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The origins of cricket are obscured, unrecorded and the source of much speculation. There are two major theories concerning the derivation of the word cricket.
The most accepted theory attribute that game was invented in the vast fields of England, supposedly by shepherds who herded their flock. Later on this game was shown benevolence by aristocrats, and now has the stature of being England's national game. After a century now, cricket stands in the international arena, with a place of its own.
The earliest bats were sticks and, probably, shepherds' crooks. These gave way to clubbed sticks before the introduction of the batte, with its long, thin shaft and curved thicker end not unlike a slightly straightened-out hockey stick. The clubbed design of these first bats was dictated by the type of bowling encountered, which was similar to that in the game of bowls - underarm and all along the ground.
The game became truly international when an England touring side took on Australia in what came to be considered the first Test match in 1877. South Africa first played international cricket in 1898, West Indies became the fourth Test nation in 1929 and India joined the fray three years later.
In some countries in South Asia, including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, cricket is by far the most popular sport. Cricket is also a major sport in England and Wales, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Zimbabwe and the English-speaking countries of the Caribbean, which are collectively known in cricketing parlance as the West Indies. There are also well established amateur club competitions in countries as diverse as the Netherlands, Kenya, Nepal, and Argentina.