Cricket is a popular sport played across the world, especially in countries like Australia, England, India, and South Africa. While many people are familiar with the basic rules and history of the sport, there are several lesser-known facts about cricket that are worth exploring. Here are some of the most unknown facts about cricket:
The longest cricket match ever played lasted for 14 days.
In 1939, a match between England and South Africa lasted for 14 days, making it the longest cricket match ever played. The match was eventually called off due to rain, with both teams having scored over 600 runs each.
Cricket balls were originally made of leather.
Today, cricket balls are made of cork and covered in leather, but in the sport's early days, they were made entirely of leather. These early balls were much heavier than modern ones and often had a lumpy shape.
The term "googly" was coined by a cricketer with a visual impairment.
The googly is a type of delivery in which the ball appears to be spinning one way but then suddenly spins in the opposite direction. The term was coined by English cricketer BJT Bosanquet, who had a visual impairment that caused him to see the ball differently than other players.
The longest six in cricket history was hit by Shahid Afridi.
In 2013, Pakistani cricketer Shahid Afridi hit a six that traveled a distance of 158 meters (over 500 feet), making it the longest six ever hit in cricket history.
The highest score ever recorded in a cricket match was 1,009 runs.
In 2013, a cricket match in India between two teams in a local league saw the batting team score a staggering 1,009 runs in a single innings. The match lasted for just two days, with the winning team scoring 1,465 runs in total.
The first international cricket match was played between the United States and Canada.
Although cricket is now most closely associated with countries like England and Australia, the first international cricket match was actually played between the United States and Canada in 1844. The match took place in New York City and was won by the Canadian team.
The sport has been played on Antarctica.
Cricket has been played on every continent on earth, including Antarctica. In 2014, a group of researchers played a match on a frozen lake near Casey Station, an Australian research facility on the continent.
In conclusion, cricket is a sport with a rich and fascinating history, and there are many interesting facts about the game that are not widely known. From the longest cricket match ever played to the highest score ever recorded, cricket has a number of records and achievements that are truly remarkable.