history cricket history cricket traces sport development perceived origins stage major sport england introduced countries earliest definite reference cricket occurs makes clear sport played true origin mystery said fair degree certainty beginning earlier south east england counties surrey unlike games batsmen cricket played relatively short grass especially ball delivered ground forest land sheep suitable places play sparse information available cricket early years suggests originally children game beginning 17th century taken working men reign charles gentry took increased interest patrons occasionally players big attraction opportunity game offered gambling escalated years following restoration time succession investment cricket created professional players class clubs establishing sport popular social activity london south england english colonists introduced cricket north_america west_indies sailors traders taken indian origins cricket children game widely accepted theory origin cricket developed early medieval times south south east london geographical areas counties surrey earliest centres excellence game reached london lasting popularity ensured southern counties like essex hampshire middlesex early cricket match recorded kent teams representing downs number words common use time thought possible sources cricket earliest known reference sport called given strong medieval trade connections south east england belonged derived middle dutch meaning stick english meaning staff early reference sport poem attributed describes flemish kings word apparent middle dutch origin dictionary english language derived cricket saxon stick old french word meant kind club stick origin possible source middle dutch word meaning long low kneeling church shape resembled wicket early cricket according european language expert cricket derives middle dutch phrase hockey met stick chase believes sport flemish origin jury matter cricket probably devised children survived generations essentially children game possibly derived assuming older sport intervention batsman trying stop ball reaching target hitting away playing sheep land original sheep wool stone small wood ball stick farm tool bat gate wicket gate tree wicket invention game happened norman times saxon times acknowledged subject experts authorities agree evidence cricket having evolved bat ball sport equally evidence bat ball sport evolved cricket authorities include writers consensus view thing definitely said origin cricket earliest record late 16th century court case surrey proves played children southeast england middle century alternative theories origin dismissed ignored authorities example writer claimed cricket evolved bat ball game played early 6th century claim dismissed terms belief celtic origin cricket true cricket bat ball sports existing worldwide known origin definitely celtic sports golf hockey british ball games involving club stick apparently imported france globally games sweden italy india finland generally believed cricket essentially belongs family bat ball games baseball evolved vice versa determined reference designated field generic term game ball hit bat stick 18th century references conjunction cricket clearly indicate separate activity thursday march julian calendar date march wardrobe accounts king edward england included paid enable play games westminster future prince wales aged suggested early form cricket different possibly early spelling word taken irish word meaning fun entertainment enjoyable conversation sense word crack found irish english ireland spelling common crack earliest definite references earliest definite reference cricket played england world evidence given court case confirms played common land surrey court heard monday january julian date year calendar year old gave witness scholar years earlier diverse play common land reference cricket italian english dictionary definition word noise cricket play cricket wicket merry writer known defined cricket terms insect game later edition dictionary play cricket wicket sexual associations references defined cricket wicket defined till bed cry development village cricket beginning adult participation french english dictionary published defined staff boys play cricket form word defined play cricket cricket defined boys game dictionary time adult participation known begun definite mention cricket sussex relates ecclesiastical court records stating failed attend church easter sunday playing cricket fined court case recorded assaulted cricket near period definite mention cricket kent court case recorded versus thirty years earliest known village cricket match contests popular half 17th century case concerned land game played year old played cricket football london near west sussex prosecuted playing cricket churchyard sunday reasons prosecution local bye law reflected concern church windows broken little like beaten cricket reason rules time allowed batsman hit ball twice fielding near batsman hazardous later incidents drastically confirm fatality occurred fielder called struck head batsman trying hit ball second time avoid caught earliest recorded fatality matter recorded court returned verdict tragedy repeated fatality recorded player called hit head batsman trying hit ball second time laws cricket illegal hit ball twice batsman breaking rule given record case confirms villages involved match provides evidence growth village cricket issue sunday play years influence restoration left references ecclesiastical court records indicate inter parish matches played suggest teams representative counties formed restoration evidence large scale gambling patronage prior english civil war factors drove formation representative teams 18th century concluded cricket played war minor standard village cricket village cricket continued thrive 18th century farmer sussex mentioned cricket diary numerous references game particularly concerning local club son played parish called team breaking english civil war began banned theatres met disapproval similar action taken certain sports evidence cricket having prohibited players break references game commonwealth suggest approved player young man second half 17th century game took real grip especially south eastern counties nobility withdrew country estates commonwealth involved village cricket commonwealth expired took returned london ecclesiastical case related game near played sunday defendants argued played evening prayer time good fined statutory ordered involved guilt east congregation following sunday references civil war court case concerning dispute witness called testified