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Laura Wolvaardt

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70-525: Laura Wolvaardt (born 26 April 1999) is a South African cricketer who currently plays for Western Province , Adelaide Strikers , Gujarat Giants , Manchester Originals and South Africa . She plays as a right-handed opening batter . She has previously played for Northern Superchargers and Brisbane Heat . Aged 13, Wolvaardt was selected to play for the Western Province U-19 girls' team. In October 2013, she made her first appearance for

140-700: A cork core layered with tightly wound string. The earliest known definite reference to cricket is to it being played in South East England in the mid-16th century. It spread globally with the expansion of the British Empire , with the first international matches in the second half of the 19th century. The game's governing body is the International Cricket Council (ICC), which has over 100 members, twelve of which are full members who play Test matches. The game's rules,

210-456: A public school education who had then gone to one of Cambridge or Oxford University . Society insisted that such people were "officers and gentlemen" whose destiny was to provide leadership. In a purely financial sense, the cricketing amateur would theoretically claim expenses for playing while his professional counterpart played under contract and was paid a wage or match fee; in practice, many amateurs claimed more than actual expenditure, and

280-565: A collared shirt with short or long sleeves; long trousers; woolen pullover (if needed); cricket cap (for fielding) or a safety helmet; and spiked shoes or boots to increase traction. The kit is traditionally all white, and this remains the case in Test and first-class cricket, but in limited overs cricket, team colours are now worn instead. i) A used white ball. White balls are mainly used in limited overs cricket , especially in matches played at night, under floodlights (left). The essence of

350-454: A fence, part of the stands, a rope, a painted line, or a combination of these; the boundary must if possible be marked along its entire length. In the approximate centre of the field is a rectangular pitch (see image, below) on which a wooden target called a wicket is sited at each end; the wickets are placed 22 yards (20 m) apart. The pitch is a flat surface 10 feet (3.0 m) wide, with very short grass that tends to be worn away as

420-621: A highly popular format, putting the longer formats at risk. The new shorter format also introduced franchise cricket, with new tournaments like the Indian Premier League and the Australian Big Bash League . The ICC has selected the T20 format as cricket's growth format, and has introduced a T20 World Cup which is played every two years; T20 cricket has also been increasingly accepted into major events such as

490-452: A key difference is the existence of a solid target structure, the wicket (originally, it is thought, a " wicket gate " through which sheep were herded), that the batter must defend. The cricket historian Harry Altham identified three "groups" of "club ball" games: the "hockey group", in which the ball is driven to and from between two targets (the goals); the "golf group", in which the ball is driven towards an undefended target (the hole); and

560-433: A set of 6 fair opportunities for the batting team to score) and the game generally lasts three to four hours. Traditionally, cricketers play in all-white kit , but in limited overs cricket , they wear club or team colours. In addition to the basic kit, some players wear protective gear to prevent injury caused by the ball, which is a hard, solid spheroid made of compressed leather with a slightly raised sewn seam enclosing

630-402: A wicket with the ball before a batter can cross the crease line in front of the wicket. When ten batters have been dismissed, the innings (playing phase) ends and the teams swap roles. Forms of cricket range from traditional Test matches played over five days to the newer Twenty20 format (also known as T20 ), in which each team bats for a single innings of 20 overs (each "over" being

700-416: A winner or tie.) The wicket-keeper (a specialised fielder behind the batter) and the batters wear protective gear because of the hardness of the ball, which can be delivered at speeds of more than 145 kilometres per hour (90 mph) and presents a major health and safety concern. Protective clothing includes pads (designed to protect the knees and shins), batting gloves or wicket-keeper's gloves for

770-453: Is certain that cricket was being played c.  1550 by boys in Surrey . The view that it was originally a children's game is reinforced by Randle Cotgrave 's 1611 English- French dictionary in which he defined the noun " crosse " as "the crooked staff wherewith boys play at cricket", and the verb form " crosser " as "to play at cricket". One possible source for the sport's name

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840-423: Is drawn four feet in front of the bowling crease and parallel to it; although it is drawn as a 12 ft (3.7 m) line (six feet on either side of the wicket), it is, in fact, unlimited in length. The return creases are drawn at right angles to the popping crease so that they intersect the ends of the bowling crease; each return crease is drawn as an 8 ft (2.4 m) line, so that it extends four feet behind

