By: Mr. Windsor
Did you know Sir. John A MacDonald named cricket as the
first official sport of Canada in 1867? Or that Canada held
cricket’s oldest international fixture in 1844 against
United States where we won by 23 runs? Cricket is no longer
as popular of a sport in Canada and it has been demoted from
its position as an official sport. Despite our meager history of
cricket, the sport has a unique connection with our royal
family.
Queen Elizabeth II is a patron of the Marylebone Cricket
Club and will occasionally be seen at the iconic Lord’s
Cricket Ground watching an English Test match. The
Marylebone Cricket Club (Or the MCC for short) founded in
1787 used to be the governing body of the laws and games of
the sport until 1993. MCC currently owns the Lord’s Cricket
ground and was granted a Royal Charter in 2012. The Duke of
Edinburgh is the only person to the president of the MCC
twice in the 20th century. Prince Andrew topped the bowling
averages in his school of Gordonstoun in 1979 and was the
second best batsman on his team. Both Prince Harry and the
Duke of Cambridge used to play cricket during school. Past
Leicestershire player Paul Nixton even described Prince Harry
as “much more in the action and could develop his bowling
into an OK seamer”. The grandson of Queen Victoria, Prince
Christian Victor was the only member of the royal family who
managed to play first-class cricket, the most prestigious
standing in the sport. He also played for Wellington College
and soon became the captain in 1887. King George VI also
used to play “on the private ground on the slopes below
Windsor Castle, where the sons and grandsons of Edward
VII used to play regularly” (Wisden 1953).
Many past Indian royals and nobles were especially known to
be outstanding cricket players, including Jam Saheb Shri
Ranjitsinhji, who came to rule the Indian princely state of
Nawanagar in 1903. Ironically, “Ranji” never played cricket
in India, but instead played for the English Cricket team and
scored a century (100 runs) against the powerhouse team of
Australia in 1896. Not only is Ranji known as one of cricket’s
greatest players of all time, he also was known for
revolutionizing the sport with the perfection of leg-glance
shots when playing for Cambridge University and Sussex. The
Ranji Trophy for Indian first class cricket was named in his
honour.
Countless cricket players have even been knighted for their
knowledge and talent in the sport. Sir. Don Bradman is
regarded as the best test batsman to ever live and was
knighted in 1949. Queen Elizabeth II has knighted a few
players for their outstanding talent such as Sir Alec Victor
Bedser who was knighted in 1996. Cricket perhaps will never
be a popular sport in Canada; however, it will still be one of
the most popular sports among our royal family.
Did you know Sir. John A MacDonald named cricket as the
first official sport of Canada in 1867? Or that Canada held
cricket’s oldest international fixture in 1844 against
United States where we won by 23 runs? Cricket is no longer
as popular of a sport in Canada and it has been demoted from
its position as an official sport. Despite our meager history of
cricket, the sport has a unique connection with our royal
family.
Queen Elizabeth II is a patron of the Marylebone Cricket
Club and will occasionally be seen at the iconic Lord’s
Cricket Ground watching an English Test match. The
Marylebone Cricket Club (Or the MCC for short) founded in
1787 used to be the governing body of the laws and games of
the sport until 1993. MCC currently owns the Lord’s Cricket
ground and was granted a Royal Charter in 2012. The Duke of
Edinburgh is the only person to the president of the MCC
twice in the 20th century. Prince Andrew topped the bowling
averages in his school of Gordonstoun in 1979 and was the
second best batsman on his team. Both Prince Harry and the
Duke of Cambridge used to play cricket during school. Past
Leicestershire player Paul Nixton even described Prince Harry
as “much more in the action and could develop his bowling
into an OK seamer”. The grandson of Queen Victoria, Prince
Christian Victor was the only member of the royal family who
managed to play first-class cricket, the most prestigious
standing in the sport. He also played for Wellington College
and soon became the captain in 1887. King George VI also
used to play “on the private ground on the slopes below
Windsor Castle, where the sons and grandsons of Edward
VII used to play regularly” (Wisden 1953).
Many past Indian royals and nobles were especially known to
be outstanding cricket players, including Jam Saheb Shri
Ranjitsinhji, who came to rule the Indian princely state of
Nawanagar in 1903. Ironically, “Ranji” never played cricket
in India, but instead played for the English Cricket team and
scored a century (100 runs) against the powerhouse team of
Australia in 1896. Not only is Ranji known as one of cricket’s
greatest players of all time, he also was known for
revolutionizing the sport with the perfection of leg-glance
shots when playing for Cambridge University and Sussex. The
Ranji Trophy for Indian first class cricket was named in his
honour.
Countless cricket players have even been knighted for their
knowledge and talent in the sport. Sir. Don Bradman is
regarded as the best test batsman to ever live and was
knighted in 1949. Queen Elizabeth II has knighted a few
players for their outstanding talent such as Sir Alec Victor
Bedser who was knighted in 1996. Cricket perhaps will never
be a popular sport in Canada; however, it will still be one of
the most popular sports among our royal family.
RSS Feed
