History of Cricket
A brief history of cricket The origins of cricket lie somewhere in the Dark Ages - probably after the Roman Empire, almost certainly before the Normans invaded England, and almost certainly somewhere in Northern Europe. All research concedes that the game derived from a very old, widespread and uncomplicated pastime by which one player served up an object, be it a small piece of wood or a ball, and another hit it with a suitably fashioned club. How and when this club-ball game developed into one where the hitter defended a target against the thrower is simply not known. Nor is there any evidence as to when points were awarded dependent upon how far the hitter was able to despatch the missile; nor when helpers joined the two-player contest, thus beginning the evolution into a team game; nor when the defining concept of placing wickets at either end of the pitch was adopted. Etymological scholarship has variously placed the game in the Celtic, Scandinavian, Anglo-Saxon, Dutch and Norman-French traditions; sociological historians have variously attributed its mediaeval development to high-born country landowners, emigré Flemish cloth-workers, shepherds on the close-cropped downland of south-east England and the close-knit communities of iron- and glass-workers deep in the Kentish Weald. Most of these theories have a solid academic basis, but none is backed with enough evidence to establish a watertight case. The research goes on. What is agreed is that by Tudor times cricket had evolved far enough from club-ball to be recognisable as the game played today; that it was well established in many parts of Kent, Sussex and Surrey; that within a few years it had become a feature of leisure time at a significant number of schools; and - a sure sign of the wide acceptance of any game - that it had become popular enough among young men to earn the disapproval of local magistrates. Dates in cricket history 1550 (approx) Evidence of cricket being played in Guildford, Surrey. 1598 Cricket mentioned in Florio's Italian-English dictionary. 1610 Reference to "cricketing" between Weald and Upland near Chevening, Kent. 1611 Randle Cotgrave's French-English dictionary translates the French word "crosse" as a cricket staff. Two youths fined for playing cricket at Sidlesham, Sussex. 1624 Jasper Vinall becomes first man known to be killed playing cricket: hit by a bat while trying to catch the ball - at Horsted Green, Sussex. 1676 First reference to cricket being played abroad, by British residents in Aleppo, Syria. 1694 Two shillings and sixpence paid for a "wagger" (wager) about a cricket match at Lewes. 1697 First reference to "a great match" with 11 players a side for fifty guineas, in Sussex. 1700 Cricket match announced on Clapham Common. 1709 First recorded inter-county match: Kent v Surrey. 1710 First reference to cricket at Cambridge University. 1727 Articles of Agreement written governing the conduct of matches between the teams of the Duke of Richmond and Mr Brodrick of Peperharow, Surrey. 1729 Date of earliest surviving bat, belonging to John Chitty, now in the pavilion at The Oval. 1730 First recorded match at the Artillery Ground, off City Road, central London, still the cricketing home of the Honourable Artillery Company. 1744 Kent beat All England by one wicket at the Artillery Ground. First known version of the Laws of Cricket, issued by the London Club, formalising the pitch as 22 yards long. 1767 (approx) Foundation of the Hambledon Club in Hampshire, the leading club in England for the next 30 years. 1769 First recorded century, by John Minshull for Duke of Dorset's XI v Wrotham. 1771 Width of bat limited to 4 1/4 inches, where it has remained ever since. 1774 LBW law devised. 1776 Earliest known scorecards, at the Vine Club, Sevenoaks, Kent. 1780 The first six-seamed cricket ball, manufactured by Dukes of Penshurst, Kent. 1787 First match at Thomas Lord's first ground, Dorset Square, Marylebone - White Conduit Club v Middlesex. Formation of Marylebone Cricket Club by members of the White Conduit Club. 1788 First revision of the Laws of Cricket by MCC. 1794 First recorded inter-schools match: Charterhouse v Westminster. 1795 First recorded case of a dismissal "leg before wicket". 1806 First Gentlemen v Players match at Lord's. 1807 First mention of "straight-armed" (i.e. round-arm) bowling: by John Willes of Kent. 1809 Thomas Lord's second ground opened at North Bank, St John's Wood. 1811 First recorded women's county match: Surrey v Hampshire at Ball's Pond, London. 1814 Lord's third ground opened on its present site, also in St John's Wood. 1827 First Oxford v Cambridge match, at Lord's. A draw. 1828 MCC authorise the bowler to raise his hand level with the elbow. 1833 John Nyren publishes his classic Young Cricketer's Tutor and The Cricketers of My Time. 1836 First North v South match, for many years regarded as the principal fixture of the season. 1836 (approx) Batting pads invented. 1841 General Lord Hill, commander-in-chief of the British Army, orders that a cricket ground be made an adjunct of every military barracks. 1844 First official international match: Canada v United States. 