It is summer holidays in
Australia and cricket rules. This is the season of our international test match series, this year against
India. But it reminded me about just where international cricket began, so here is a bit of trivial. (The pic is modern cricket in
Vancouver BC)
So here is some trivia linking North America to the greatest sport on Earth.
The First
United States of America v Canada (1844) was the first ever official international cricket match to be played. It was contested by the national teams of the USA and Canada. The match took place between 25 and 27 September 1844 at the St George's Cricket Club, Bloomingdale Park in New York. Canada won by 23 runs. (Wiki)
Canadian David Winckworth joint top-scored with 12. Winckworth is an interesting character and he can claim to be the first dual international. He appeared for Canada in the first three games against USA (there were two in 1845) and then, on moving to Detroit, he turned out for USA in 1846.
This first was 1844 and the match has a second claim, it was the first modern international sports competition. It predated the Americas Cup by seven years. The first modern Olympics were held in 1896 in Athens Greece.
The New York first didn’t occur until after nearly 1000 years of cricket in Britain. 1789 is the year when the sport was first formalized under a set of Laws... that, with modifications, continue to the present day.
Cricket is the only sport that is played under Laws, not Rules; meaning, basic principles which are to be embodied in any and all rules ever used to play the game.
So there is no excuse now. I’m expecting enthusiastic cricket teams developing across the US and Canada. It is a game which goes well beyond game. Part of the magic is bringing culturally diverse countries together to compete:
- Under a strict set of laws
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- There are no drugs enhancements know to unfairly enhance
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- The range of potential stats blitzes any other sport
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- It is a great way to kick back, relax and ignore the world
In fact I was going to post on the dangers of those leftovers, the economic ones. But cricket drifted me off to something far more important. The economics can come in a day or two.
It is summer holidays in 
2 comments:
oh this is great....thank you...
I'm just enjoying this Australia Vs India game so much, I feel like an evangelist for the game.
It is incredible to hear players on both sides saying how playing against 'mates' can be incredibly competitive. But within that the real friendship and respect is retained.
So much better that the thugby (Rugby League) which is take no prisoners then get pissed and rape and pillage later.
Cricket might not be the gentleman's game anymore, but the basic meaning is still there, as is the reliance on skill.
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