The Origin and History of cricket is a confusing yet interesting subject. The Evidence of cricket being played in Guildford, Surrey is believed to date back to 1550 (approx). In 1598, Cricket was mentioned in Florio’s Italian-English dictionary. In 1610, Reference to “cricketing” between Weald and Upland near Chevening, Kent also makes the round in the web if one searches “History of Cricket”. But, there has always been a consensus of expert opinion that cricket may have been invented during Saxon or Norman times by children living in the Weald, an area of dense woodlands and clearings in south-east England.
Let’s check out some eventful dates and try to unearth the History of Cricket
Year
Events
1611
The first reference of Cricket played by adults
1624
Jasper Vinall, the first man killed playing cricket: hit by a bat while trying to catch the ball – Sussex.
1676
The first reference of teams playing with 11 players
1700
Cricket match announced on Clapham Common.
1709
The first reference of teams using county names
1730
First recorded match at Artillery grounds
1744
First written laws of cricket and subsequently amended
1745
First known women’s match in Surrey
1760
End of a rolling ball and hockey styled bat, the straight bat was launched
1767
Foundation of the Hambledon Club in Hampshire, the leading club in England for the next 30 years.
1769
First recorded century by John Minshull
1787
Formation of Marylebone Cricket Club by members of the White Conduit Club, Lords
1795
The first case of LBW
1800
Cricket reached West Indies and India
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.
1835-36
The invention of batting pads
1836
First North v South match, for many years, regarded as the principal fixture of the season.
1841
General Lord Hill, commander-in-chief of the British Army, orders that a cricket ground be made an adjunct of every military barracks.
Source: ESPN/ICC/Wikipedia
History of International Cricket
Year
Events
1844
The first-ever international cricket game was between the US and Canada
1859
A team of leading English professionals set off to North America on the first-ever overseas tour
1862
the first English team toured Australia.
1868
team of Australian Aborigines toured England in what was the first Australian cricket team to travel overseas
1877
an England touring team in Australia played two matches against full Australian XIs that are now regarded as the inaugural Test matches.
1878
the Australians toured England for the first time and the success of this tour ensured a popular demand for similar ventures in future
1882
Ashes is born in Oval, Australia’s first win on English soil
1883
England regained the ashes.
1889
South Africa became the third Test nation
1900
cricket made its one and only appearance at the Olympics, England played France and won.
1909
The Imperial Cricket Conference was formed to administrate the game, primarily from an English perspective, with England, South Africa and Australia being its founder members.
1912
First and only triangular Test series played in England, involving England, Australia and South Africa.
1926
Victoria scores 1,107 v New South Wales at Melbourne, the record total for a first-class inning.
1928
West Indies first international test match
1930
New Zealand’s first Test match.Donald Bradman’s first tour of England: scores 974 runs in the five Ashes Tests, still a record for most runs in a Test series.
1932
India’s first test match
1934
First women’s test, England vS Australia
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 ashes after 19 years
1960
First tied test. Australia vs West Indies
1970
South Africa excluded from international cricket
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.
1978
Graham Yallop of Australia wears a protective helmet to bat in a Test match, the first player to do so
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
1983
India lifted the world cup stunning mighty West Indies
1991
South Africa return, with a one-day international in India.
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 first-class innings: 501 not out v Durham.
1999
Pakistan beat England and won the WorldCup against the odds
2000
South Africa’s captain Hansie Cronje banned from cricket for life after admitting receiving bribes from bookmakers in the match-fixing scandal. Darkest days for the game.Bangladesh’s first Test match.T-20 cricket was born.
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 inning, against England.
2006
Pakistan forfeits a Test at The Oval after being accused of ball-tampering.
2007
India creates history by beating Pakistan and lifting the inaugural T-20 World Cup
2008
IPL was founded. Monkey gate scandal.
2009
Terror attack on Sri Lankan cricket team at Lahore, Pakistan. International Cricket boycotted ever since on Pakistan.
2010
The spot-fixing scandal happened in August, during Pakistan’s tour of England and then captain Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir were banned by the ICC for their involvement
2012
The God, Sachin Tendulkar hangs his boots after 23 years at the top.IPL spot-fixing scandal.
2017
Afghanistan and Ireland got Full-Member status
2019
England for the first time lifts the 50 over World cup. Zimbabwe Cricket Board got banned.
