A manuscript in the Bodleian library shows monks playing a game very much like cricket; there are records in Guildford dated 1597-1598 which refer to 'Crickett" having been played there earlier.
Cricket, as with most games, was frowned on in its early years. King Edward IV banned it in 1477 and fixed fines and a terms of two years' imprisonment for anyone found playing the game, and three years' imprisonment on landowners allowing it to be played on their land. The fact that Oliver Cromwell had played cricket was levelled against him by his enemies, one whom, in trying to prove that Cromwell had led a dissolute life, stated that he had been 'famous for cricket and wrestling'.
Throughout the 18th century all bowling was underarm, the batsman using a curved bat resembling a hockey stick to defend two widely spaced stumps. The third stump was adds about 1776, but it was not until 1864 that the bowler was allowed to raise his arm to any height, provided the ball was not thrown or jerked. The length of a cricket pitch appears always to have been 22 yard, the agricultural measure known as a chin.
The mid-18th century saw the rise of the Hambledon Club, a group of dedicated players based on a small Hampshire village which could take on and beat the rest of England. In 1787 the Marylebone Cricket Club was founded with head-quarters at Lord's (land acquired by Thomas Lord; now Dorset Square in London). The present ground, the third acquired by Lord, was opened in 1814, the original Dorset Square turf having been taken up and
transplanted with each move. The M.C.C. soon became the official legislative body and has remained so ever since.
THE MODERN AGE:
Cricket is played by two teams, each consisting of 11 players. The team batting has two players, the batsmen, one the field of play. These are opposed by the 11 players of the other side. The batsmen use bats to defend the wickets against the bowling of their opponents. Wickets are set 22 yards apart and consist of three upright stumps, 28 inches high, the overall width of the three stumps being nine inches. Lying across the tops of the three stumps are two small pieces of wood known as bails. Their function is to help to show when the stumps have been hit by the ball from the bowler. The bowlers are supported by a wicket keeper, who stands behind the wickets with the aim of catching al ball off the batsman's bat, this being one of several means by which the batsman's innings can be brought to an end. The other players, known as fielders, are disposed about the field of play in position best calculated to limit the batsman's scoring or to catch him. The positions vary according to which arm the bowler uses and the pace at which he is accustomed to bowl. Each fielding position has a precise name.
The defensive aim of the batsman is to prevent the bowler hitting his wicket. Otherwise his aim is to hit the ball with the bat so that, while it is being retrieved by the opposing fielders, he and the batsman partnering him may run one or more times from wicket to wicket. Scoring is thus by 'runs', one for each run from one wicket to the other by the batsman hitting the ball. Four runs are awarded without running if the ball crosses the boundary of the field of play, six if it crosses the boundary line without first touching the ground. The batsman can also score by running for 'byes', when the ball has passed by the wicket without being touched by the batsman's bat.
If any player catches the ball after it has been struck by the bat and before the ball reaches the ground the batsman is declared to be out caught. He may 'bowled' out by the ball from the bowler hitting the wicket. He can also be stumped or run out if he happens to be out of his ground, beyond a line marked on the turf, when the wicket is hit by the ball. He can be out leg before wicket, 'lbw', if he appears to have stopped the ball with a leg from hitting the wicket. The bowler delivers an 'over' of six balls to one wicket, the next over being delivered to the other wicket by another bowler. If there is no score by the batsman this is called a bowler's 'maiden over'.
Matches are decided by the number of runs made. Test and county championship matches consist of two innings each side, play being usually spread over five days for Tests and three days for county games.
Test matches referred initially to official games played between England and Australia, but have since included others with New Zealand, India, Pakistan, the West India, and South Africa. In the matches between England and Australia, which began in 1880, the victors win what are known as 'the Ashes'. In 1882 at the Oval in London, Australia were dismissed for 63 in their first innings, England replying with a total of 101. In their second innings the Australians were all out for 122 and victory for England seemed reasonably sure, especially when they will had six wickets in hand and needed only 20 runs to win. But England collapsed, scoring only 14 runs more. Following this Test series Australia were said to have returned home taking with them the 'ashes' of English cricket. When the England team visited Australia for the 1882-1883 season the team was presented by a group of women at Melborne with an urn filled with the ashes of a burnt cricket stump.
England first played Test matches against South Africa in 1888, the West Indies in 1928, New Zealand in 1929, India in 1932, and Pakistan in 1952. The English county championship was started in 1873, with nine counties taking part. There is also a Minor Counties championships and Lancashire and Central Lancashire leagues. In Australia the major event is the inter-State championship for the Sheffield Shield, named after Lord Sheffield, who took the England team to Australia in the 1891-1892 season.
The history of the sport abounds with names of great players as well as records. Longest lasting fame has been achieved by W.G. Grace (1848-1915) of Gloucester, who first played for his county when he was 14 years of age and who played his last match in first-class cricket when he was 60.
J.B. (Jack) Hobbs of Surrey, who was knighted in 1953, was probably the greatest batsman of all time on all kinds of wickets. From 1905 to 1934 he made a world record of 61,237 (average 50-65), including 197 centuries in first-class cricket. His 100th century was reached when he was already 40 years of age. W.R. Hammond of Gloucester represented England in 85 Test matches between 1927-1928 and 1946-1947, scored 7,249 runs (av. 58-45) with 22 centuries, took 83 wickets (av. 37-79), and made 110 catches. Len Hutton of Yorkshire, knighted in 1956, ranks third after Grace and Hobbs among the great England opening batsman. Frequently criticized for his defensive approach to the game, Hutton from 1934 to 1957 scored 40,051 runs (av. 55-54) including 129 centuries; he represented England in 79 Tests, scoring 6,971 runs (av. 56-67), and made the then record Test innings of 364 against Australia at the Oval in 1938, in the record long time of 800 minutes.
D.G. (Don) Bradman of New South Wales and South Australia, knighted in 1949, was the most prolific scorer in cricket history. He made 28,067 runs (av. 95-14) in 338 innings and in these had 117 centuries. On 37 occasions he scored over 200 and on six others over 300. W.R. Rhodes, York-shire, was probably the outstanding bowler with 4,187 wickets in first-class play from 1898 to 1930. He captured 127 wickets in 58 Tests in which he also made 2,325 runs.
Compiled by: C.K.Mohamed/Tellicherry