1845 First match played at The Oval. 1846 The All-England XI, organised by William Clarke, begins playing matches, often against odds, throughout the country. 1849 First Yorkshire v Lancashire match. 1850 Wicket-keeping gloves first used. 1850 John Wisden bowls all ten batsmen in an innings for North v South. 1853 First mention of a champion county: Nottinghamshire. 1858 First recorded instance of a hat being awarded to a bowler taking three wickets with consecutive balls. 1859 First touring team to leave England, captained by George Parr, draws enthusiastic crowds in the US and Canada. 1864 Overhand bowling authorised by MCC. John Wisden's The Cricketer's Almanack first published. 1868 Team of Australian aborigines tour England. 1873 WG Grace becomes the first player to record 1,000 runs and 100 wickets in a season. First regulations restricting county qualifications, often regarded as the official start of the County Championship. 1877 First Test match: Australia beat England by 45 runs in Melbourne. 1880 First Test in England: a five-wicket win against Australia at The Oval. 1882 Following England's first defeat by Australia in England, an "obituary notice" to English cricket in the Sporting Times leads to the tradition of The Ashes. 1889 South Africa's first Test match. Declarations first authorised, but only on the third day, or in a one-day match. 1890 County Championship officially constituted. Present Lord's pavilion opened. 1895 WG Grace scores 1,000 runs in May, and reaches his 100th hundred. 1899 AEJ Collins scores 628 not out in a junior house match at Clifton College, the highest individual score in any match. Selectors choose England team for home Tests, instead of host club issuing invitations. 1900 Six-ball over becomes the norm, instead of five. 1909 Imperial Cricket Conference (ICC - now the International Cricket Council) set up, with England, Australia and South Africa the original members. 1910 Six runs given for any hit over the boundary, instead of only for a hit out of the ground. 1912 First and only triangular Test series played in England, involving England, Australia and South Africa. 1915 WG Grace dies, aged 67. 1926 Victoria score 1,107 v New South Wales at Melbourne, the record total for a first-class innings. 1928 West Indies' first Test match. AP "Tich" Freeman of Kent and England becomes the only player to take more than 300 first-class wickets in a season: 304. 1930 New Zealand's first Test match. Donald Bradman's first tour of England: he scores 974 runs in the five Ashes Tests, still a record for any Test series. 1931 Stumps made higher (28 inches not 27) and wider (nine inches not eight - this was optional until 1947). 1932 India's first Test match. Hedley Verity of Yorkshire takes ten wickets for ten runs v Nottinghamshire, the best innings analysis in first-class cricket. 1932-33 The Bodyline tour of Australia in which England bowl at batsmen's bodies with a packed leg-side field to neutralise Bradman's scoring. 1934 Jack Hobbs retires, with 197 centuries and 61,237 runs, both records. First women's Test: Australia v England at Brisbane. 1935 MCC condemn and outlaw Bodyline. 1947 Denis Compton of Middlesex and England scores a record 3,816 runs in an English season. 1948 First five-day Tests in England. Bradman concludes Test career with a second-ball duck at The Oval and a batting average of 99.94 - four runs short of 100. 1952 Pakistan's first Test match. 1953 England regain the Ashes after a 19-year gap, the longest ever. 1956 Jim Laker of England takes 19 wickets for 90 v Australia at Manchester, the best match analysis in first-class cricket. 1957 Declarations authorised at any time. 1960 First tied Test, Australia v West Indies at Brisbane. 1963 Distinction between amateur and professional cricketers abolished in English cricket. The first major one-day tournament begins in England: the Gillette Cup. 1969 Limited-over Sunday league inaugurated for first-class counties. 1970 Proposed South African tour of England cancelled: South Africa excluded from international cricket because of their government's apartheid policies. 1971 First one-day international: Australia v England at Melbourne. 1975 First World Cup: West Indies beat Australia in final at Lord's. 1976 First women's match at Lord's, England v Australia. 1977 Centenary Test at Melbourne, with identical result to the first match: Australia beat England by 45 runs. Australian media tycoon Kerry Packer, signs 51 of the world's leading players in defiance of the cricketing authorities. 1978 Graham Yallop of Australia wears a protective helmet to bat in a Test match, the first player to do so. 1979 Packer and official cricket agree peace deal. 1980 Eight-ball over abolished in Australia, making the six-ball over universal. 1981 England beat Australia in Leeds Test, after following on with bookmakers offering odds of 500 to 1 against them winning. 1982 Sri Lanka's first Test match. 1991 South Africa return, with a one-day international in India. 1992 Zimbabwe's first Test match. Durham become the first county since Glamorgan in 1921 to attain firstclass status. 