Cricket lifestyle

The sport of cricket has a known history beginning in the late 16th century. Having originated in south-east England, it became the country’s national sport in the 18th century and has developed globally in the 19th and 20th centuries. International matches have been played since 1844 and Test cricket began, retrospectively recognised, in 1877. Cricket is the world’s second most popular spectator sport after association football (soccer). Governance is by the International Cricket Council (ICC) which has over one hundred countries and territories in membership although only twelve currently play Test cricket

T20 Cricket: Rebirth or the Death of Cricket As We Know it?


Twenty Twenty Cricket was born in England in the early 2000’s, it literally exploded into new market places in cricket, it brought with it a new audience and target market.

It was spectacularly seized upon by the BCCI after the 2007 Twenty Twenty World Cup as they set up the Indian Premier League with the worlds best players, modelled on the English Premier League Football Competition.

It is now the worlds second biggest sporting event, second only to the Olympics, because of India’s vast population and sub-continent marketplace.

How it grows will remain to be seen, whether it consumes itself with overkill or goes on to be the biggest growth area in cricket in the 21st century, only time will tell.

Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a 20-metre (22-yard) pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by striking the ball bowled at the wicket with the bat, while the bowling and fielding side tries to prevent this and dismiss each player (so they are “out”). Means of dismissal include being bowled, when the ball hits the stumps and dislodges the bails, and by the fielding side catching the ball after it is hit by the bat, but before it hits the ground. When ten players have been dismissed, the innings ends and the teams swap roles. The game is adjudicated by two umpires, aided by a third umpire and match referee in international matches. They communicate with two off-field scorers who record the match’s statistical information.