What Is the Origin of Cricket?

The game of cricket is played in many countries in the world, most of whom have at one time or another been under the control of the British Empire. It is a sport with a rich and long history.

  1. Origins

    • It is widely believed that the sport of cricket, as it is known today, has its roots in a simple bat and ball game documented during the dark ages. A small piece of wood or a ball would be thrown by one player to another. This player held a club or stick, which they used to hit the projectile.

    Cricket

    • The first mention of the game of cricket is thought to be found in a legal court book from Guilford in the UK. An entry states that boys from the city's grammar school caused problems with a land owner for playing a game on his land. The eldest boy was quoted in the records as saying, "We did run and play cricket on the plot of land." This was the earliest documented reference to the game by name.

    Organized as a Sport

    • Played as a recreational game by the privileged classes for years, the first uniform rules for the sport of cricket were created in 1744. The Marylebone Cricket Club in London produced the first basic rules to be used in all games. The rules covered things such as the size of the playing field, dimensions of the ball and methods of dismissal of the batsman.