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International Cricket

AUSTRALIA - The first competitive cricket was played in Australia in the early nineteenth century. The first states to join were Victoria and New South Wales. Shortly afterwards, South Australia, and Queensland were admitted. Western Australia came in after World War II. Club cricket is extremely popular and is the standard for Australian excellence. Each one of the five states has an affliation of clubs that controls the players and the playing grounds. The main prize is the Sheffield Shield, named after Lord Sheffield who brought an English team to Australia in the 1891-1892 season.

INDIA - Cricket was popularized by English settlers and the British army. The Oriental Club was the first all-Indian cricket club, specifically for a Indian religious sect. In 1906, a triangular match was played with the Hindus, the Parsis, and the Europeans; however in 1912, it became a quadrangular tournament with a Muslim team. The National championship has been played since 1934 for the Ranji Trophy, named for K.S. Ranjitsinhji, one of the most famous Indian cricketers.

NEW ZEALAND - The first recorded cricket match was played in 1841. In the South Island, after the discovery of gold in Otago, many Australians came to the country. This aided in the spread of cricket throughout the area. In 1894, the New Zealand Cricket Council was formed, consisting of representatives from each one of the provinces. The premier contest held each year is for the Plunket Shield, named for a former governor general of New Zealand. English teams regularly visit.

PAKISTAN - The Pakistani cricket council was begun in 1947, but has always had a difficult time with organizing a stable group. Four groups in the country compete each year for the Qa'id-e A'zam Trophy, in honor of Mohammed Ali Jinnah, one of the Pakistani creators.

SOUTH AFRICA - British troops brought cricket to South Africa in the mid-nineteenth century and was mainly played in military bases and police centers until 1889. The Currie Cup was begun this year by Sir Donald Currie to be given to the team who played the best against one of the English teams. This Cup is now the country's provincial championship. A cricket board of control now governs the game in South Africa, with the three most powerful provinces being Transvaal, Western Province, and Natal.

WEST INDIES - The first cricket match between colonies was played in 1865, but the game had historically been played since the mid-nineteenth century. By 1900, a triangular match was being held between Demerara, Barbados, and Trinidad. However, it has been a problem to choose a national captain, because the team rivalry is so strong. Jamaica began participating after World War II because of the increased availability of air travel. In the 1960s, the Leeward and Windward Islands joined the competition for the Shell Shield, presented each year by the Shell Oil Company.



Cricket Links Around the World

Australian Cricket:
Indian Cricket:
New Zealand Cricket:
Pakistani Cricket:
Republic of South Africa Cricket:
Sri Lankan Cricket:
West Indian Cricket:
Zimbabwe Cricket:
Other International Cricket Council Members:
International Cricket Council Homepage:
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Information gathered from:

"Cricket." Encyclopedia Brittanica. 1982 ed. Volume 5. pps. 256-264.