# Chapter 7: Geography & Culture

Cricket · Chapter 7: Geography & Culture · Insporta Book (https://book.insporta.app/cricket/interesting-facts/chapter-7-geography-culture/)

Cricket far from its home grounds and in the wider culture: island games and holidays, the highest matches on earth, writers who played, and the songs and films the game has inspired.

## 7.71 Unexpected Places

Cricket where you might not expect it: the Trobriand Islands, Bermuda's two-day Cup Match holiday, Samoa's kilikiti, a match in Lincoln's America and games at the edge of the sky.

### Test 1: Islands, holidays and high plateaus

- The missionary hoped it would curb fighting; the islanders made it a contest between villages, with war paint, chants and a dance after every wicket. (Source: National Film and Sound Archive of Australia, 'Trobriand Cricket: An Ingenious Response to Colonialism' (nfsa.gov.au); Australian Screen Online)
- Jerry Leach and Gary Kildea's film was shown on Australian television and the BBC and is still used to teach anthropology. (Source: National Film and Sound Archive of Australia, 'Trobriand Cricket: An Ingenious Response to Colonialism' (nfsa.gov.au); Australian Screen Online)
- The east-end and west-end clubs have met since the first official Cup Match in 1902; the venue alternates between their grounds. (Source: Go To Bermuda, 'Cup Match: Bermuda's biggest celebration' (gotobermuda.com); The Royal Gazette (2024))
- Bermudians from the two ends of the island marked Emancipation Day with picnics and a cricket match; the two days are now Emancipation Day and Mary Prince Day. (Source: Go To Bermuda, 'Cup Match: Bermuda's biggest celebration' (gotobermuda.com); The Royal Gazette (2024))
- Played at 5,752 metres in a crater on Kilimanjaro, it beat the 'Everest Test' of 2009 by 588 metres. (Source: Guinness World Records, 'Highest-altitude cricket match' (guinnessworldrecords.com))
- The three-sided bat copies a Samoan war club; whole villages take part in matches, with singing and dancing. (Source: Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, 'Samoan kilikiti (cricket)' (collections.tepapa.govt.nz))
- USA Cricket dates the match to 1849, when thousands of Americans played the game; Lincoln was then a congressman from Illinois. (Source: USA Cricket, Our History (usacricket.org/history); Smithsonian Magazine, 'The history of cricket in the United States')
- 1849, 1902, 1903 and 1921. (Source: USA Cricket; Go To Bermuda; NFSA; Te Papa)
- 1834, 1902, 1947 and 2020. (Source: Go To Bermuda, 'Cup Match: Bermuda's biggest celebration' (gotobermuda.com); The Royal Gazette (2024))
- Team Hillary beat Team Tenzing at Gorak Shep in Nepal; it was the highest match on record until a game on Kilimanjaro in 2014. (Source: Guinness World Records, 'Highest-altitude cricket match' (guinnessworldrecords.com))

## 7.72 Writers at the Crease

Authors who played and wrote the game: Conan Doyle, Beckett, Wodehouse, Barrie, Byron, Dickens and Pinter.