History of Indian Cricket
Year
Events
1700
British brought Cricket to India
1721
First match played
1848
the Parsi community in Bombay formed the OrientalCricket Club, the first cricket club to be established by Indians
1932
India made its debut as a Test-cricket-playing-nation in England, led by CK Nayudu,
1948
The team’s first series as an independent country was against Australia at Brisbane. Australia were led by Sir Don Bradman while India was led by Lala Amarnath.
1952
India’s first ever Test victory came against England at Madras. India’s first series victory was against Pakistan later the same year
1961-62
first series win over England
1967-68
India won their first series outside the subcontinent against New Zealand.
1970-71
The Little Master, Sunil Gavaskar made his debut for India in the West Indies and immediately made an impact, scoring a total of 774 runs for the series and helping India to a 1-0 series win, their first ever win over the West Indies.
1983
India won the Cricket World Cup, defeating West Indies in an exciting final.
1985
India won the World Championship of Cricket in Australia.
1990
The era of the God of Cricket has begun, debut of sachin
1998
Sir Donald Bradman himself remarked that Tendulkar batting style was similar to his, this ended the debate of Lara vs Sachin for many, atleast to Indians.
1999-00
The great shock, Fixing saga. Indians started boycotting its religion.
2001
Dadagiri era begins.Epic test series vs Aus, India won 2-1.Match referee Mike Denness banned six India players after what he deemed to be bad behaviour in their Test away to South Africa. The ICC was accused of racism and a bias against India. Wanna Know more? (link) Sachin Tendulkar, was charged with ball tampering and suspended for one game.
2003
Runners-up in ODI World Cup. lost only to Australia twice, in final too.
2004
309 against Pakistan in Multan. Guess who? First Indian to achieve the feat.
2005-06
Chappel Saga
2007
Horror in ODI World CupWon inaugural T-20 World Cup. Mahi wave start. Full details.
2008
IPL started. The commencement of new style of Indian cricket.Monkeygate scandal.
2011
Mahi does it again. India won the ODI World Cup, for the 2nd time.
2012
IPLfixing reports starts surfacing.
2013
Few teams were banned along with few famed players. Details….
2017-19
No. 1 ranked test team in the world successively for 3 consecutive years.
History of women’s cricket
Year
Events
1745
the first known match was played in Surrey.
1811
First recorded women’s county match: Surrey v Hampshire at Ball’s Pond, London
1887
The first women’s cricket club was formed at Nun Appleton in Yorkshire and named the White Heather Club
1926
The Women’s Cricket Association was founded
1931
the Australian Women’s Cricket Association was founded
1934
first Women’s Test match between England and Australia in December
1958
The International Women’s Cricket Council was formed.Betty Wilson of Australia became the first player, male or female, to record a century and ten wickets in a Test match against England at the MCG
1973
The first Women’s Cricket World Cup was held in England
1979
Lord’s staged its first women’s Test match between England and Australia
1998
The Women’s Cricket Association handed over the running of women’s cricket in England to the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB)
2005
After the eighth Women’s World Cup, the International Women’s Cricket Council was officially integrated under the umbrella of the International Cricket Council, and an ICC Women’s Cricket Committee was formed to consider all matters relating to women’s cricket.
2009
The first World Cup held under the auspices of the ICC was won by England, the first English team of either sex to win an ICC competition.
2009
England batsman Claire Taylor was named one of Wisden’s five cricketers of the year, the first woman to be honoured with the award in its 120-year history.
History of Indian Women Cricket team
Year
Events
1973
Women’s Cricket Association of India was formed.The first Women’s Inter-State Nationals was held in Pune.WCAI received the International Women’s Cricket Council (IWCC) membership.
1974
The inter zonal limited overs tournament – the Rani Jhansi Trophy – was held at Kanpur.
1975
International women’s cricket was played in India vs Australia
1976
The first Test match won by India was in the presence of 25,000 spectators when West Indies were beaten at Patna
1978
2nd women World cup held in India for the first time.WCAI received Government recognition.
1986-91
Gap of cricket.
1995
India won their first ODI series vs New Zealand.
1997
the World Cup was held, for the 2nd time. Semi Finalists
2000
Again knocked out of semifinals
2004-16
Champions of Asia.
2017
Runners up of ODI World Cup.
2018
For the first time lost the title of Asia cup vs Malaysia
