Long before rules were ever drawn up, cricket was played in a primitive form as with most games. Up to date, the most enjoyable cricket games are played in back lanes with a wicket and dustbin. At present, cricket is a game that is played by two teams with 11 players each who take turns batting. The game’s main objective is to score the most runs. Cricket is a sport that is enjoyed in many countries across the globe. Here are some interesting facts about cricket.

Origin of the game

The game of cricket is assumed to have originated in England and that English shepherds had created the game play as they guarded their sheep. Since the grass was always short it made it possible for rolling a lump of wool which the shepherds used as a ball. Sports have come a long way since then and nowadays, the turf and fields have to be in immaculate condition prior to any matches. The different Euro stadiums for football for example, are exceptional stadiums for such a highly anticipated event. Basically, the location of any game for all sports, have many more requirements than just short grass nowadays!

Attacking during a test match

Unlike any other match in the works, a cricket test match is a grueling affair that lasts for five days. Most players tend to be more cautious mainly due to the duration of the match. However, this didn’t apply to the former West Indies captain Chris Gayle. He is the only player to have hit a six off the first ball during a test match.

Reasons for suspending a game

In a game of cricket, it is considered legal to suspend the game if an animal entered the field. In one of the cricket games, a pig was seen running across the field prompting game officials to stop the game. On the other hand, a game can also be suspended or paused because of bad light or rain.

The burden of captaincy

In cricket, captaincy is by far the most important position as compared to other sports. In 2002, Graeme Smith was given the responsibility of being the captain of South Africa’s national cricket team. Smith carried the burden of captaincy for more than 100 test matches making him the only player to have ever accomplished that. However, Smith retires from cricket at the age of 32 years.