### Test 1: Novelists, poets and playwrights who played

- Playing for MCC against London County at Crystal Palace, Arthur Conan Doyle had Grace caught behind for 110, and wrote a poem about it. (Source: The Arthur Conan Doyle Encyclopedia, 'Cricket' (arthur-conan-doyle.com); Conan Doyle Estate, 'J.M. Barrie's literary all-star cricket team')
- Beckett played against Northamptonshire in 1925 and 1926, scoring 35 runs in four innings; he is the only Nobel literature laureate in Wisden. (Source: Wisden obituary of Samuel Beckett, 1990 (ESPNcricinfo); Trinity College Dublin, Trinity Writers: Samuel Beckett)
- Wodehouse saw Percy Jeeves play at Cheltenham in 1913; the cricketer was killed on the Somme in 1916. (Source: P. G. Wodehouse and Guy Bolton, 'Bring On the Girls!' (1953); Murray Hedgcock, 'Wodehouse at the Wicket')
- The joke name, mixing a misunderstood Arabic phrase with Barrie's own surname, poked fun at how poor the side was; Conan Doyle was its star. (Source: Conan Doyle Estate, 'J.M. Barrie's literary all-star cricket team' (conandoyleestate.com))
- Byron had a runner because of his foot; he claimed more runs in a letter than the scorebook gives him, and Eton won by an innings. (Source: Lord's, 'Father Time Wall: 1805, the first Eton v Harrow match takes place at Lord's' (lords.org))
- The Series E £10 note carried Charles Dickens on the back with an illustration of the match, based on R. W. Buss's original. (Source: Bank of England Museum (2020); The Victorian Web, 'The Cricket Match', illustration for Pickwick Papers)
- Pinter joined the Gaieties as a player and became its captain and chairman; he said cricket had been a central feature of his life. (Source: Sports Journalists' Association, 'Harold Pinter, Len Hutton, the Ashes and Nobel Prizes'; The Guardian interview (2008))
- 1805, 1836, 1887 and 1900. (Source: Lord's; The Victorian Web; Conan Doyle Estate; The Arthur Conan Doyle Encyclopedia)
- 1913, 1915, 1925 and 1969. (Source: P. G. Wodehouse and Guy Bolton, 'Bring On the Girls!' (1953); Murray H; Wisden obituary of Samuel Beckett, 1990 (ESPNcricinfo); Trinity College Dublin,)
- It is chapter seven of Dickens's first novel; All-Muggleton win easily, and both sides end the day at the same dinner. (Source: Bank of England Museum (2020); The Victorian Web, 'The Cricket Match', illustration for Pickwick Papers)

## 7.73 Song, Screen and Celebration

A victory calypso, a pop number one, an Oscar-nominated film, a television drama, a biopic of a World Cup and a club run by priests.

### Test 1: Cricket in music, film and faith

- It was nominated at the 74th Academy Awards in 2002, the third Indian film in that category, and lost to No Man's Land. (Source: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, 'The 74th Academy Awards' (oscars.org))
- Graham Gouldman based the exchange on a conversation he had while in Jamaica. (Source: uDiscover Music, 'Dreadlock Holiday: how 10cc bowled out the competition' (udiscovermusic.com))
- West Indies won at Lord's by 326 runs; Lord Beginner's song named the young spinners Ramadhin and Valentine. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, 'Victory Test Match'; Caribbean Beat, 'The triumph of calypso cricket')
- Egbert Moore, who sang as Lord Beginner, led the celebrations from the ground; Lord Kitchener was also there. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, 'Victory Test Match'; Caribbean Beat, 'The triumph of calypso cricket')
- St Peter's Cricket Club draws its players from seminaries and pontifical colleges, many from India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan, and tours to promote dialogue between faiths. (Source: Vatican News, 'Vatican cricket team touring Argentina' (2018); Catholic News Agency (2014))
- Kabir Khan's film tells the story of the 1983 World Cup; Deepika Padukone plays Kapil Dev's wife, Romi. (Source: Netflix, '83 (2021); The Quint, 'These actors are playing Kapil's Devils in 1983 World Cup film')
- The series, produced by Kennedy Miller, starred Weaving as Jardine and Gary Sweet as Bradman. (Source: National Film and Sound Archive, 'Bodyline' (1984) on Australian Screen Online (aso.gov.au))
- 1950, 1978, 1984 and 2001. (Source: ESPNcricinfo; uDiscover Music; NFSA; the Academy)
- 2002, 2008, 2013 and 2021. (Source: The Academy; Sports Journalists' Association; Vatican News; Netflix)
- It was 10cc's third UK number one and their last top-ten hit. (Source: uDiscover Music, 'Dreadlock Holiday: how 10cc bowled out the competition' (udiscovermusic.com))

## 7.74 Cricket Across Europe

From Corfu's square to Dutch giant-killers: the game in Europe beyond England.

