4 Key Events in the History (and Future) of Cricket

Published on: Jan 18, 2023

Cricket has a long and rich history filled with notable moments, including great team and individual performances. Here is a look at just four key events in the history of cricket, plus some predictions for what the future might hold

First One Day International (5 January 1971)

Among many other developments that took place during the 1970s, the decade included the first One Day International, which was held between Australia and England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. With the first three days of an Ashes Test washed out, it was decided to abandon the game and instead play a one-day limited overs match. The teams played in white kits and used a red ball. The game was set at 40 eight-ball overs per side, with Australia winning by five wickets.

World Cup final 1983 (25 June 1983)

India caused something of an upset by defeating the West Indies by 43 runs in the World Cup final at Lord's. It was the first time India had lifted the World Cup. The team started the final with odds of 66-1, with the West Indian team the clear favourite, competing in its third consecutive final. However, India prevailed on the day, with Mohinder Amarnath named man of the match. Earlier in the contest, captain Kapil Dev had hit 175 not out against Zimbabwe, making it a memorable tournament for fans of Indian cricket.

Ball of the century (4 June 1993)

No list of notable cricket events would be complete without a mention of the late Shane Warne’s memorable entry into Ashes Test cricket with the “ball of the century”, as it has become known. Facing Mike Gatting on the second day of the first Test at Old Trafford in Manchester, the young Aussie leg spinner bamboozled the England stalwart, bowling him with a stunning delivery that has become a legendary moment in cricket. England ended up losing the match by 179 runs.

Brian Lara’s 400 not out (12 April 2004)

Finally, during a Test match against England in Antigua, West Indies batsman Brian Lara famously put himself into the record books by hitting a mighty 400 not out in 582 balls and 778 minutes. After achieving the mammoth total, captain Lara declared with his side on 751 for five, in what would be a drawn match. Lara beat the previous record of 380, set by Australian Matthew Hayden against Zimbabwe in Perth in 2003.

What does the future hold for cricket?

Going forward, the cricket world is likely to see more prominence for the women’s game. Meanwhile, off the field, a growing recognition that bitcoin and cricket are a good match may lead to more interest in the crypto world, such as the existing Cricket token (or CRIC) from the Cricket Foundation.

One subject of interest is the future of Test cricket. Some commentators have argued that it is in decline, with one-sided matches and lower attendance numbers, resulting in falling revenues for the host grounds and loss of media coverage.

However, the recent successes enjoyed by England under the proactive captaincy of Ben Stokes suggest that Test cricket still has plenty to offer fans of all ages, and the potential to continue to generate memorable performances and moments for decades to come.