The History of Cricket

More than one sport has laid claim to the title “the sport of kings” but the game of cricket has a pretty solid claim to the title, one could say. If you were a gambling man, you would bet on it. Monarchs of United Kingdom, past and future, including their consorts, have been known to take their turn on the bat. There’s something decidedly elegant about the sport. It evokes a kind of aspirational lifestyle where the men dressed in clean whites would play cricket in the morning and jet of to an exclusive casino at night with an expensive Cuban cigar on hand.

Cricket During the Tudor Era

Cricket boasts of an extremely colourful history and tradition that could even be as fascinating as the game itself. There are a lot of stories about its origin but only a few things are agreed upon. Lack of the written records makes it difficult say anything for certain. But the generally agreed upon first ever mention of cricket’s earliest iteration dates back to the Tudor Era. King Henry VIII himself may have played this game, or something that resembles it. One apocryphal origin story so states that it started out as a game for children. This batting game has evolved drastically since then but not to the point of being unrecognizable. It is been a popular pastime for centuries now and a popular sport taught and plays in school. Like any self-respecting sport, it has its official and widely accepted set of rules, official leagues and governing bodies. They may not be as fanatic and hard core as football fans, but cricket does have its own devoted fanbase that keep the sport alive and lucrative.

Cricket Outside The United Kingdom

It is quite unfortunate to note that cricket never really flourished outside of Europe nor did it do so in countries which were never part of the British Commonwealth. Outside of a few British expatriates or anglophiles who have taken interest in the game, you will not see the sport being played or even watched on TV. That being said, it remains rather popular in culturally and geographically close countries, as well as the former colonies of the United Kingdom. It has a presence in the Continental Europe and as far flung as South Asia, Africa, Oceania, and Latin America. Crickets reach is naturally as vast as the British Empire once was and it is there to stay. In fact, it’s so popular in these areas that local online casinos include cricket in their rosters of sports patrons can bet and gamble on.

India has a very large cricket following and star cricket players have been known to come from countries like Pakistan and the West Indies. Cricket is a rich and exciting sport that deserves its turn on the limelight. Its so-called golden age, which was before the first World War, has come and gone but perhaps its due for another one. How interesting that would be for the world of sports!

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