### Test 1: European cricket

- The Oporto Cricket and Lawn Tennis Club dates from 1855. (Source: Oporto Cricket and Lawn Tennis Club history)
- Cricket had been played in the Netherlands for decades before that. (Source: KNCB (kncb.nl), history)
- Its ground in Stockbridge is Scotland's main international venue. (Source: Cricket Scotland; Grange Cricket Club history)
- It was their second win over South Africa at a world event in a year. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, Netherlands v South Africa, Dharamsala 2023)
- Hundreds of new clubs and teams were formed in a few years. (Source: Deutscher Cricket Bund; BBC Sport)
- They were drawn in the group with England and South Africa in Pakistan. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, World Cup 1996)
- The name comes from the white cross on the blue flag of Scotland. (Source: Cricket Scotland)
- 1996, 1999 and 2006. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, ODI records)
- Portugal's Atlantic coast, Scotland, the Netherlands and the Ionian Sea. (Source: Atlas)
- Local clubs still play on the Spianada, and some terms are Greek versions of English words. (Source: Hellenic Cricket Federation; Corfu cricket history)

## 7.75 The Pacific

Cricket in Papua New Guinea, Fiji, New Caledonia and the Pacific Games.

### Test 1: Pacific cricket

- The tournament was moved to Oman and the UAE. (Source: ICC, Men's T20 World Cup 2021)
- Missionaries brought the game in the 1800s, and the women made it their own. (Source: Pacific Community; New Caledonia cricket federation)
- Teams wear matching bright prints. (Source: Pacific Community; New Caledonia cricket federation)
- His full name had well over 30 letters, so scorers shortened it. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, I. L. Bula)
- Their tours of New Zealand drew big crowds. (Source: Fiji Cricket; New Zealand Cricket Museum)
- The players turned out barefoot in sulus. (Source: Fiji Cricket history; New Zealand Cricket Museum)
- PNG's men have dominated the event. (Source: Pacific Games Council; Cricket PNG)
- 1895, 1979 and 2021. (Source: Pacific Games Council; ICC)
- From about 147 degrees east to about 160 degrees west. (Source: Atlas)
- The women's team are the Lewas. (Source: Cricket PNG)

## 7.76 The Americas

Cricket in Argentina, Philadelphia, Texas, Brazil and New York, from Valley Forge to the Olympics.

### Test 1: American cricket

- Argentina's cricket was strong then, built by British railway and ranch families. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, MCC in Argentina 1911-12)
- He called his late inswinger 'the angler'. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, Bart King profile; Haverford College)
- The college still has its own cricket ground. (Source: Haverford College, C. C. Morris Cricket Library)
- It opened for cricket in 2023. (Source: Major League Cricket; Grand Prairie Stadium)
- Washington himself is said to have joined in. (Source: USA Cricket history; Mount Vernon (mountvernon.org))
- The town in Minas Gerais runs programmes for schools and women. (Source: Cricket Brasil)
- The venue is at the Fairplex showground east of Los Angeles. (Source: LA28 Olympic Games venue plan)
- 1778, 1911-12, 2023 and 2024. (Source: ESPNcricinfo; USA Cricket)
- From about 44 degrees north to about 35 degrees south. (Source: Atlas)
- Its drop-in pitches were grown in Florida and brought north. (Source: ICC, Men's T20 World Cup 2024)

## 7.77 Cricket in Books and Poems

Poems, novels and a gentleman thief: cricket on the page.

### Test 1: Literature

- He wrote it after declining to watch Lancashire play at Lord's. (Source: Poetry Foundation; Lancashire Cricket heritage)
- Published in 1933, it was written by a Scot poking fun at the English. (Source: Macdonell, England, Their England (1933))
- Its narrator plays in the immigrant leagues of the city. (Source: O'Neill, Netherland (2008); Pen/Faulkner Award)
- Karunatilaka later won the Booker Prize for a different novel. (Source: Commonwealth Foundation; Booker Prize Foundation)
- Raffles played for the Gentlemen of England between his burglaries. (Source: Hornung, The Amateur Cracksman (1899))
- Doyle, himself a keen cricketer, is said to have disliked the idea of a hero who was a thief. (Source: Arthur Conan Doyle Estate; Hornung biography)
- The book won the Hawthornden Prize in 1929. (Source: Sassoon, Memoirs of a Fox-Hunting Man (1928))
- 1897, 1899, 1928, 1933 and 2008. (Source: Publishers' records)
- 2010, 2012 and 2022. (Source: Commonwealth Foundation; Booker Prize Foundation)
- Henry Newbolt's poem repeats the line 'Play up! play up! and play the game!' (Source: Newbolt, Admirals All (1897))

## 7.78 Cricket's Children

Football clubs, Australian football and the first internationals that grew out of cricket clubs and grounds.