1993 The ICC ceases to be administered by MCC, becoming an independent organisation with its own chief executive. 1994 Brian Lara of Warwickshire becomes the only player to pass 500 in a firstclass innings: 501 not out v Durham. 2000 South Africa's captain Hansie Cronje banned from cricket for life after admitting receiving bribes from bookmakers in match-fixing scandal. Bangladesh's first Test match. County Championship split into two divisions, with promotion and relegation. The Laws of Cricket revised and rewritten. 2001 Sir Donald Bradman dies, aged 92. 2003 Twenty20 Cup, a 20-over-per-side evening tournament, inaugurated in England. 2004 Lara becomes the first man to score 400 in a Test innings, against England. 2005 The ICC introduces Powerplays and Supersubs in ODIs, and hosts the inaugural Superseries. 2006 Pakistan forfeit a Test at The Oval after being accused of ball tampering.
Kanika Wadhwa
Board Exams: How to Prepare for Class 10
Formulating a Study Plan for 10th Board Exams It isn’t easy to prepare for an exam that is touted as “the biggest exam of your life”. (I wouldn’t lie; it really is!!!) With old lessons sitting heavy in the head, new ones piling up, well-wishers clocking your study hours and finally, the study hours decreasing by the day, the countdown to your first board exams can be a scary affair. But, does it have to be? Not if you have a smart little study plan for 10th board exams in place. Every study guide on the planet will say ‘organize your time’ and ‘make a study timetable’. But how do you do it? So, for all those biting their nails and dreading about the impending danger, check out this study plan for 10th board exams! What an Awesome Study Timetable Looks Like: Please Note: This is just a sample timetable I had created for the month of September 16′. You could modify it as per your preferences (whether you are a night owl or an early riser), add a few more hours of studying and use it for the last few months before the 10th board exams. Preparation Strategy for Class 10th Board Exams Start early. Students tend to ignore their body clock. When they are on preparatory leave, most students study late into the night and end up sleeping in the morning. Start your timetable waaaaaay in advance, so you have enough time to revise everything. You might even need to make a few different timetables. Give a colour code to each subject. It will be easier to navigate your timetable this way and you will be able to see more easily if you have a fair balance between all of your subjects. Also, it looks visually appealing. The cliché: Planning. Don’t just dive straight into it. Think things through first. Break it down in achievable targets. Take a separate piece of paper. Then, under each subject, list all of the things that you need to know. This might be all the topic areas for that subject, what you covered each week in class/tuitions or the different sections of the exam. Be specific. What exactly do you need to do in order to feel confident in all of the areas you listed in step 3? For example, if one of the topic areas is ‘trigonometry,’ list the exact page numbers and exercises that you will do to practice trigonometry. Then think about how excellent it will feel when you reach the end of your timetable and you never have to do trigonometry ever again. Create a schedule for one subject at a time. This way, you can be sure you’ve covered everything. Make sure that you are realistic with how long each exercise is going to take. Factor in time for BREAKS. You cannot forget the time spent on food and sleep. Everyone works differently but generally speaking, a 5-10 minute break every hour is a good amount. Give yourself the night off every once in a while as well. Read about why you shouldn’t forget your hobbies during 10th board exams preparations here. Mix it up; don’t make it monotonous. No one likes studying maths for 6 straight hours. Give yourself a mix of subjects each day so that you decrease your chances of losing interest really quickly. Most people are more productive in the morning, so try mixing up the time of day you tackle different subjects as well. Don’t beat yourself up. A study timetable is not set in stone. You might find ways to improve it as you go. Be flexible with what you’ve written and be prepared to move things around if you find that your estimations of the time were a bit off. It’s a good idea to use a pencil… Try and set a specific time to study every day and you’ll find that it makes things so much easier. Look at the classes you have to attend, work out the time that you need to get to them and then set a realistic time every day, so it almost becomes like part of your daily timetable. Remember that the grades you get in the 10th board exams do matter and they determine, to a large extent, your career graph. Put your best foot forward and don’t panic. Take the exams with full confidence and with a positive attitude. There’s no reason for you to flounder. Preparation tips for Subjects of Class 10th Board Exams SCIENCE You need to primarily take care of these following areas – Chemistry, Physics, and Biology. Students who are thinking of taking up the science stream in class XI should strictly focus on all these