910-656: Is known, through numerous references found in the records of ecclesiastical court cases, to have been proscribed at times by the Puritans before and during the Commonwealth . The problem was nearly always the issue of Sunday play, as the Puritans considered cricket to be "profane" if played on the Sabbath , especially if large crowds or gambling were involved. According to the social historian Derek Birley , there

980-570: Is the Old English word " cryce " (or " cricc " ) meaning a crutch or staff. In Samuel Johnson 's Dictionary , he derived cricket from " cryce , Saxon, a stick". In Old French , the word " criquet " seems to have meant a kind of club or stick. Given the strong medieval trade connections between south-east England and the County of Flanders when the latter belonged to the Duchy of Burgundy ,

1050-464: Is the earliest mention of adult participation in cricket and it was around the same time that the earliest known organised inter-parish or village match was played, at Chevening, Kent . In 1624, a player called Jasper Vinall died after he was accidentally struck on the head during a match between two parish teams in Sussex. Cricket remained a low-key local pursuit for much of the 17th century. It

1120-814: The Laws of Cricket , are maintained by Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) in London . The sport is followed primarily in South Asia , Australia , New Zealand , the United Kingdom , Southern Africa , and the West Indies . Women's cricket , which is organised and played separately, has also achieved international standard. The most successful side playing international cricket is Australia , which has won eight One Day International trophies, including six World Cups , more than any other country, and has been

1190-501: The 2019 ICC Women's World Twenty20 Qualifier , with Bangladesh and Thailand progressing. It was the first time that Thailand had qualified for a Women's T20 World Cup tournament. Following the conclusion of the qualification tournament, Bangladesh were placed in Group A and Thailand were placed in Group B. Each team selected a squad of 15 players before the tournament, and were also able to replace any injured players. In January 2018,

1260-579: The Asian Games . The resultant growth has seen cricket's fanbase cross one billion people, with 90% of them in South Asia. T20's success has also spawned even shorter formats , such as 10-over cricket (T10) and 100-ball cricket , though not without controversy. Outside factors have also taken their toll on cricket. For example, the 2008 Mumbai attacks led India and Pakistan to suspend their bilateral series indefinitely. The 2009 attack on

1330-639: The British Empire had been instrumental in spreading the game overseas, and by the middle of the 19th century it had become well established in Australia , the Caribbean , British India (which includes present-day Pakistan and Bangladesh ), New Zealand , North America and South Africa . In 1862, an English team made the first tour of Australia. The first Australian team to travel overseas consisted of Aboriginal stockmen who toured England in 1868 . In 1876–77, an England team took part in what

1400-465: The Dukes of Richmond , exerted their honour code of noblesse oblige to claim rights of leadership in any sporting contests they took part in, especially as it was necessary for them to play alongside their "social inferiors" if they were to win their bets. In time, a perception took hold that the typical amateur who played in first-class cricket, until 1962 when amateurism was abolished, was someone with

1470-537: The Melbourne Cricket Ground on International Women's Day . Hosts Australia won the tournament, beating India by 85 runs, to win their fifth title. It was a standalone tournament, the men's tournament was initially held eight months ahead of the schedule, but would be postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic . Australia were the defending champions, and lost their opening match of

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1540-591: The Western Province women's cricket team in a Twenty20 match against Boland women's cricket team , scoring 13 runs from 18 balls. She made her limited overs cricket debut for Western Province in a November 2013 match against Boland, scoring 4 from 14 balls. She was the top scorer in the 2013 Cricket South Africa Under 19 Girls Week, and competed again in 2014 representing Western Province. Wolvaardt scored 46 in Western Province's final match of

1610-430: The batting team, the striker and nonstriker, stand in front of either wicket holding bats , while one player from the fielding team, the bowler, bowls the ball toward the striker's wicket from the opposite end of the pitch. The striker's goal is to hit the bowled ball with the bat and then switch places with the nonstriker, with the batting team scoring one run for each of these exchanges. Runs are also scored when