### Test 1: Sports born of cricket

- He wanted a game to keep cricketers fit in the winter. (Source: Australian Football League history; ESPNcricinfo, Tom Wills)
- The cricket club wanted more members and income in the winter. (Source: Derby County FC history)
- The Wednesday Cricket Club dates from 1820; its football section began in 1867. (Source: Sheffield Wednesday FC history)
- It was at Hamilton Crescent, the ground of the West of Scotland Cricket Club. (Source: Scottish Football Association history)
- It belongs to the Edinburgh Academical club. (Source: Scottish Rugby history)
- The cricket ground's owners saw the crowds football could bring. (Source: Sheffield United FC history)
- They were allowed extra players because they were new to the game. (Source: Society for American Baseball Research, the 1874 tour)
- 1820, 1859, 1871, 1872, 1874 and 1884. (Source: Club and governing body histories)
- 1867, 1884 and 1889. (Source: Club histories)
- Its first rules were drawn up at the Parade Hotel next to the MCG in 1859. (Source: Australian Football League history)

## 7.79 Statues, Stamps and Art

How cricket's heroes are remembered in bronze, on paper, in metal and in wax.

### Test 1: Honours in art

- It is one of the oldest paintings of the game. (Source: MCC Museum collection (lords.org))
- Only Mother Teresa had been on an Indian stamp while still alive. (Source: India Post, Sachin Tendulkar stamp (2013))
- Bradman was born in Cootamundra in August 1908. (Source: Royal Australian Mint)
- It joined the Parade of Champions outside the ground. (Source: Melbourne Cricket Club (mcc.org.au))
- It marked his years as Barbados's greatest sportsman. (Source: Barbados Cricket Association; Government of Barbados)
- Since 2010 it has been the International Cricket Hall of Fame, honouring players from every country. (Source: Bradman Foundation (bradman.com.au))
- The Brian Lara Cricket Academy stadium is at Tarouba in the south of the island. (Source: Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board)
- The 1740s, 1997, 2002, 2008, 2011 and 2013. (Source: MCC; Australia Post; Royal Australian Mint; India Post)
- 1908, 1936, 1969 and 1973. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, player profiles)
- He was 88 at the time. (Source: Australia Post, Australian Legends stamps)

## 7.80 Cricket Across Africa

Namibia, Kenya, Rwanda, Morocco and more: the game across Africa beyond South Africa and Zimbabwe.

### Test 1: African cricket

- The tournament was in southern Africa that year. (Source: ICC, World Cup 2003; Cricket Namibia)
- It will be the second World Cup in southern Africa. (Source: ICC, Men's Cricket World Cup 2027)
- A stadium was built for it in Tangier; Sri Lanka won. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, Morocco Cup 2002)
- They were the first West African side at an ICC World Cup. (Source: ICC, Under-19 World Cup 2020; Nigeria Cricket Federation)
- New Zealand won it, their first global title. (Source: ESPNcricinfo, ICC KnockOut 2000)
- The crested crane is on Uganda's flag. (Source: Uganda Cricket Association)
- Kenya played its home games in Nairobi. (Source: ICC, World Cup 2003)
- 2000, 2002, 2003, 2017, 2020 and 2024. (Source: ICC; ESPNcricinfo)
- From about 32 degrees north to about 22 degrees south. (Source: Atlas)
- The Gahanga stadium opened in 2017; its curved roofs follow a ball's path off the pitch. (Source: Rwanda Cricket Stadium Foundation)

Sources: Primary/official sources only, no Wikipedia citations: the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia, Te Papa, Go To Bermuda, Guinness World Records, USA Cricket, Lord's, Wisden, the Conan Doyle Estate, the Bank of England Museum, the Academy, Vatican News, ESPNcricinfo. Test Match Special, Wisden as cricket's 'bible', the Barmy Army and the great grounds' character are asked in Knowledge Testing and left out on purpose.

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