Cricket - a way of life in Britain and elsewhere

By A. C. de Silva

CRICKET: The game of cricket has become a way of life not only in England, but in many regions around the globe, making it one of the most popular sports in the world.

Anything that is 'not cricket' is considered unworthy of an Englishman.

However, try explaining the game to an American; and you will get a reaction that is almost end in disbelief. "You mean, these 22 guys boil out there in the sun for five whole days; and at the end of it all, there is still no guarantee of a result? You've trying to fool the people, man!"

To the time-conscious American, cricket may appear crazy, especially Test cricket. But to the countries that play it, few games can be more exalted, particularly if the result of an important series is in favour of their country.

The celebrations all around India and Sri Lanka in the wake of in the neighbouring countries World Cup triumphs bear mute evidence of this phenomenon.

The origin of cricket is wrapped in obscurity. Like all bat and ball games, cricket evolved-gradually from various sources. It is related to an early Scottish sport known as 'Cat and dog', a 13th century pastime called 'hand-in-and-hand-out' and a similar French game.

Some suggest that cricket was first 'properly' played in the forests, where tree stumps offered a natural mark for attack. The word 'stump' may recall forest matches where the uprights were rooted in the soil.

Cricket is also closely related to 'stool ball', a game played particularly at Easter, which was then a season of courtship. Both men and women took part.

One player threw a ball at an upturned, three-legged stool which was defended - with outstretched hand - by another player. Subsequently a second stool was added. That is how two wickets came into existence.

Stumps unknown

Other authorities have contended that stumps of any kind were unknown at first, that players simply cut two circular holes in the ground.

The player guarding the hole was armed with a bat (the 'dog') with which he tried to keep out of the hole, a small piece of wood (the 'cat') aimed at it by his opponent.

The batsman was 'out' when the ball was bowled into the hole. Naturally, the target was not an easy one, which rendered the game slow and cautious.

The great need was to make the hole more conspicuous and the most obvious means of doing this was to indicate it's position with a stick.

Soon, players began to aim at the stick, instead of at the hole, and a rule was introduced which put a batsman out if the stump was knocked down by the ball.

By 1700 AD, two stumps had taken the place of the original up right stick. They were then a foot high, and two feet apart, with a third stick (or bail) stretching across both of them.

This arrangement soon proved inadequate as the ball went between the stumps without touching either of them and it was hard to decide if the batsman was out. After several such long drawn out debates, a third stick was added, in 1775.

The pitch was 22 yards long and the wicket 22 inches high and six inches broad. No rule then governed the size of the bat, which was often very long, and bent.

A poem - oldest

description

The oldest description of the sport, though, has been attributed to a poem by William Goldwin of King's College, Cambridge and published in 1706.

The first preserved cricket score and earliest code of laws date back to 1744, and relate to a match between Kent and All-England, played at the Artillery Ground, Finsbury, London. Kent won the tie by a single wicket.

It was only in the second half of the 18th century that cricket became a generally adopted sport. It gained popularity among the higher classes, the noble and wealthy.

Even the misfortune of having Frederick, Prince of Wales, killed by a cricket ball could not stem the Englishmen's enthusiasm for the sport.

The Hambledon Club had been founded just prior to Frederick's death in 1751; and was later superseded by the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) with its headquarters at Lord's, London. This club was to become the world authority of the sport, as also it's sanctuary.

The terms used in cricket also have a colourful history. The original 'bat' was a primitive club, used for attack and defence. In an early translation of the Holy Scripture, John Wycliffe equips a crowd of men with 'Swerdies and battis', while smugglers in Southern England who moved about armed with cudgels, were referred to as 'Sussex batsmen!'

Bats varied greatly in shape, length and weight. The earliest bats gave cricket its name.

They were just branches broken off a tree, and slightly curved.

Cricket linked to French

The linguistic root of cricket is 'cruice', from the Anglo-Saxon, a word which means 'something that is not quite straight.' Thus, a 'creek' is a winding rivulet, while a twist in the neck is a 'crick.'

Many studies sees a direct link between cricket and the French 'criquet', using it as 'confirmation' of the game's French origin!

The word 'wicket' goes back to pastoral life and sheep-pens, whose entrance usually was a small hurdle, consisting of two uprights and a moveable crossbar - a ball.

It was this gate into the pen that was first called 'wicket', which is derived from the Anglo-Saxon, and means 'to yield' or 'to offer a way through.'

It owes its origin to a historic match between England and Australia, traditional cricketing rivals. Played at the Oval, London, in 1882, the match had a disastrous result for the host nation - England were thoroughly beaten.

Spectator drops dead

So exciting had the game been that one of the spectators had dropped dead from heart failure. On the following morning, the Sporting Times' published an obituary - not on the victim, but on English cricket, it read:

In affectionate

remembrance of English

cricket,

which died at the Oval,

29th August 1882.

* * * * * *

Deeply lamented by a

large circle of sorrowing

friends and

acquaintances.

* * * * * *

N.B. The body will be cremated, and the ashes taken to Australia, R.I.P.

When, in the following year, an English team went to Australia, its captain, the Hon. Ivo Blish, was asked to bring back the 'Ashes.' Taking the request literally, the Australians, when beaten, burnt a ball and put its ashes into an urn which they presented to their victorious visitors.

This urn, the 'Ashes', now rests as a treasured possession at Lord's; and the Aussies and the Poms have batted - in the traditionally praise - for them, ever since.