The History of Cricket in Australia

Cricket was invented in England; way back in the Medieval period, it is believed the game was created by children in the south of England, whereby a softball and crude bat were used and the object of the game was for the bowler to hit the stumps (tree branches) and many kids crowded around to try and catch the ball after it was hit by the batter. As early as 1597, the first accurate report of the game was recorded and it didn’t take long for other parts of England to adopt the game. The game slowly developed over the following 2 centuries and when the British Commonwealth was established, the game of cricket was exported to the far corners of the empire.

The British Commonwealth

As you would expect, the popular game of cricket was exported to parts of the commonwealth; in the mid-19th century, there was the first international cricket tournament involving Canada and the United States, which Canada won. During this time, cricket arrived in the Caribbean, India and Australia, where it was warmly received. South Africa and New Zealand also saw cricket take hold, with teams springing up all over the territories. If you are looking to acquire cricket gear online in Australia, there are top suppliers with the best brands at affordable prices.

First English tour of Australia

This occurred in 1862 when an English team toured Australia and in 1868, the Australian team toured England for the first time. In 1876, the English cricket team came to Melbourne and played the very first ashes tournament against Australia and test cricket was born. 

Limited overs cricket

It was in 1963 that limited overs cricket was born; an exciting game where the number of overs is pre-determined, making for a more exciting game. This resulted in rising attendance figures, as more spectators attended limited-over matches and it wasn’t long before all cricketing nations agreed to play limited-over cricket. Click here to learn about some of the greatest cricketers ever.

Grassroots cricket

Since the turn of the century, cricket clubs around Australia have enjoyed a revival, as the sport grew in popularity, as young people saw the excitement in this classic sport. The rules of the game are rather complex; indeed, there are numerous forms of cricket, including Test cricket, limited-over international matches and 20-over matches, which have become very popular among spectators.

Cricket gear

Of course, today’s players need to wear the right gear, with safety being paramount; a fast bowler can send the ball at over 100mph, so a batsman needs to wear protective headgear and probably some groin protection. Cricket has become a sport for all Australians, whether watching or playing and with reputable online suppliers of the finest cricket gear, you can kit yourself out ready for your next game. As you improve your batting skills, you might want to upgrade your bat and make sure you maintain it properly, as this will improve your run average.