“In the matter of protective equipment, cricket has been influenced by technological changes". Prove this statement with suitable arguments.
The social and economic history of England in the 18 th and 19th centuries shaped the game and gave cricket its unique nature. With the changing times, cricket has changed, but fundamentally remained true to its origins in rural England.
The following examples justify the statement
(i) Cricket’s most important tools are all made of natural, pre-industrial materials. The bat is made of wood and also the stumps and bails. The ball is made with leather, twine and cork. Even today both bat and ball are handmade, not industrially manufactured.
(ii) The material of the bat changed slightly now. Before it was made out of a single piece of wood. Now it consists of two pieces, the blade which is made out of the wood of the willow tree and the handle is made out of cane. Unlike golf and tennis, cricket has refused to remake its tools with industrial or man-made materials.
(iii) But in the matter of protective equipment cricket has been influenced by technological advancement. The invention of vulcanised rubber led to the introduction of pads and gloves. Later helmets were made out of metal and synthetic lightweight materials.