Cricket is a sport that has become extremely popular in certain parts of the world. It is not what many people would consider a global sport, like the likes of tennis and football, but that does not take away the love that many people have for cricket.

Cricket is also undoubtedly one of the oldest and most historical sports in the book, and for this reason, many people consider it as a “gentlemen’s game”. Countries, where cricket is popular, include South Africa, the United Kingdom, India, Pakistan, and Australia.

Who Invented Cricket?

There is much debate regarding the birthplace of cricket, but many experts on the sport seem to be in agreement that cricket was invented during either the Saxon or the Norman eras. It is suggested that during these times children, living in an area known as Weald in the United Kingdom, used to run off to dense woodland areas to escape family pressure and put bat to ball. The first-ever reference to cricket coincides with this theory and can be traced back to 1611.

By the middle 17^th century, this fun little game created by the children of weald had become an established and popular village sport, played by traders and merchants during their free time. The first ever English country teams were set up by the late 17^th century. From this, it is clear that the sport was invented in the United Kingdom.

When was Cricket as a Sport Established?

So, as mentioned above, the first ever cricket game played with rules occurred in the early to mid-17^th century, with some experts pinpointing the date to 1728. It was in this year that the Duke of Richmond decided to enact the Articles of Agreement, which held the first-ever basic rules to the game of cricket. The Articles of Agreement also contained rules for gambling and golf, among other sports. The Laws of Cricket was a document that built upon the Articles of Agreement and set up a much more formalized and rigid understanding of how cricket should be played. This was enacted in 1744.

In terms of ushering in the modern era of the sport that can stand its own against cutting edge entertainment like what an NZ online casino has to offer, many trace that back to the establishment of the International Cricket Council (ICC). This was set up in the United Kingdom back in 1908, and it is still the body that governs many of the professional leagues and international cricket tournaments today.

When did Cricket Become Popular?

Cricket has grown as a sport and continues to grow as new leagues are being set up all around the world. It has survived the evolution of the modern world and truly exploded into popularity back in 2003.

Many experts conclude that the introduction of the 20-20 format (where each team only gets 20 overs each) evolved the sport into a faster-paced format. Since then, the 20-20 format has kept growing and pushing the sport into newgrounds.