played cricket surrey ecclesiastical case recorded playing cricket evening prayer sunday february near canterbury denounced cricket especially played sunday men prosecuted kent playing cricket sunday firmly power having established previous year penalty doubled shillings defendants charged breaking playing cricket similarly commissioners banned sport ireland years later grounds unlawful assembly evidence ban included cricket probably reached ireland time beginning amateur cricket beginnings cricket social division professionals annual gentlemen players contest ultimately evolved traced reign kent prosecuted court playing cricket sunday evening prayers claimed fellow players persons fashion statement evidence cricket achieving popularity gentry gentry introduced large scale gambling cricket subsequently patrons forming select teams improve chances winning commonwealth gambling political necessity low key earliest reference gambling cricket match records court case concerning non payment game kent year candles participants included members local gentry case referred certain unlawful game called cricket evidently member gentry defendants working class cricket long recognised sport class divide time gentlemen came called emphasise distinction professionals belonged lower social classes working class amateur merely played cricket spare time particular type class cricketer existed officially distinction amateur professional abolished class players nominally professional terms claimed expenses playing professionals paid salary fee amateur cricket extension game played schools universities centres education activity schools universities formed production line created nearly class amateur players 17th century references cricket played vicinity schools noted time commonwealth latin poem contains probable reference cricket played earliest known mention cricket hampshire reference game london concerning 1st duke studied social history english cricket comments school cricket alive speculates game known south east england doubts sport time school curriculum apart schools 17th century local class segregation sons rich poor families played evidenced legal cases described cricket played jointly gentry workers earliest reference cricket oxford_university dated pamphlet concerning music tuition criticism rival author called boasted graduate oxford slender sign spent time sound reading depending salmon graduated cricket normal activity oxford time phillips wrote pamphlet cricket apparently established oxford october year old entered told cricket matches played year oxford recorded life comment confirms cricket played quarter 18th century earliest reference cricket played cambridge_university establishments attended wrote latin poem lines rural cricket match called ball game published rules equipment early cricket early played everyday clothes protective equipment gloves pads painting game progress artillery ground depicts batsmen bowler dressed alike white shirt white knee length shoes wicket keeper wears clothes addition umpire scorer wear quarter length coats hats apart shirts clothes white wears pads gloves ball bowled ground varying speed wicket consisting stumps mounted single batsman addresses delivery bat resembles modern hockey stick shape ideal dealing ball ground modern straight bat evolved began ball air pitching result game changed completely evolved pioneering phase termed pre modern phase record case contains earliest reference cricket bat term cricket peculiar kent sussex coastal known carried earliest reference flat faced bat flat surface stick ice hockey style occurs term bat remained comparatively rare terms general use staff stick tended regional usage example gloucester area south east staff especially stick widely bat derived french shaped like table tennis bat beat washing earliest reference cricket ball found mysteries love pitch yards long chain known code laws believed length use introduction chain consisted deliveries 19th century earliest known reference wicket contained lines written old bible invited delight cricket come pitch wickets north close county boundary hampshire wicket comprised stumps single bail time shape wicket high narrow laws cricket defined dimensions inches high inches wide earlier 18th century pictures wicket low broad feet wide foot high ends stumps support light bail criteria pitching stumps ground delicate placing bail easily hit lot origin wicket 17th century outline shape akin profile church low broad furthermore legs called stumps adds idea early wickets according accounts great mary church known south east dutch word game main forms cricket 17th 18th centuries single wicket implies batsman teams took double wicket form batsmen long associated teams playing innings early cricket modern square leg umpire stood close wicket carried bat running batsman required touch order complete run sat field recorded scores making runs known reason development class cricket restoration monarchy england immediately followed reopening theatres sanctions imposed sports lifted cricket leading entertainment ideal scattered references game time charles_ii clear popularity increasing expanding restoration effectively completed spring general accompanied followed historic events gambling cricket sports freely pursued large amounts stake led investors try improve chances winning forming teams stronger typical parish nobility adopted cricket main sports horse racing beginning patronage sustained controlled cricket 18th century teams representing parishes counties formed period saw great matches cricket evolved major sport significant aspect evolution introduction members nobility returned london restoration keen develop cricket brought local experts village cricket employed professional players year restoration thing london society matches form clubs kind feudal patronage established nobility took control sport interest opportunities gambling provided set pattern cricket development century consequently significant rise standards play level termed class cricket gaming act passed parliament try curb post restoration limited stakes case fortune time equivalent thousand present day terms known cricket attract stakes funded gambling century shortage references 17th century licensing press act imposed stringent controls newspaper industry sport including cricket subject reported references found official records court cases private letters diaries sir richmond wrote letter wife mentioning game sic reference cricket richmond green popular venue class matches 17th 18th centuries accounts 1st earl sussex include item refers paid