Imagine sitting by a quiet village green on a warm summer’s day enjoying an afternoon tea or even a cold beer and watching while the local team takes on the neighbouring village’s cricket team. This quintessentially English bat and ball sport has enthralled and captivated people since the early 16th century with its team spirit, individual performances, and gentlemanly sportsmanship.
But the images of gentlemen in white and afternoon tea does not tell the whole story of a sport that has evolved and come into the modern age with a thrill and bump.
Traditional Test cricket matches played out between international teams, often taking weeks to complete, are now just one element of a sport that has become not only faster and more exciting but also extremely lucrative. And cricket has its superstars too, rivalling those of football or other major sports. Players such as the Australian bowler Shane Warne or Indian batsmen Sachin Tendulkar have become household names around the globe. Cricket also has its fair share of rising young stars too.
With the advent of one-day international matches and the excitement of Twenty20 cricket, usually abbreviated as T20, cricket is enjoying a renaissance and new fan base. This version of the game has just one innings and a maximum of twenty overs making it a quicker and also more stimulating version.
The Indian Premier League (IPL) has become one of the sport’s richest venues, with an estimated annual value of USD $3.2 billion. The ICC World Cup is another venue where teams showcase their skills and passion for the sport. And upcoming matches like the Wisden Trophy between England and the West Indies are certain to generate not only great matches but also passionate betting with online bookmakers.
And if you think there is no money in cricket, think again. Online sports betting has become very popular and profitable with bookmakers such as William Hill getting in on the action as fans across the globe bet for their favourite teams and players, In fact, click here for ICC cricket world cup betting odds and markets, courtesy of William Hill and discover the quintessential British sport.
