Ancient Sumerians and cricket

I say!

Here is a wonderful clip of my close friend Daniel (Dr Daniel Kachamba).



On another matter, my friend J.C., a demon bowler and opening batsman of no little talent before he retired to take up full time pitch inspections, has brought back irrefutable proof from his recent research trip to Syria that cricket was a major sport amongst the Ancient Sumerians. In fact, it was probably from them that the Romans learnt the great game. Some time ago, I posted about the Romans and cricket.

J.C. conducted extensive research in the Syrian desert, and sent back the following two snaps.

The first snap shows the wicket at the Sumerian cricket headquarters at Palmyra - their equivalent of Lords. The bails have not been taken off, so one must assume that the game was interrupted by something quite serious - perhaps the Uruks were invaded mid-game by Lugal-Zage-Si of Umma. Note in the background, on the hill, the new press box behind the bowlers arm. It is from there that Gilgamesh, the Sumerian equivalent of Geoffrey Boycott, would have reported to his countrymen upon the state of play.

J.C.'s second snap below clearly shows a Sumerian scorecard. For comparison, I have included a modern equivalent. One can see that the technique has not progressed much over the centuries, but neither has it needed to, such is the noble art.


MM III