to change the laws to allow roundarms were repeatedly quashed by the all powerful governing body - the Marlebourne Cricket Club. Overarm accepted It was only in 1835 that round arm was legalised. The next controversy was soon to follow as bowlers began to deliver from higher than the shoulder and, after a long and bitter dispute, overarm bowling became accepted in 1864. By the early 19th century, cricket was gaining popularity all over in England and due to a number of tours by the All England Team. Soon cricketers were looking at a larger identity than their own local clubs, and County associations were becoming organised. Kent, Sussexand Hampshire the first Counties to field teams, and by 1850 most of the counties in England were in the process of launching teams. The international appeal of cricket was already confirmed in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India and South America. This was chiefly due to the Army, and the Royal Navy. Wherever they pitched camp or docked ship they organised games between themselves, and bemused local people of the area took up the game with great interest. The game was also keenly played in Canada and North America in the early days, and it was in Canada that the first overseas tour took place in 1859. Due to adverse climatic conditions and the influence of the French, the game in this part of the world has floundered. When the Australians heard of the Canadian tour, they arranged for a side to visit them. A Melbourne firm of caterers provided the financial backing for the trip, the first case of sponsorship in sports and in 1861-62 a side left the shores of England on the long trip to Australia. Visits to South Africa, New Zealand and the West Indies soon followed, whilst teams from South Africa and Australia made reciprocal trips to England. The first real test match was played between England and Australia at Melbourne in 1877. Australia won that historic test by 45 runs, and so began the famous battle for 'The Ashes', which up until the present day has been one of the fiercest rivalries in sport and cricket in particular. |
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