1680-401: The top-rated Test side more than any other country. Cricket is one of many games in the "club ball" sphere that involve hitting a ball with a hand-held implement. Others include baseball (which shares many similarities with cricket, both belonging in the more specific bat-and-ball games category ), golf , hockey , tennis , squash , badminton and table tennis . In cricket's case,

1750-579: The "cricket group", in which "the ball is aimed at a mark (the wicket) and driven away from it". It is generally believed that cricket originated as a children's game in the south-eastern counties of England, sometime during the medieval period . Although there are claims for prior dates, the earliest definite reference to cricket being played comes from evidence given at a court case in Guildford in January 1597 ( Old Style , equating to January 1598 in

1820-579: The 2015/16 Women's Provincial League , as they won the title for the fourth consecutive year. In November 2017, she was named in Brisbane Heat 's squad for the 2017–18 Women's Big Bash League season . In November 2018, she was named in Brisbane Heat's squad for the 2018–19 Women's Big Bash League season . She played for the Heat in their final against Sydney Sixers . Heat won the match to win

1890-679: The 2018–19 season. In October 2018, she was named in South Africa's squad for the 2018 ICC Women's World Twenty20 tournament in the West Indies. Ahead of the tournament, she was named as the player to watch in the team. In January 2020, she was named in South Africa's squad for the 2020 ICC Women's T20 World Cup in Australia . On 23 July 2020, Wolvaardt was named in South Africa's 24-woman squad to begin training in Pretoria , ahead of their planned tour to England . In February 2022, she

1960-539: The ICC announced that six venues in four cities would host matches. The semi-finals were hosted at the Sydney Cricket Ground , with the final being played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground . On 12 February 2020, the ICC appointed the officials for the tournament. Along with the twelve umpires , Steve Bernard , Chris Broad and G. S. Lakshmi were also named as the match referees. The ICC released

2030-584: The Middle Dutch phrase for hockey, " met de (krik ket)sen " ("with the stick chase"). Gillmeister has suggested that not only the name but also the sport itself may be of Flemish origin. Although the main object of the game has always been to score the most runs , the early form of cricket differed from the modern game in certain key technical aspects; the North American variant of cricket known as wicket retained many of these aspects. The ball

2100-575: The Sri Lankan team during their tour of Pakistan led to Pakistan being unable to host matches until 2019. In 2017, Afghanistan and Ireland became the 11th and 12th Test nations. In cricket, the rules of the game are codified in The Laws of Cricket (hereinafter called "the Laws"), which has a global remit. There are 42 Laws (always written with a capital "L"). The earliest known version of

2170-418: The ball reaches the boundary of the field or when the ball is bowled illegally . The fielding team tries to prevent runs from being scored by dismissing batters (so they are "out"). Means of dismissal include being bowled , when the ball hits the striker's wicket and dislodges the bails, and by the fielding side either catching the ball after it is hit by the bat but before it hits the ground, or hitting

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2240-449: The batting team are on the field at any given time. The order of batters is usually announced just before the match, but it can be varied. The main objective of each team is to score more runs than their opponents, but in some forms of cricket, it is also necessary to dismiss all but one of the opposition batters (making their team 'all out') in their final innings in order to win the match, which would otherwise be drawn (not ending with

2310-421: The bowling crease, but is also, in fact, unlimited in length. Before a match begins, the team captains (who are also players) toss a coin to decide which team will bat first and so take the first innings . "Innings" is the term used for each phase of play in the match. In each innings, one team bats, attempting to score runs , while the other team bowls and fields the ball , attempting to restrict

2380-489: The code was drafted in 1744, and since 1788, it has been owned and maintained by its custodian, the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) in London . Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played on a cricket field (see image of cricket pitch and creases) between two teams of eleven players each. The field is usually circular or oval in shape, and the edge of the playing area is marked by a boundary , which may be

2450-561: The derisive term "shamateur" was coined to describe the practice. The game underwent major development in the 18th century to become England's national sport . Its success was underwritten by the twin necessities of patronage and betting. Cricket was prominent in London as early as 1707 and, in the middle years of the century, large crowds flocked to matches on the Artillery Ground in Finsbury . The single wicket form of

2520-405: The earliest known contest that is generally considered a First Class match. The patrons and other players from the gentry began to classify themselves as " amateurs " to establish a clear distinction from the professionals, who were invariably members of the working class , even to the point of having separate changing and dining facilities. The gentry, including such high-ranking nobles as