went cricket match played common near man called charged playing cricket indication attitudes changing wake restoration case reported surrey accounts sir record paid concerning cricket match formed club playing today known cricket green site hosted cricket matches believed world oldest cricket club evidence club founded london founded dates origin lost actual reference chiefly associated venue mentioned minutes referred cricket note concerns abuse ground cricket players artillery ground feature venue cricket century parliament decided renewal licensing act cleared way free press act censorship relaxed following bill rights time cricket matters reported newspapers long time newspaper industry adapted sufficiently provide frequent let comprehensive reports earliest known newspaper report class match dated wednesday july middle week great match cricket played sussex played apiece stakes offer confirm importance fixture fact suggests strong balanced teams assembled details given report provides real evidence support view great matches played high stakes vogue years following restoration possibly inter county match sussex versus kent surrey given sussex venue 1st duke richmond patrons involved english cricket early 18th century patrons duke richmond defeated sussex source game sent duke december respect paid duke grace cricket men thought bought celebrate victory 1st duke richmond died son 2nd duke richmond quickly succeeded cricket main famous patron sussex cricket thirty years 2nd duke enjoyed friendly rivalry friend sir sussex patron teams played times earliest known contest tuesday july days sir william team beaten unknown opponents knowledge games based humorous letter sent sir william duke july sir william beaten previous day match year says opponents looked forward playing duke team tuesday wished grace success cricket match main rival richmond noted kent patrons sussex teams richmond enjoyed inter county rivalry kent originated concept terms patrons ensured cricket financed 18th century interest equally applicable horse racing based opportunities cricket provided gambling important match 18th century single wicket played stakes early newspapers recognised interested publishing odds match scores reports won won match gambling lead dispute matches ended court rival interests sought legal terms monday september game london unfinished rochester players walked attempt game declared incomplete retain stake money london clearly winning time game incomplete subject lawsuit terms issue court ordered played happened july rochester wickets standing needed thirty runs win lost cricket earliest known definite result ended early team refused play finish team advantage court case followed ordered played presumably fulfilled known lord chief justice presided case ordered play unclear original venue game completed match earliest reference cricket played essex assuming original venue known involved essex team introduction articles agreement agreed matches largely resolved problems patrons match organisers concept important terms defining rules play eventually codified laws cricket matches early 18th century periodicals called post boy post man useful sources cricket advertisements early 18th century series matches held pre announced march place easter monday prizes stake match reports found results scores remain unknown says teams consist gentlemen invitation attend gentlemen clearly implies cricket achieved patronage 18th century spectators demonstrated lasting popular appeal july announced west kent chatham game july played london twice game played possibly second matches advertised great matches cricket london tuesday july lamb fields near tuesday following 3rd sic july post match reports found results scores unknown year match london earliest known match definitely involved county teams teams names counties kent surrey wednesday june advertised post man previous saturday played stake popular kent venue 18th century probably matches 17th century likely foremost kent club period provided venue nucleus team surrey team drawn number surrey parishes patron player taken match earliest great player recorded expert player england prime good players known active kent surrey london sussex london great rivalry cricket history london clubs known played wednesday august london kent played kent won report said teams played considerable sum money saturday july london kent white fields won london match london badly injured clash heads wrote advertising reporting cricket ceased years game wondered perception sport dangerous economic impact investment gambling found crash caused massive repercussions economy prosperous investors ruined included cricket patrons potential impact reporting application stamp duty newspapers increased publication costs probably caused publishers reduce paper size room sports coverage wednesday july london subject letter dated july result match unknown prominent politician earl oxford recorded journal heath came town men men warmly engaged sport cricket people england folk renowned men men lay claim greatest excellence likely game taking place london met thursday june week later return game earliest known match near oval sited result unknown monday august match result unknown featured combined parishes versus recorded diary entry watched details known says great cricket match growth cricket england overseas earliest known mention cricket played outside england dated saturday called british mission ottoman_empire syria recorded english left city recreational purposes having found nice place pitch tent dinner sports including returned home good order time cricket introduced india north_america west_indies definite references occur 18th century cricket played estates virginia british colony earliest reference cricket played new world british sailors reported playing cricket near earliest reference cricket played india cricket introduced established indian sub continent english southern africa possible cricket introduced americas india spread british isles example record cricket yorkshire home english game successful club earliest mentions cricket ireland scotland wales occur later 18th century britain trading concerns ensured spread cricket overseas home relied heavily ease transport communications long journeys tended undertaken coastal river vessels road transport slowly improving parliament established placed length road control trustees drawn local landowners traders borrowed capital road maintenance security tolls arrangement common method road maintenance years came time assist spread cricket britain
History of cricket to 1725