7 DAYS WRITING SKILLS CHALLENGE//Cricket, the sport loved by 2.5 billion fans

I woke up yesterday morning just to hear that the South Africa cricket team, the Protea’s, won their five day match which was played in New Zealand. This after a heavy defeat in the first match. As a cricket lover I was thrilled to the bones.

Cricket has always been a huge sport in my country but primarily under the white population. After the reform in 1992 when apartheid was lifted things has changed. We now have more players of race playing and in the process the game of cricket has gained thousands new supporters. It was also a men’s game but over the years this has also changed and it is now very popular under females.

There are now also female teams competing internationally.

Cricket sculpture at the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground

For those of you who doesn’t know cricket it is a ball and bat game played by eleven players on a team and between two teams at a time and on a round grounds field which was officially introduced in the early 1600’s as a children’s game. The main object is for two batsman to hit a ball which is bowled (thrown) by the opposite team and then to score runs from it.

It is the English who claims that cricket was played first in their country. The oldest cricket ground is Mitcham, London and after 337 years it is still in use.

There are various forms of cricket of which a 20 over game (the shortest match) will take +/- 3 hours and the longest a 5 day game.

After soccer cricket is the 2nd most watched sport globally. The thrill and excitement at a live cricket match is just unbelievable.

For me the five greatest cricket grounds in the world are;

1. Lord’s in London, England
2. The MCG in Melbourne, Australia
3. The Oval in London, England
4. Eden Gardens in Kolkata, India
5. The Wanders, Johannesburg, South Africa

A highlight for me on my trip to Australia was my visit to the MCG, Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Photos taken of the southern stand of the MCG

Currently there are 106 countries in the world which plays cricket. In India they don't play cricket, they eat, sleep, drink and play cricket!
In Africa there is only 4 countries, South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Kenia. I would love for cricket to be played in more African countries.

Come on Africa, take out those bats and balls and let’s start playing cricket!

#club75
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