As young kids who follow sport, all of us dream of playing for our schools and maybe eventually our countries. Often we wonder was how these sports came into being. In today’s article we are going to explore some of these sports and their origins.

Cricket

CricketSri Lanka’s favorite sport, originated in south-east England back in the 16th century. The first official international cricket match was played between the United States of America and Canada (under the British rule). Currently over a hundred countries are members of the governing body although only twelve countries play Test Cricket. There are 3 formats in the game which are Test, ODI and T20. Cricket became an official Olympic sport at the 1900 Olympic games held in Paris, France but has since fallen away from the global sporting event.

Origin country – England

Governing body – International Cricket Council (ICC)

Oldest international fixture – The Ashes (Australia v England) 1877 – present

Current World Champion – Australia (50 overs), West Indies (T20)

Sri Lankan highest achievement – 1996 World Cup winner (50 overs), 2014 World Cup winner (T20)

Rugby

RugbyIn 1823 a little school kid by the name of William Webb Ellis picked up the ball while playing a game of football in the town of Rugby. However, the game was just not born, it was developed over the centuries into the game we play now. Just like Cricket, more than a hundred countries play Rugby.  There are 3 formats in Rugby which consists of Union, League and 7 a side. Rugby became an official Olympic sport at the 1900 Olympic games held in Paris, France.

Origin Country – England

Governing body – International Rugby Board (IRB)

Current World Champion – New Zealand (Union), Australia (League), South Africa (7s)

Prominent figures (International) – Sonny Bill Williams (New Zealand), Owen Farrell (England), Kurtley Beale (Australia)

Prominent figures (local) – Danushka Ranjan, Sudharshana Muthuthanthri, Richard Dharmapala

Sri Lankan highest achievement –  1984 Bowl winner (Hong Kong 7s)

Oldest international fixture – The Calcutta Cup (England v Scotland) 1879 – present

Football

FootballThe origin of Football is the most debatable subject when it comes to the sport. The history of the sport dates back more than 100 years. The game of Football is an extract of the Han Dynasty game Tsu’ Chu, which was a game played by kicking a ball filled with feathers and hair through a small gap into a net fixed onto long bamboo canes. Football is the world’s most popular sport, played by millions across the globe. Football became an official Olympic sport at the 1900 Olympic games held in Paris, France.

Origin Country – England

Governing body – FIFA (Federation International de Football Association)

Oldest fixture – FA Cup (England) 1871 – present

Current World Champion – Germany (Football), Argentina (Futsal), Brazil (Beach Soccer)

Sri Lankan highest achievement –  1995 South Asia Football Federation Winner

Basketball

BasketballBasketball is one of the few sports that has a clear cut origin. The game of hoops was invented by Canadian Dr. James Naismith who was at the time a physical education instructor at the YMCA training school in Springfield, Massachusetts in the year 1891. The idea struck this gentleman when he was challenged to create a new game which could be played indoors during the cold Massachusetts winter. Basketball became an official Olympic sport at the 1936 Olympic games held in Berlin, Germany.

Origin Country – United States of America

Governing body – The International Basketball Federation (FIBA)

Oldest fixture –  NBA (USA League) 1946 – present

Current World Champion – United States of America, Serbia (3×3)

Sri Lankan highest achievement – Qualified for the 3×3 World Cup

Tennis

TennisTennis is a racket sport that can be played individually against a single opponent or between 2 teams of two players. Most historians believe that the game of tennis originated in France in the 12th century when the French monks played a game by hitting the ball with their palms over a rope. The game was called “Jeu de Paume” which means “game of the hand”. As the game became more popular, courtyard playing areas were introduced along with the use of gloves into racquets. Tennis became an official Olympic sport at the 1988 Olympic games held in Seoul, South Korea.

Origin Country – France

Governing Body – International Tennis Federation (ITF)

Oldest International Fixture – Wimbledon 1877 – present

Current World Champion – Argentina

Sri Lankan highest achievement – Asia Oceania Group II

Keep your eye out for our next edition of the origin of sports.