The Indian cricket league has signed a millionaire television contract that brings you closer to the economic power of football. In popularity, oddly enough, they are already on par. To know the reason for its success, it is necessary to review its history and learn its rules and evolution.

Contrary to the popular belief, it is much more dynamic and fun than it seems, especially in recent years. And beware, he is getting closer to the king sport, both in terms of income and followers.

Here at Clearance Cricket Store you will find all the equipment needed to practice this wonderful sport.

A complex sport

But we will reach that point. Let’s go back a little in time, more or less until the eighteenth century. In those days, cricket was already the national sport of England, consolidated with the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), better known as Lord’s, the private London club where the main matches were played. The term Lord’s reflected perfectly what cricket was at that time, a sport of British gentlemen by and for British gentlemen.

The MCC was fundamental because it joined the rules of cricket in the 19th century. We will try to explain them in the simplest way possible. Two teams of eleven players in an oval field take turns to hit. The team that throws the ball has the eleven players on the court, while the one who hits only has the two batters. The fundamental part of the game is developed in the central rectangle, where the batters are, at both ends of the rectangle, and the pitcher.

If the batter hits the ball, he must exchange positions with his teammate. Each exchange is a race. Meanwhile, the rival team will have to catch the ball quickly and return it to the pitcher, at which point the turn ends. The pitcher can only shoot six times, then he will make one over and give way to the next.

If the batter sends the ball to the back of the field, he is awarded four runs. If he sends it out of the stadium, six. The opposing team can eliminate the batter from up to eleven possible ways. The most common, that the ball reaches the pitcher before the batters certify the race, and that the pitcher manages to knock down the wicket that defends the batter. Now, what is the wicket? (Calm down, it’s close to you). The wicket is formed by the three vertical sticks (stumps) and two crossbars (bails) that are placed behind the batter, and that he must defend as he is.

When a batter is eliminated, he is replaced by another one who is off the track. When ten of the team’s eleven are out and it is impossible to make a pair, they turn the tables and start batting the other team. There can only be a maximum of two changes of this type, and then the one who has made the most races will win. Easy, right?

The problem is that, in the matches of that first cricket, which were called tests, the number of rounds was unlimited, and matches could last up to five days, at which time the referee ruled the tie.

The students beat the teacher

Despite this inconvenience, cricket dominated in England as the British Empire did in the rest of the world. The British soldiers practiced it in the colonies, and they infected their passion for the flat bat to these territories. Australia, New Zealand, India, the islands of the Caribbean… All the areas controlled by England turned to cricket, with the exception of Canada. Even the United States played cricket at the time, but eventually replaced it with baseball decades after its independence as a symbolic act of breaking free.

Entering the twentieth century, while the British Empire was transformed into the Commonwealth of Nations, cricket became the ideal means to temper the spirits and maintain alliances between England and the countries that were gaining their independence. His cricket teams came to London, invited by the British country, ready to demonstrate their strength to their old metropolis. They were more than friendly, they had an emotional and retaliatory charge, so to speak, important.

The British Royal Family has always been very close to cricket

The International Cricket Council took advantage of that and created the Cricket World Cup in 1975, which was held at Lord’s. In order to make it more attractive to the spectator and that the tournament did not last longer than it should, revolutionary changes were introduced in cricket after more than a century and a half of secrecy. The overs finally were not unlimited, but there was a maximum of 50 per team, and the maximum duration of a match was one day instead of five. It was the turn of One Day International (ODI), which replaced the tests.

Why you should play cricket

Although it is not a well-known sport, it is advisable that you know what benefits it can give you or your family to practice cricket. This type of games makes you develop strong arms, since you must have enough strength and agility in them to throw and catch the ball several times throughout the game.

When you start playing cricket often, then you start to see a great improvement in everything that has to do with the person both physically and mentally. It is a sport that requires great concentration and dexterity along with a great training program.

The dexterity that is generated between the eye and the hand of a cricketer, makes it possible to improve his determination and focus. These two concepts are of vital importance for a child, so it is very important that you learn to develop it at a very young age.

The social benefits offered by this sport are visible from the first weeks in which the child is playing cricket, since there are many hours on the playing field that make children join much more.

Bear in mind that Clearance Cricket Store is a Melbourne based online store where you can get everything you need to start practicing cricket! Visit our store and start trying it today!