2590-463: The existence of players like him who were nominally amateur but, in terms of their financial gain, de facto professional. Grace himself was said to have been paid more money for playing cricket than any professional. The last two decades before the First World War have been called the " Golden Age of cricket ". It is a nostalgic name prompted by the collective sense of loss resulting from

2660-430: The final match of Group A, hosts Australia beat New Zealand by four runs to take the fourth and final spot in the semi-finals. The final match in Group B, between South Africa and the West Indies , was abandoned due to rain, meaning South Africa finished top of the group. Therefore, England were drawn against India in the first semi-final, and Australia faced South Africa in the second semi-final. The first semi-final

2730-597: The first limited overs Cricket World Cup in 1975 . Sri Lanka joined the ranks in 1982. Meanwhile, South Africa was banned by the ICC due to apartheid from 1970 until 1992. 1992 also brought about the introduction of the Zimbabwe team . The 21st century brought with it the Bangladesh Team , who made their Test debut in 2000. The game itself also grew, with a new format made up of 20-over innings being created. This format, called T20 cricket , quickly became

2800-482: The fixture details on 29 January 2019 in Sydney.   Advance to Knockout stage   Advance to Knockout stage Australia's Beth Mooney was the leading run-scorer in the tournament, with 259 runs. Her teammate, Megan Schutt , was the leading wicket-taker, finishing with thirteen dismissals. On 9 March 2020, ICC announced its team of

2870-450: The game at county level led to the creation of the county clubs , starting with Sussex in 1839. In December 1889, the eight leading county clubs formed the official County Championship , which began in 1890. The most famous player of the 19th century was W. G. Grace , who started his long and influential career in 1865. It was especially during the career of Grace that the distinction between amateurs and professionals became blurred by

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2940-424: The game progresses (cricket can also be played on artificial surfaces, notably matting). Each wicket is made of three wooden stumps topped by two bails . As illustrated, the pitch is marked at each end with four white painted lines: a bowling crease , a popping crease and two return creases . The three stumps are aligned centrally on the bowling crease, which is eight feet eight inches long. The popping crease

3010-432: The game quickly grew from 500 tests in 84 years to 1000 within the next 23. Cricket entered a new era in 1963 when English counties introduced the limited overs variant. As it was sure to produce a result, limited overs cricket was lucrative, and the number of matches increased. The first Limited Overs International was played in 1971, and the governing International Cricket Council (ICC), seeing its potential, staged

3080-421: The greatest Test batter of all time. To curb his dominance, England employed bodyline tactics during the 1932–33 Ashes series . These involved bowling at the body of the batter and setting a field, resulting in batters having to choose between being hit or risk getting out. This series moved cricket from a game to a matter of national importance , with diplomatic cables being passed between the two countries over

3150-529: The hands, a safety helmet for the head, and a box for male players inside the trousers (to protect the crotch area). Some batters wear additional padding inside their shirts and trousers such as thigh pads, arm pads, rib protectors and shoulder pads. The only fielders allowed to wear protective gear are those in positions very close to the batter (i.e., if they are alongside or in front of him), but they cannot wear gloves or external leg guards. Subject to certain variations, on-field clothing generally includes

3220-528: The incident. During this time, the number of Test nations continued to grow, with the West Indies , New Zealand and India being admitted as full Test members within a four-year period from 1928 to 1932. An enforced break during the Second World War stopped Test Cricket for a time, although the Partition of India caused Pakistan to gain Test status in 1952. As teams began to travel more,

3290-413: The modern calendar). The case concerned ownership of a certain plot of land, and the court heard the testimony of a 59-year-old coroner , John Derrick , who gave witness that: Being a scholler in the ffree schoole of Guldeford hee and diverse of his fellows did runne and play there at creckett and other plaies. Given Derrick's age, it was about half a century earlier when he was at school, and so it

3360-552: The name may have been derived from the Middle Dutch (in use in Flanders at the time) " krick " ( -e ), meaning a stick (crook). Another possible source is the Middle Dutch word " krickstoel " , meaning a long low stool used for kneeling in church that resembled the long low wicket with two stumps used in early cricket. According to Heiner Gillmeister, a European language expert of Bonn University , "cricket" derives from

