It is a sport that is increasingly played worldwide and is the second most played sport in the world after football: cricket. As a historian, I naturally ask myself the questions: where does cricket come from? Where and when was cricket invented? The answer to those questions, however, is not straightforward, but in this article, I will try to provide a brief overview of the history and origin of cricket.
What is cricket?
First of all, let me explain what cricket is. It is a (widely practiced) ball sport played with a ball and bat. It reminds me a bit of baseball, although the bat, field, and attire are clearly different. You probably recognize the sport from the photo below:
How do you play cricket? To begin with, you have two teams of 11 players each and a field of 20 meters long, known as the cricket pitch. During the game, one team bowls the ball, and the other team bats. As a batsman, your goal is to hit the bowled ball to enable running back and forth on the pitch to score “runs.”
There are also the wickets, which are kind of sticks at the end of the pitch with small pieces of wood on top. They also play a role in the scoring system. However, to fully understand the entire game, I refer you to the Wikipedia page in the sources at the bottom of this article. Otherwise, I would deviate too much from the question of why you are here: where did cricket originate?
History and origin of cricket: middle ages
When did cricket begin? It’s not the easiest question to resolve. As I mentioned earlier, cricket is the second most played sport in the world after football. This popularity is largely due to its widespread appeal in the countries of the British Commonwealth, especially England and India. The enormous population in India contributes significantly to the high number of cricket players. Cricket is also gaining popularity in the United States. The origin of cricket is often attributed to England.
Some sources trace the origins of the game of cricket back to the Middle Ages, even as far back as the 13th century. It is said to have been a children’s game played by peasant boys.
If this form of cricket existed at that time, it would have been quite different from the modern version. Determining the invention of cricket as a sport is also influenced by the definition given to certain ball sports.
History and origin cricket: England
More concrete and clear evidence for the invention of cricket comes from the 17th century. The country: England! That explains the popularity in countries influenced by British culture. So, perhaps the beginning of cricket can be traced there? Unfortunately for fans, but probably not.
I want to share a kind of historical evidence for the origin of cricket dating back to the early 1600s. At that time, people didn’t specifically mention cricket. However, historians found fines from the 17th century that were imposed on those who played cricket instead of attending church. Indirect evidence for the existence of the sport!
In the 18th century, we see better historical evidence for the origin of cricket. The sport had become popular enough by then that it was organized in schools and universities.
History and origin cricket: Belgium (Flandres)
A poem from the 16th century, specifically dated to 1533, sheds a different light on the invention of cricket. It is a poem written in England by a person named John Skelton.
In this poem, Skelton refers to 16th-century weavers who had emigrated from the then Flandres, an area that would become Belgium in the 19th century. These weavers, who were part of a flourishing industry in both Flanders and England, which had quality wool, resided in the southeast of England.
Skelton calls these Flemish people in his poem the ‘King of crekettes,’ meaning the kings (specialists) of the so-called ‘crekettes.’
Historical and linguistic research links the expression ‘crekettes’ to the (Flemish) phrase ‘met de krik ketsen,’ which, according to linguists, refers to the use of the bat and striking the ball. It is not surprising that from this expression, the later term ‘cricket’ originated.
The question then arises as to why cricket is not really played in Belgium. It is far from a popular sport there.
History and origin cricket: first cricket club
The origin of the first cricket club can be attributed to England. In the 1760s, a cricket club is said to have been established in Hambledon, near Portsmouth and Southampton.
The most active cricket club to this day is the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), located in London. It is so popular that the waiting list to become a member is almost 30 years, and the membership costs nearly £50,000. When was this cricket club founded? Yes, it dates back to the 18th century, specifically in 1787.
Conclusion: the history and origin of cricket
It is evident after reading this article that determining the invention or origin of cricket as a sport is challenging, both in terms of time and location.
For a long time, it was believed to be in England, which wouldn’t be unprecedented as it has been the birthplace of other sports. This could also explain its popularity in countries like England, India, and soon, the United States of America.
However, new historical evidence suggests that it might have originated from somewhere else, specifically the area that would later become Belgium.
Wherever it may have been invented or started, it is clear that cricket evolved into a global sport in England. The existence of the first cricket clubs, some of which have been around for over 300 years, in England underscores the strong connection the British have with this ball game.
