5 facts about English cricket history that you probably didn't know
England, to use a cliché, is the cradle of cricket and it was where the game flourished from the 17th century onwards.
The modern form of the game emerged in England in the 19th century and even the rules of the game were written by the Marylebone Cricket Club in the same century.
As a result, the history of the English game is diverse and far-reaching. On the other hand, a lot about it has been discussed at length by cricket historians and much of it is very well known.
However, there are certain facts that might not be as widely known as others and here are 5 that might fall into that category.
#5 English cricket played 8-ball overs at one point
Now, the history of one over in cricket is quite interesting and in fact, an over in cricket did not always consist of 6 legal deliveries.
When international cricket first started, an over consisted of 4 deliveries per over and this stayed in effect in England from 1880-1888. From 1888 to 1899, an over consisted of 5 deliveries but from 1900 through to 1938, English cricket adopted the 6-ball over and that is how cricket is played everywhere to this day.
However, there was the period from 1939 to 1945, that is during the Second World War when international cricket had been halted that an over in any cricket game in England consisted on 8 balls per over.
It is indeed a little-known fact since England reverted to 6-ball overs and the little dalliance with 8-ball overs was soon forgotten.