3430-477: The other Head-Prefect, Connor Fick. Cricket First-class cricket One Day International Limited overs (domestic) Twenty20 International Twenty20 (domestic) Other forms Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field , at the centre of which is a 22-yard (20-metre; 66-foot) pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails (small sticks) balanced on three stumps . Two players from

3500-412: The scoring and dismiss the batters. When the first innings ends, the teams change roles; there can be two to four innings depending upon the type of match. A match with four scheduled innings is played over three to five days; a match with two scheduled innings is usually completed in a single day. During an innings, all eleven members of the fielding team take the field, but usually only two members of

3570-406: The semi-finals, after recording three wins from their first three matches. India won their final group game, against Sri Lanka , and finished top of Group A. South Africa were the second team to qualify for the semi-finals, after they also won their first three group games. England were the third team to advance to the semi-finals, after beating the West Indies in their final group game. In

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3640-443: The sport attracted huge crowds and wagers to match, its popularity peaking in the 1748 season . Bowling underwent an evolution around 1760 when bowlers began to pitch (bounce) the ball instead of rolling or skimming it towards the batter. This caused a revolution in bat design because, to deal with the bouncing ball, it was necessary to introduce the modern straight bat in place of the old "hockey stick" shape. The Hambledon Club

3710-413: The sport is that a bowler delivers (i.e., bowls) the ball from their end of the pitch towards the batter who, armed with a bat , is "on strike" at the other end (see next sub-section: Basic gameplay ). The bat is made of wood, usually Salix alba (white willow), and has the shape of a blade topped by a cylindrical handle. The blade must not be more than 4.25 inches (10.8 cm) wide and

3780-643: The title. Laura continued her appearances in the WBBL after signing with the Adelaide Strikers for the 2020–21 and 2021–22 Australian summer seasons. In September 2019, she was named in the Terblanche XI squad for the inaugural edition of the Women's T20 Super League in South Africa. In 2021, she was drafted by Northern Superchargers for the inaugural season of The Hundred . In April 2022, she

3850-409: The total length of the bat not more than 38 inches (97 cm). There is no standard for the weight, which is usually between 2 lb 7 oz and 3 lb (1.1 and 1.4 kg). 2020 ICC Women%27s T20 World Cup The 2020 Women's T20 World Cup was the seventh Women's T20 World Cup tournament. It was held in Australia between 21 February and 8 March 2020. The final took place at

3920-461: The tournament against India. For the first time at the Women's T20 World Cup, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced the use of technology to monitor front-foot no-balls for all matches during the tournament. The third umpire assisted the umpire at the bowler's end in calling the front-foot no-balls, communicating this to the on-field umpires. India were the first team to qualify for

3990-553: The tournament picked by a selection panel featuring Ian Bishop , Anjum Chopra , Lisa Sthalekar , Raf Nicholson and Holly Colvin . UNICEF Australia, the United Nations Children's Fund was chosen as the official charity partner for the tournament. Proceeds were raised throughout the competition to support UNICEF Australia's Sports for Development program to empower girls and boys in Sri Lanka. Tickets for

4060-535: The war, but the period did produce some great players and memorable matches, especially as organised competition at county and Test level developed. In 1844, the first-ever international match took place between what were essentially club teams, from the United States and Canada , in Toronto ; Canada won. In 1859, a team of English players went to North America on the first overseas tour . Meanwhile,

4130-595: The year. Wolvaardt has captained the South Africa Women's U-19 side, and in February 2016, she made her Women's One Day International debut in the opening match of a three-match series against England aged 16. In the second match of the series, she scored her maiden half century in a 114-run partnership with Trisha Chetty . She also played in a match against West Indies , and scored 10 in an opening partnership of 33 runs. In August 2016, Wolvaardt became

4200-537: The youngest centurion, male or female, for South Africa in international cricket. As a 17-year-old, the opener struck a match-winning 105 against Ireland Women to wrap up a 67-run victory in Malahide , Ireland . In May 2017, she was named Women's Newcomer of the Year at Cricket South Africa's annual awards. In March 2018, she was one of fourteen players to be awarded a national contract by Cricket South Africa ahead of

