Was there a player 'abducted' just before his turn at bat during Lords? Which sporting apparel was deemed 'unsporting' at the onset of women's cricket? Can we bet in India? You'd be surprised at some of the interesting unknown unknowns about the sport of cricket.
Let us dive into four of some of the more exciting and, dare we say, bizarre moments in cricket history. Hang to your hats
1.Supposed Capture And The Bodyline
When Australia and England face each other in cricket matchups, controversy is never far off, as history has shown us. Infamous among these are the England antics over the 1932-33 match tour to Australia to stop the rampaging batsmanship of Donald Bradman
Since dubbed the 'bodyline' technique, this strategy was done by bowling the ball straight at the batsman's body. This sort of underhanded angling, short and beyond the mark of the leg's stump, drew furor from administrators and cricket fans alike. The reputational hit on England was immense.
During Lords, the 'kidnapping' of Billy Midwinter, Aussie player, must be one of the most humorous and bizarre occurrences in cricket history. Moments from batting, the Aussie was pinched by one WG Grace and his cronies, stocked in a cab, and driven Gloucestershire for a match at the Oval
What's more, his mates at the Aussie team got their own sets of wheels and gave chase in hot pursuit. A bitter exchange of words took place on the easements of the ground, with Grace hurling crass niceties at the Aussies.
A series of messages went across the divide, with Grace ultimately giving in and apologizing for his antics and dubbing his language 'unparliamentary
2.The Game For Gentlemen?
For the longest time, the sport of cricket was a preserve of men, affluent white men
Toward the end of the 19th century, ladies had begun to engage in the sport in a greater capacity than previous spectator fashion. In Sydney 1890, ladies' matches began to be played, with the first contest seeing Victoria square up against New South Wales.
Rosalie Dean, a year later, made an awe-inspiring effort with 195 & 104 in a contest played at Sydney Cricket Ground. In the early days, women were counseled to have their hats secured tightly to enable them to use their hands effectively for catching and launching balls
Any effort to stop incoming balls with the petticoat was deemed unsporting. An exciting image, wouldn't you say
3. Plague Of Flies -The Nature Of The Wicket
During the Ashes series of 2015, substantial public deliberation of the nature of wickets in England came about. In the same way, in a hot dust-beaten section of Victoria, WG Grace (that WG Grace) delivered one of his poorer performances
Grace later detailed how dilapidated the pitch was, strewn with renegade outgrowths of grass but overall dusty: the field he played had been plowed some three odd months beforehand. So dusty that a ball pitched at the batter got stuck in the dust. Think about how dusty that was
WG Grace had come a long way. Hence he had no alternative but to strap up and play on a ground he dubbed an 'execrable wicket' pestered by 'a plague of flies.' The overall outcome of the match he labeled a 'ludicrous farce.' Would you play on a surface like that?
4. Politics And/Or Cricket
Politics over the years itself has been an avid spectator of cricket. Similar to their British partners, numerous Australian PMs have claimed affection for cricket. They have emphasized the significance of the game as far as nurturing the connection between Britain and Australia.
He called cricket a vital section of Britain's inheritance left to Australia written by historian Robert Menzies. A token of the shared blood and history between the two nations
Conclusion
Admit it; you were surprised a little bit, weren't you? From supposed capture to terrible turfs and immovable petticoats against unstoppable balls, the history of cricket has its odd ducks