The new power of India

The new power of India

is a surprising reversal of history. For a century, since

the first test match against Australia in 1877, England has been the

undisputed master of world cricket. The I mperial Cricket Conference ( ICC ), which was

created in 1909 and united England, Australia and South Africa,

administered international cricket but was in fact a front for the

Marylebone Cricket Club ( MCC ), which is installed at Lord's Cricket Ground in

North London. This private club reserved for the English elite ran

English cricket, which he had set the rules (pompously called the

"Laws") since 1787. ICC(renamed the International Cricket Council

in 1989) became an independent body only in 1993. Until that date,

England and Australia retained a veto over any decision

made by other countries. After the creation of the World Cup (which was

played on matches of 50 throws for each camp), the

first three tournaments, 1975, 1979 and 1983, took place in England. The reluctance to take

professionalism seriously is at the heart of the cricket crisis in

England. This sport was until the fifties the most "national"

of all sports, according to the historian Ross McKibbin. Unlike football

and gambling XIII(workers) or tennis and rugby (bourgeois), it was

practiced and watched by the whole spectrum of society. However, he never escaped

completely the control imposed by the English ruling classes in the early

nineteenth century. English cricket kept the plebs

out not only on the field but also in the stands. It

may have retained or even acrru its attraction force but all attempts

to make it more competitive and popular have met with stiff

resistance until there is no alternative.