4270-655: Was bowled underarm by the bowler and along the ground towards a batter armed with a bat that in shape resembled a hockey stick ; the batter defended a low, two-stump wicket ; and runs were called notches because the scorers recorded them by notching tally sticks. In 1611, the year Cotgrave 's dictionary was published, ecclesiastical court records at Sidlesham in Sussex state that two parishioners, Bartholomew Wyatt and Richard Latter, failed to attend church on Easter Sunday because they were playing cricket. They were fined 12 d each and ordered to do penance . This

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4340-544: Was a "great upsurge of sport after the Restoration " in 1660. Several members of the court of King Charles II took a strong interest in cricket during that era. Gambling on sport became a problem significant enough for Parliament to pass the 1664 Gambling Act, limiting stakes to £ 100, which was, in any case, a colossal sum exceeding the annual income of 99% of the population. Along with horse racing , as well as prizefighting and other types of blood sport , cricket

4410-523: Was abandoned with no play due to rain, meaning India advanced to the final, after finishing top of Group A. It was the first time that India had progressed to the final of the Women's T20 World Cup. In the second semi-final, hosts Australia beat South Africa by five runs in a rain-affected match. The tournament featured 10 teams. The eight top-ranked teams based on finishing positions from the 2018 ICC Women's World Twenty20 qualified automatically. The remaining two qualification spots were determined through

4480-561: Was bought by the Northern Superchargers for the 2022 season of The Hundred . In March 2023, Wolvaardt was added to the Gujarat Giants squad as a mid-season replacement for Beth Mooney in the 2023 Women's Premier League . In December 2013, 13-year-old Wolvaardt was invited to play for a South Africa Women's U-19 invitational team. She was later named the 2013 Cricket South Africa under-19 female cricketer of

4550-592: Was founded in the 1760s and, for the next twenty years until the formation of Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and the opening of Lord's Old Ground in 1787, Hambledon was both the game's greatest club and its focal point. MCC quickly became the sport's premier club and the custodian of the Laws of Cricket . New Laws introduced in the latter part of the 18th century include the three-stump wicket and leg before wicket (lbw). The 19th century saw underarm bowling superseded by first roundarm and then overarm bowling . Both developments were controversial. Organisation of

4620-632: Was named captain of the South Africa squad for the 2024 ICC Women's T20 World Cup and their multi-format home series against England in November 2024. In July 2020, she was named South Africa's Women's Cricketer of the Year at Cricket South Africa 's annual awards ceremony. At the 2021 ICC Awards , she was named in the ICC Women's T20I Team of the Year . Wolvaardt graduated from Parklands College in 2017 with 7 Distinctions, ranking top in her class. Simultaneously she served as Head-Prefect alongside

4690-788: Was named in South Africa's team for the 2022 Women's Cricket World Cup in New Zealand. In May 2022, she played seven matches for the Barmy Army team at the 2022 FairBreak Invitational T20 in Dubai , United Arab Emirates . During the Invitational, she scored a total of 186 runs at a strike rate of 116.25, including two fifties. In June 2022, Wolvaardt was named in South Africa's Women's Test squad for their one-off match against England Women . She made her Test debut on 27 June 2022, for South Africa against England . In July 2022, she

4760-528: Was named in South Africa's team for the cricket tournament at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham , England. On 27 March 2024, she scored her maiden century in T20I cricket, against Sri Lanka . On 1 July 2024, Wolvaardt scored her maiden test century against India, becoming only the third woman to score a century in all three international formats, behind Heather Knight and Tammy Beaumont . She

4830-490: Was perceived to be a gambling sport. Rich patrons made matches for high stakes, forming teams in which they engaged the first professional players. By the end of the century, cricket had developed into a major sport that was spreading throughout England and was already being taken abroad by English mariners and colonisers—the earliest reference to cricket overseas is dated 1676. A 1697 newspaper report survives of "a great cricket match" played in Sussex "for fifty guineas apiece",

4900-405: Was retrospectively recognised as the first-ever Test match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground against Australia . The rivalry between England and Australia gave birth to The Ashes in 1882, which remains Test cricket's most famous contest. Test cricket began to expand in 1888–89 when South Africa played England. The inter-war years were dominated by Australia 's Don Bradman , statistically

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