The first-ever official international cricket match was played in 1844 between the United States and Canada. The match was held at St George’s Cricket Club Ground in New York and, although scheduled for two days, it stretched into a third day due to rain interruptions.
Canada won the match by 23 runs, but the result was marred by controversy. During the fourth innings, American batter George Whitcroft, who was set to bat at number three, arrived 20 minutes late after the fall of the previous wicket. The US team insisted that he be allowed to bat, but Canada refused, sealing their win.
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David Winkworth was the standout performer in the match. He scored the most runs across both innings for Canada and also took four wickets in the first innings.
Winkworth later became cricket’s first dual international, representing Canada in two more matches in 1845 – both victories – before going on to play for the United States in a match in Harlem in 1846, which the US won.
The England cricket team created history in 1859 by embarking on the sport’s first-ever international tour to North America. The squad featured some of the biggest names of the era, including George Parr and John Wisden. They played several exhibition matches across the US and Canada, marking a key moment in cricket’s international journey.
Beyond sport, the tour helped promote cricket as a cultural exchange.
In the mid-19th century, cricket enjoyed widespread popularity in the United States, especially during the Civil War era. However, the rise of baseball – a shorter and more fast-paced game – eventually overtook cricket in popularity, leading to a gradual decline of the sport in the region.
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Cricket was brought to the United States by British colonists, with the first recorded mention of the sport in 1709.
US became an associate member of the International Cricket Council in 1965, and the game gradually regained popularity in the latter half of the 20th century, particularly thanks to the influx of immigrants from cricket-playing nations.
