Anyone for Cricket?

By Robert Ronald

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A Cricket Glossary All-rounder: A player who excels as both batsman and bowler. Bail: Two small pieces of wood sitting atop three stumps. Together they form a wicket. Batsman: A player who attempts to hit the ball thrown by the bowler. Bowler: A player who throws the ball the length of the pitch, trying to dislodge the bails from the stumps. Breaking: Dislodging the bails from the stumps. Bunny: A team member who cannot bat, but specializes as a bowler or wicketkeeper. Dolly: An easy catch. Duck: A score of 0. Googly: A thrown ball that bounces towards a batsman. Legspin: A thrown ball that bounces away from a batsman. Nurdle: When a batsman nudges the ball to vacant area of the field. Over: Six consecutive balls by one bowler. Snick: A ball deflecting off the edge of a bat. Stump: Three wooden pegs hammered upright in the ground, atop which sit two bails. Wicket: A set of three stumps and two bails. A wicket is positioned at either end of the pitch.

Googly, nurdle and snick may not be sports lingo recognizable to all Canadians, but to many of us they are familiar samples of cricket terminology. Slap shots, body checks and icings may be mainstays of the Canadian sports vernacular, but watch out Canada, cricket is becoming increasingly popular in the land of hockey.

Originating in England, cricket has spread internationally to the far corners of the world, including Australia, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, the West Indies and Canada. Its worldwide popularity is so great that it is often regarded as the number-two sport, after soccer.

Cricket is played by two teams of 11 players on a grassy field centred by a 22-yard-long pitch. At either end of the pitch are two wickets, each consisting of three upright stumps, atop which sit two bails. Batsmen, positioned at either end of the pitch, run to the opposite wicket after a batsman, using a wooden bat, successfully hits a ball thrown by a bowler. The aim of the bowler is to dislodge the bails from the stumps.

It is assumed by historians that British soldiers introduced cricket to Canada in the late 18th century. The first recorded cricket match in Canada occurred at Montreal in 1785. In the 19th century the game took hold in Upper Canada, particularly in what became Toronto, where it was nurtured in a number of private schools. Canada’s oldest cricket club is the Toronto Cricket Club, founded in 1827.

In 1880 the Ontario Cricket Association was established. A number of other provincial associations sprang to life around the turn of the century, and in 1892 the Canadian Cricket Association was founded.

Canada and the United States met in 1844 in the world’s first international cricket match. Canadian cricket teams have been touring abroad and playing host to national teams ever since. Canada’s interest in cricket, however, waned a little during the first half of the 20th century, in part due to the popularity of hockey and baseball. But there was a resurgence of cricket after World War II.

Canadian Cricket Links For more information on cricket leagues and associations, rules, terminology and history check out these websites:. Canadian Cricket Association International Cricket Council Toronto and District Cricket Association CricoInfoCanada

Today the Canadian Cricket Association has more than 12,000 players on more than 400 teams playing on 95 grounds. The largest of the association’s 17 major leagues, the Toronto and District Cricket Association, has four divisions, 65 teams and more than 1,000 registered players. But Canada’s love for cricket can best be seen through its youth. Upwards of 90 junior and school teams are part of the Canadian Cricket Association. The present—and future—looks bright for cricket in Canada.