Cricket has a long history.
The first evidence of the game dates back to the 16th century. It is believed that cricket was originally conceived as a children's game, but in 1610 it began to be played by adults. A little later, the first inter-village matches were recorded. In the 17th century, the game became increasingly popular in Southeast England. By the end of the century, it had become an organized sport played at high stakes. In the 18th century, it became the national sport of England and the weight of the stakes increased. Some wealthier sponsors even created their own teams.
The throwing of the ball by the bowlers, which replaced the previous rolling and sliding towards the batsman, led to a real revolution in the design of the bats. The modern straight bat, which appeared at that time, is more convenient for hitting the bouncing ball, compared to the hockey stick used until then.
With the expansion of the British Empire, the sport became popular in India, North America, the Antilles, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Women's cricket had a serious influence on the development of the game. The first matches were in 1811 and were played in front of large audiences. A little later, in 1844, the first international match was played between the teams of the United States and Canada.
