|
Please use the menu on the left to navigate through this resource
John Gassom – cricket bat maker
History of Cricket and the Cricket Bat
There are many theories about the origins of cricket. It is possible that shepherds hitting an object with their crooks, may have been the first players of the game (from Anglo Saxon ‘cricce’, a crooked staff). A second theory suggests the name came from a low stool known as a ‘cricket’ in England, which from the side looked like the long, low wicket used in the early days of the game (originally from the Flemish ‘krickstoel’, a low stool on which parishioners knelt in church). There is a reference to ‘criquet’ in north-east France in 1478 and evidence that the game evolved in south-east England in the Middle Ages. However, the first recorded match took place in Kent in 1646 and it was only in 1744 that the first written rules were drawn up.
Bat (or batte) is an Old English word meaning stick or club. The earliest types of bat were rather like a hockey stick – long, heavy clubs curved outwards towards the bottom. The design of the bat reflected the type of bowling that was prevalent at the time – fast, underarm bowls rolled along the ground. By the eighteenth century, the batte had developed into a longer, heavier, curved version of our modern bat – the handle and blade were carved out of a single piece of wood. Since around 1830, the basic design has had two main sections – the blade and the handle. Willow is the wood used for the blade of the cricket bat because it is tough, light and resilient. In contrast, since approximately 1855, cane, which is light and springy, has been favoured for the handle. The modern rules of cricket state that ‘The bat overall shall not be more than 38"/96.5cm in length. The blade shall be made solely of wood and shall not exceed 4"/10.8cm at the widest part.’
Growing willow trees for cricket bats is a skill in itself: fast growing, they thrive best near freshwater streams and in their early years need protection from rabbits, hares, deer and livestock. They are ready for use after 12–15 years.
|
