Letter#48 Cricket, Classics, and Centuries: A Glimpse into Cricket's Past

Cricket to us was more than play, It was a worship in the summer sun. ― Edmund Blunden

It's been quite a while since I last wrote a letter to you. A bunch of things have happened since then. Diwali came and went, and now we're in the midst of the Cricket World Cup. It's incredible to see our team make it to the finals and I've found myself becoming an ardent fan of Virat Kohli. His recent gesture of bowing down to Sachin on his 50th ODI century in the match against New Zealand left a lasting impression on me. Furthermore, the sportsmanship displayed by Kane Williamson, who maintained a gracious smile despite New Zealand falling short of the finals, beautifully encapsulates the essence of cricket as a gentlemen’s game.

In the absence of writing, my weekends found solace in the pages of books. On one such occasion, I delved into the "Northanger Abbey" by Jane Austen. The intricacies of its plot deserve a dedicated discussion. What particularly caught my attention was the unexpected mention of cricket within the narrative. Jane Austen wrote the book in the 18th century and It's fascinating how this old British sport's popularity shifted to South Asia, especially India.

The first reference to cricket as an adult sport was in 1611, and the first laws were written in 1744, later amended in 1774. The ICC website has a brief history of cricket that you can check out here.

I've always believed that once we understand a game, it's in our DNA to become its ultimate champions. Here's hoping our team becomes the champion and lifts the World Cup.

I’ll write again, my friend.

Yours,

Bohemian Dialogue