Cricket - It’s as English as Mussels and Chips!

I will happily admit that when it comes to cricket I don’t just fail “dear” Norman Tebbit’s cricket test, I don’t even get close to the exam room. Cricket bores me stiff. What other sport can have five day matches and still produce a draw!

I was therefore amused to see a BBC article about academic research claims cricket is not English, but was imported by immigrants from northern Belgium. A poem thought to have been written in 1533 suggests that the game originates from Flanders.

A cricket

The first definitive references to the game appeared in England in the 1600s, when fines were handed out for those missing church to play. The first cricket club was formed in Hambledon in the 1760s and the world-famous Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) was founded in 1787.

But German academic Heiner Gillmeister and his Australian colleague, Paul Campbell of the Australian National University. say the discovery proves that cricket is anything but English. The poem, The Image of Ipocrisie, attributed to the English poet John Skelton, refers to Flemish weavers who settled in southern and eastern England.

They are described as "kings of crekettes"; "wickettes" are mentioned too. It is thought the weavers brought the game to England and played it close to where they looked after their sheep, using shepherd's crooks as bats.

Women cricketers in Iran

Mr Campbell's research was based on earlier investigations by Mr Gillmeister, a linguist from the University of Bonn. "There is no way to relate the term to any existing English word," he told the BBC. "I was brought up with Flemish children and I know the language well. I immediately thought of the Flemish phrase 'met de krik ketsen' which means to 'chase a ball with a curved stick'."

In response, cricket historian David Frith said: "It is hard to deny that this is a breakthrough. This discovery points to an addition to the great history of cricket. It's exciting we haven't yet written the final word on it." He added: "It does make you wonder why Belgium isn't playing test cricket though, doesn't it?"

Well Mr Firth perhaps the reason is because they have better things to do in life (like putting mayo on chips and brewing superb beer) than bother with cricket! Actually there is a Belgian Cricket Federation. Click here for all you need to know about the game in Belgium.

Seriously I don’t really get that worked up about cricket. If people enjoy it then who am I to stop them. It is interesting to see that cricket has reached Iran. In January the Iranian national side beat China by 307 runs. Meanwhile the first women’s tournament took place last October. Click here for more information about the game in Iran

Paisley, McGuiness and cricket

On Thursday Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness sent a joint invitation has been sent to the Irish World Cup cricket team asking them to attend a reception at Parliament Buildings to mark their success in the Caribbean. Mr Paisley will become Northern Ireland’s First Minister, Mr McGuinness is set to take over as Deputy First Minister in May.

In the letter to the Irish World Cup cricket team Mr Paisley described their success as "a marvellous achievement". "I warmly congratulate the team and pay particular tribute to the Northern Ireland players and their manager, Ulsterman, Roy Torrens," he said. "They have put local cricket on the map. Qualifying for the tournament itself was tremendous, but making the Super Eight stage was nothing short of remarkable.”

Ireland provided some of the biggest shocks of the tournament by beating Test playing nations Pakistan and Bangladesh. Their achievements saw the side reach full one-day international status. Mr McGuinness , (surprisingly) an avid cricket fan,echoed Mr Paisley's praise.

An editorial in yesterday’s Irish Independent reminds us that even couple of months ago a joint communique of any sort would have been unthinkable. Perhaps the next step WILL be for Mr Paisley to throw in the sliothar (the ball used in hurling) on All Ireland Final day in Croke Park!

I have never had time for ether Paisley or McGuiness. I would much rather have seen neither of them taking the First Minister and Deputy posts but the people of Northern Ireland made their choice. However, I have been astonished at the way they appear to have resolved huge differences and gotten down to the business or government. As for the Irish cricket team success, perhaps it was even more unthinkable than Paisley and McGuiness working together. Hold on, Martin McGuiness an avid cricket fan. I would never had guessed that!

The (Cricket) world turned upside down

I will happily admit that not only do I fail Norman Tebbit's cricket test I don't even make it to the exam room. However, I couldn’t resist this result from the Cricket World Cup: Ireland 133-7 beat Pakistan 132 by three wickets.

Pakistan, one of the top cricketing nations beaten by minnows, are now out of the World Cup beaten by a nation where cricket is only marginally less popular than pro-am shove ha’penny! (in the Republic anyway, the team does represent the whole island).

I won't insult anyone by commenting on the match itself. Here are a couple of reports:

Irish Independent

BBC