three areas as this will strengthen their foundations. Keep the complete list of formulae, experiments, and derivations Don’t even think about skipping the science laboratory lectures and classes. Use the science laboratory as much as you can for every single experiment. It is crucial to use NCERT books that can be followed thoroughly to score well in Science. All the question papers revolve around the concepts given in the NCERT book, so keep that in mind. Many science formulas have rules that you strictly need to follow and use them correctly. Let’s say, for using quadratic formula; you need to change the equation to the standard quadratic form. PHYSICS-You need to get a good grip on the basic concepts of the subject. Most of the questions from paper contain direct formulae- and theorem-based questions. Therefore, learn them thoroughly to solve questions correctly. Try solving formulae and theorems from last years’ 10th board exams papers and model papers for various problems. CHEMISTRY-The best part is that this high-scoring subject needs lesser time for preparation. So, you can get the required speed and accuracy by solving different problems you can achieve through in-depth study of the subject and extensive practice. Go through the name reactions thoroughly; create charts of formulae along with names and revise them as and when possible. BIOLOGY-This subject includes a lot of diagrams, so it’s important to give special attention to diagrams and their theory. Ensure that important terms and their respective functions are remembered. Biology has a lot of learning and memorization of difficult terminology. Write such terms down repeatedly so that you get acquainted with them. Get meticulous with the key definitions as the subject is mostly theory. MATHEMATICS Class 10th mathematics is all about basic geometry, trigonometry and the concept of numbers. These subjects build aptitude and concepts that turn out to be beneficial for the students who wish to appear for aptitude-based tests in future. Class 10 Math formulas may seem very general, but many times they are seen in previous years’ question papers and questions are asked from them. It’s crucial to keep the concepts/formulas sheet Go through the usage of all the Math formulas thoroughly. If you are planning to score an A1 in math 10th board exams, then it’s really important to be in synch with your NCERT book. Almost the entire question paper includes concepts and formulas that are given in the NCERT book. Try to read the problem, again and again, to understand the exact idea of the question while solving a problem-based question. On a rough paper, jot down exactly what is given in the question paper and what you need to find. Then, in a methodical way, find what is asked of you. After the revision is done, you can start solving sample papers, unsolved papers and practice papers within the given set of time. SOCIAL STUDIES Social science may sound boring, but one can use study tools to make it fun. Things like flashcards, colourful charts, timelines and funny mnemonics can help you study apart from the textbook and notes reading. In 10th class, social sciences studies are either the beginning or ending. Go through the course once without trying to remember it; just as you would read a newspaper or novel and try to understand it. It is important to prioritize your subjects and topics as per the marks weightage and easy and difficult chapters. You can rely on this list to create a practical study schedule. Make notes for specific points that you feel are important and you are likely to forget, in addition to school notes. Make a chart that includes important dates, go through it regularly and you will find that you can easily remember the dates. Make the study subject-wise instead of combining all topics; remember that they were separated for a reason. Use as many flashcards as possible for definitions and also for various historical events. This technique is a kind of fun and quick revision. You can practice map work by finding out the important locations you want to remember, then locate them on a blank map It’s crucial to understand economics and political science, and it’s better to avoid memorizing. Solve previous year papers/ sample papers and start practicing by writing within the word limits. ENGLISH Unseen passage/note making: This section is quite scoring and needs the least amount of effort comparatively. Writing skills: Stick to formats religiously. Most of the questions on this subject are for 10 marks, divided into 3 marks for the format. Four are for content and three for fluency/accuracy of English. Go through sample letters and also articles from reference books so that you can improve thinking skills and understand presentation skills. Board examiners often give preference to an exhaustive article that has lots of ideas and inputs by the student instead of simple repetitive arguments in fancy language. Grammar: The only trick here is: practice, practice, practice. Learn the basic rules and attempt as many questions as possible and correct yourself after making mistakes. Literature: When it comes to poems, have a notebook handy and jot