CRICKET IN ENGLAND

CRICKET IN ENGLAND

1. POPULAR RECREATION

   • VILLAGE CRICKET WAS PLAYED FROM AS EARLY AS THE 18TH CENTURY, ESPECIALLY IN KENT, SUSSEX AND HAMPSHIRE.
   • SOCIAL CLASSES PLAYED TOGETHER REFLECTING THE FEUDAL SYSTEM
   • players could not afford to take unpaid time of work for injury
   • SOME FREELANCE PROFESSIONALS WHO PLAYED IN A SERVANT ROLE TO THEIR CURRENT EMPLOYER

2. PUBLIC SCHOOLS

   • ALREADY A POPULAR RURAL GAME BY THE MID 1700'S AND WAS SOON ADOPTED BY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
   • HEADMASTERS WERE HAPPY TO ACCEPT THE GAME AS ITS STANDARDISED RULES, LACK OF VIOLENCE AND INVOLVEMENT BY THE GENTRY REFLECTED CHANGES IN THE GAME
   • OCCUPIED BOYS AND KEPT THEM OUT OF MISCHIEF
   • STAGE 1 - TRANSFERRED DIRECTLY INTO PUBLIC SCHOOLS DUE TO ITS NON VIOLENT NATURE, RULE STRUCTURE AND UPPER CLASS INVOLVEMENT IN SOCIETY.
   • STAGE 2 - CRICKET ENCOURAGED WITH MASSIVE INTERHOUSE PARTICIPATION
   • STAGE 3 - CONTINUED TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENT SUCH AS PROFESSIONAL COACHING AND INTERSCHOOL FIXTURES

3. WILLIAM CLARKE XI

   • TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS AND HELPED CHANGE CRICKET INTO A NATIONAL SUCCESS
   • 1840 - PATRONAGE CRICKET HAD DECLINED.
   • PROFESSIONAL TOURING SIDES SUCH AS WILLIAM CLARKE WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1847 OR THE BREAKAWAY UNITED XI WHO COMPLAINED THAT THEY WERE NOT PAID ENOUGH.
   • THESE SIDES TOURED ENGLAND FOR MANY SEASONS AND ATTRACTED HUGE CROWDS.

4. CLASS DIVISIONS

   • HAD DIFFERENT NAMES
   • THE RATIONALISED FORM OF THE GAME HAD A STRICT CLASS DIVIDE
   • NAMES APPEARED DIFFERENTLY IN THE PROGRAMME
   • DIFFERENT EATING ARRANGEMENTS
   • ENTERED THE FIELD AT A DIFFERENT DOOR
   • THE CAPTAIN AND OPENING BATSMAN WERE ALWAYS AMATEUR

5. W.G GRACE

   • WAS A POWERFUL ALL-ROUND ATHLETE, A DOMINANT PERSONALITY AND THE MOST FAMOUS CRICKETER AND THE MOST FAMOUS CRICKETER OF HIS TIME
   • DOCTOR BY PROFESSION AND AMATEUR BY STATUS
   • PAID £50 PER GAME
   • EARNED £120,000 EITHER DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY THROUGH CRICKET

6. PARTICIPATION TODAY

   • SUMMER GAME IN MANY STATE SCHOOLS
   • 8,000 CRICKET CLUBS IN ENGLAND
   • INDEPENDANT SCHOOLS OFFER MORE OPPORTUNITIES THAN STATE SCHOOLS
   • 27% INCREASE IN OCTOBER 2008 IN 12 MONTHS

7. FACTORS THAT HAVE HELPED DEVELOP CRICKET

   • DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME TARGETED AT CLUBS RATHER THAN SCHOOLS
   • ADAPTED GAMES FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
   • 'CLUB MARK' SCHEME - CLUBS GAIN A KITEMARK STANDARD AND ACCREDITATION AS HEALTHY SAFE PLACES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
   • CHANCE TO SHINE
   • TECHNOLOGY FOR BATS, BOWLING MACHINES, PROTECTIVE CLOTHING PROTECTIVE CLOTHING
   • TWENTY 20 ONE DAY MATCHES
   • MEDIA HYPE LINKED WITH TEST MATCHES
   • ENGLANDS WOMEN VICOTORY IN THE CRICKET WORLD CUP IN 2009