Two centuries ago, cricket was popular in the USA; will ICC T20 event revive it?

Contrary to popular belief, the rivalry between England and Australia is not the oldest one in the history of cricket. The very first Test match between England and Australia was played in Melbourne in 1877 and The Ashes trophy was instituted in 1882. 

But before that, in 1844, a cricket match was played between two countries where cricket took an early start but faded out later. The two countries were the USA and Canada. The USA hosted the first ever match against Canada at the St. George’s Cricket Club in Manhattan. 

In return Canada hosted the return match in 1845 at the McGill University campus in Montreal. These are the first recorded international cricket matches on American soil. Following the huge success and popularity of the matches, the Canadian Prime Minister John A. Macdonald declared that cricket would be Canada’s official sport.

Oldest cricket tournament 

The matches between USA and Canada are still played and this is the oldest cricket series in the world, even older than The Ashes. A trophy was instituted and was called the K.A. Auty Cup after Karl Andrew Auty. There was a long break in the tournament from 1994 to 2011 due to financial difficulties faced by the organisers. But after 2011 it was revived again.

Cricket took root in the USA even before it became independent from the British crown. On 29th April, 1751, the New York Gazette carried a report about a cricket match that was played between a team of residents of New York and visiting Englishmen.

But after a few years the relationship between Americans and English became sour mainly because of the high handedness of the East India Company. The famous Boston Tea Party (which even children in India have read about in history books), happened in 1773 and then in 1775 began the American struggle for independence. Eventually the British departed from the shores of America but left behind their delightful game just as they had done in India. 

There are records of the game being played by George Washington, the first President of the USA. 

Cricket grew before Civil War

Before the Civil War began in America, cricket was flourishing. It was a regular activity in Baltimore, Savannah, Chicago, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Milwaukee and San Francisco. But the outbreak of the Civil War brought a halt to all sporting activities including cricket. After the war ended, the game never regained the same countrywide status that it had enjoyed earlier. Instead the people turned to baseball which became hugely popular.

But the series between the USA and Canada was revived and it became a permanent fixture albeit with a smaller following. However, cricket in the USA suffered a big blow when the ICC was formed. The member countries were those who were part of the British Commonwealth and so the USA was left out in the cold. 

Hollywood Cricket Club

But a few diehard fans continued to pursue their own private games of cricket. In 1932 a Hollywood Cricket Club was formed in Los Angeles by English Test cricketer Charles Aubrey Smith who had become a film actor. Several well known stars were members of the club. 

Boris Karloff, who was well known for his portrayal of the monster Frankenstein, was one of the better players. Others included actors with British roots such as David Niven, Sir Laurence Olivier, Basil Rathbone (famous as Sherlock Holmes) and others. The popular writer P.G. Wodehouse, who settled in America in his later years, was asked to become the secretary of the Hollywood cricket club and he gleefully accepted the job.

Chances of a revival

Now the USA will jointly host the ICC T20 World Cup along with the West Indies. Will the move lead to a revival in public interest in the USA for cricket? Cricket fans are keeping their fingers crossed and hoping that cricket will once again take off in the USA.

Recently Rohit Sharma praised the infrastructure and stadiums that have been constructed for the World Cup. If the sport again finds followers then it will be a big boost for cricket. The game which began in England has spread its wings and flown across the Atlantic Ocean to enthrall the spectators in America once more.