down everything your teacher explains. Please know that just understanding the chapter is not enough as students would need to write 7-10 mark answers in the exam. Keep this in mind, and make an effort to attempt past years’ papers and questions from other reference material. Every long answer has an introduction, body and conclusion. Your aim needs to be about writing 150-200 words spread across 3-4 paragraphs. HINDI This subject is fairly scoring and one can get 90+ easily. But to do that, you have to study the NCERT textbooks really well as they are very useful. You need to get your hands on a question-bank-cum-guide and practice questions. Solve past years’ papers(Oswal, Arihant or any of the available sources), and cross-check with the solutions provided. In fact, most of the times, questions are just repeated in exams. The points mentioned above are the only 3 simple you need to score 95+ in the paper. Things to Do On the Day of the 10th Board Exams If you will be going to an unknown exam centre, then it is recommended that you visit the center before the exam day and understand the route well. Many times, parents accompany their children to the center on the first day but the kids lose their way if they have to visit on their own and enter the exam hall late. No one wants to lose out on time and miss a section of the paper. It is also important to not get bogged down by the stress and pressure around you. Try and use the last one hour before the exam to relax. Don’t think too much about the exam as that will add to your tension. Follow this trick. Ask your friends to avoid talking to you about the upcoming exam in the last one hour. It’s crucial to relax so that you can concentrate better at the time of the examination. Lastly, believe in yourself and don’t let anyone else tell you that you are incapable of doing something. Your perseverance and determination will help you ace the exams and emerge a winner.
What Are Your Career Options After High School?
There are myriad of options and choices that a student faces after completing school. This article may not answer the questions for you, but should help you define what career options after high school there are. Career Options After High School: What Are They? Having an education in your desired field is a great start to your career. But just acquiring a degree or certificate in your hand is not enough. There are myriad of people out there with degrees. You need to take certain measures to add value to your education. Also, the field you chose after school will play a major role in your career. To find out what career options after high school there are and make your final call, you need to ask yourself some questions such as: Is this your passion or you are going for a course just because your friends are taking it? Does this career field have a good scope in this country? Can you cope with the efforts required to complete this course? Does your finance situation allows you to study this course? What sort of course duration works best for you? (Courses duration can vary from 6 months to 5 years.) Asking these questions will make you aware of your situation and help you make the right decision. What Kind Of Degree? A large number of students pass out every year from school; between 2014- 2015, the total number of students enrolled in Australian schools grew by approx. 57000 (1.5%). Every student have one question in mind: What next? After finishing high school, the first dilemma is to whether to go for a university degree or diploma, or something like certificate 1,2,3,4. Well, being in education industry, I can tell that you it’s ultimately your work experience after the studies that will shape your career and that is what matters the most to grow your career. Even though experience will ultimately decide the fate of your career, getting the right education is one of the most important steps you would take in your life. Opting for a degree or diploma will depend on an individual’s goals and individual’s situation. For instance, if you are planning to study Masters, then of course you do need to have at least a four years graduate degree in many cases, while if you like to study for shorter duration, certification or diploma courses may be better. There is a perception that a degree is better than a diploma, but that’s not always the case. Like I said above, in many cases it doesn't even matter. In fact, university degrees are a bit rigid (courses and syllabus stay the same for years), while diploma courses are more flexible and more frequently updated. What About Online Education? Online education is on the rise these days because it comes with lots of flexibility. Blended learning is even better as it gives you even more options such as study online and visit the campus once in a while to sit in a class. And if you wish to go for distance education, these courses provide you the option to study from anywhere. You do not have to attend a single class. You can study online, and clear exams online. Having said that, both degree and diploma are good. Even certificate 3 and certificate 4 courses are good courses to kick start your career. Some of the