Cricket ‘invented in Belgium’
New academic research claims cricket is not an English invention after all - but was imported from Belgium.
A poem thought to have been written in 1533 has been uncovered, which suggests the game originates from Flanders.
Attributed to John Skelton, it describes Flemish weavers as “kings of crekettes” and also mentions “wickettes”, reports the BBC.
Paul Campbell, of the Australian National University, says the discovery proves the game is anything but English. The long established theory is that cricket evolved from English children’s games. The first definitive references to the game appeared in England in the 1600s, when fines were handed out for those missing church to play. Mr Campbell’s research was based on earlier investigations by Heiner Gillmeister, a linguist from the University of Bonn.
He is certain cricket cannot have started in England: “There is no way to relate the term to any existing English word,” he told the BBC. “I was brought up with Flemish children and I know the language well. I immediately thought of the Flemish phrase ‘met de krik ketsen’ which means to ‘chase a ball with a curved stick’.”Cricket historian David Frith said: “It is hard to deny that this is a breakthrough. This discovery points to an addition to the great history of cricket. It’s exciting we haven’t yet written the final word on it. “It does make you wonder why Belgium isn’t playing Test cricket though, doesn’t it?”. ananova
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