most common short courses in Australia that I have seen are aged care courseσ, child care courseσ, and commercial cookery courses. If you are technical person, then why not go for a social media marketing course or learn SEO (Search Engine Optimization). These two fields are new and have a really good scope in the marketing world. Many businesses are looking for social media or SEO specialists. Having a specialty in niche market is one the best things you can do to yourself to sky rocket your career. Accounting, Business, and Leadership management are some of the other popular career choices after high school. Students mainly go for a diploma or degree when they choose these courses. A good thing about these short courses is that there are many government funded courses or programs to support students. In Australia some of these programs, such as VET FEE-HELP, assist eligible students to study VET courses with an approved VET-FEE HELP provider, to pay for all or part of their tuition costs. Final Thoughts I understand that selecting the right course or choosing your career field after school can be a daunting task, especially when there is a plethora of courses available. Like it is said too many options can cause “choice paralysis”! You best bet is to do your research online and offline and only then make a decision about your career options after high school. And once you have taken the decision, work hard to make that decision a success to score a dream job in the future.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT STREAM & COURSES
You have to do well in it so that you can choose your favourite stream for further studies. Here are some tips for you to make the right decision. Here’s wishing you all the best for the first big test in your life. So, you are prepping up for your class 10 board exams. Here’s wishing you all the best for the first big test in your life. You have to do well in it so that you can choose your favourite stream for further studies. The subjects you study in class 12 determine your career in future. In order to choose your favourite stream, you have to perform at your best in class 10 board exams. For example, if you are keen to take up science stream, you have to secure good grades in mathematics, physical science and life science. On the other hand, if you are interested in taking up humanities, your scores in language papers, history and geography will matter a lot. In case it is the commerce stream that you want to go for, you have to score well in mathematics. It is worth mentioning that your overall marks will also play a crucial role in getting you the desired stream. In class 12, your study-programme will include six subjects – three main subjects, two language papers and one additional paper. Science Stream The subjects included in science stream are as mentioned. • Physics • Chemistry • Biology • Mathematics • Computer Science • Biotechnology *If you are interested to compete in the following subject themes, please click here. If you want to study medical sciences in graduation, you have to keep Biology as one of the main subjects. Those who are interested in studying engineering; Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics will be the three main subjects. Both medical science and engineering are competitive fields. Every year, a large number of aspirants apply for getting enrolled in the top engineering and medical colleges. So, how can you grab a seat in a big institution? The answer is simple. It is brilliant scores. If you wish to take up any of these subjects as your area of specialisation in graduation and post-graduation courses, you have to work hard to achieve high grades in that particular subject in class 12 board exams and also, overall. Arts/Humanities Stream The subjects included in arts/humanities stream are as mentioned. • History • Geography • Psychology • Political Science • Sociology • Economics • Sanskrit • Philosophy • Anthropology With specialisation in humanities, you will come across ample career options. You may choose to become an historian, geologist, psychologist, sociologist or economist depending on your choice of subject at college and University level. With graduation in Philosophy or Sanskrit, you may opt for a teaching job in private or public schools while a master’s degree in the same will help you qualify for the post of Lecturer at colleges and universities. Journalism is a popular career option amongst students having a good base in English language. With a bachelor’s degree in English followed by a degree in Journalism course, you can land up a news correspondent’s job in print or digital media. *If you are interested to compete in the following subject themes, please click here. Commerce Stream The subjects included in commerce stream are as mentioned. • Accountancy • Economics • Business Studies • Mathematics Majority of commerce students after acquiring a bachelor’s degree in Accountancy, pursue master’s degree in business administration, popularly known as MBA, CA or Chartered Accountancy degree or Chartered Financial Analyst or CFA degree. There are many students who prepare for banking jobs after graduation.