History and sport: The story of cricket

1. What changes were brought in the game of cricket by the MCC’s revision of the laws during the second half of the 18^th century?

Ans. The changes which were brought in the game of cricket by the MCC’s revision of the laws during the second half of the 18^th century are as follows:

1) It became common to pitch the ball through the air, rather than roll it along the ground.

2) It also opened new possibilities for spin and swing. In response, batsmen had to master

timing and shot selection.

3) The curved bat was replaced with the straight one. All this raised the premium on skill

and reduced the influence of rough ground and brute force.

2. What changes were introduced in the game of cricket during the 19^th century?

Ans. There were many changes introduced in the game of cricket during the 19^th  century:

(a) The rule about wide balls was applied.

(b) The exact circumference of the ball was specified.

(c) Protective equipments like pads and gloves became available.

(d) Boundaries were introduced where previously all shots had to be run.

(e) Over-arm bowling became legal.

3. “Although cricket changed with changing times, it fundamentally remained true to its origins in rural England”. Explain.

Ans. Cricket’s most important tools are all made of natural, pre-industrial materials, i.e. the bat is made of wood as the stump and the bails. The ball is made of leather twines and cork. Even today, both bat and ball are handmade not industrially manufactured. The material of the bat has slightly changed. Earlier it was cut out of a single piece of wood but now it consists of two pieces i.e. blade which is made out of the willow tree and the handle which is made out of cane. Cricket has refused to remake its tools with industrial or man-made materials like plastics, fibre, glass etc.

4. “As hockey and football became international games, yet cricket remained a colonial game”. Why?

Ans. Unlike hockey and football which became international games, played all over the world, cricket remained a colonial game. Cricket was limited to the countries which became a part of the British empire. The pre-industrial oddness made it a hard game to export. It took root only in the countries which were conquered by the British. In these colonies, cricket was established as a popular sport either by white settlers or by local elites who wanted to copy the habits of their colonial masters.

5. “C.K. Nayudu was an outstanding Indian Batsman of his time”. Explain.

Ans. C.K. Nayudu was an outstanding batsman of his time. He lives on the popular imagination of the people when some of his great contemporaries like Palwankar Baloo have been cricketer who played in India’s First Test match against England in 1932. His place in India’s cricket who played India’s cricket history is assured because he was the country’s First Test Captain.

6. What was Pentangular tournament? Why did Gandhiji condemn it? When did it come to an end?

Ans. Pentangular tournament was played by five teams – the Europeans, the Parsis, the Hindus the Muslims and the Rest, which comprised all the leftover communities, such as the Indian Christians. Gandhiji strongly condemned the Pentangular as a communally divisive competition that was out of place in a time when nationalists were trying to unite India’s diverse population. As it was a colonial tournament, it tied with the Raj.

7. How have advances in technology, especially television technology, affected the development of contemporary game of cricket?

(a) Kerry Packer’s innovative ideas helped use television technology to develop the image of cricket as a television sport, a marketable game which could generate huge revenue. The opportunity was seized by the satellite technology and multinational television companies to create a global market for the sport.

 (b) Television expanded the audience and broadened the social base of the game by beaming cricket into small towns and villages.

(c) Satellite television technologies helped in gaining wide support and acceptance of these innovations in the game.

(d) One-day International matches got popularity and wide acceptance due to television technology. Hence, television along with satellite technology has helped in transform the cricket from a game played and viewed by limited countries and people to a popular world sport.

8. What are the peculiarities of cricket? Mention in brief.

Ans. The peculiarities of cricket as follow:

(a) A match can go on for 5 days and still end in a draw.

(b) Another peculiarity of cricket is that the length of the pitch is a specified i.e. 22 yards

but the size or shape of the ground is not. Most other team sports, such as hockey

and football lay down the dimensions of the playing area but cricket does not.

9. How did Gandhiji view cricket? Or Mention Gandhiji’s ideas on colonial sports.

Ans. Gandhiji believed that sport was essential to make a body healthy. It was essential for creating a balance between the body and the mind. But he did not believe that only sports like cricket, hockey or football could make the body and mind sound. He often emphasized that games like cricket and hockey were imported into India by the British and were replacing the traditional games. He believed that these games represented a colonial mindset and tended to divide people into privileged and non-privileged groups. He stressed that simple exercise while working in the fields was more helpful to keep the body healthy than playing cricket. He wanted to encourage the traditional Indian games. He urged the people of India to revive indigenous games because they were inexpensive and as interesting and exciting as cricket or football.

Thus, Gandhiji never approved the colonial games. He always favoured noble indigenous games.

10. What positive changes came to be seen in the history of Indian cricket during one hundred and fifty years? How did it become possible?

Ans. The global market place has made Indian players the best paid, most famous, men for whom the world is a stage. The history that brought about this transition was made up of many smaller changes:

(a) The replacement of the gentlemanly amateur by the paid professional.

(b) The triumph of the one-day game as it overshadowed Test Cricket in terms of opularity.

(c) The remarkable changes in global commerce and technology.

One hundred and fifty years ago the scenario was totally different. The Parsis, the first Indian cricketers, had to struggle to find an open space to play in.

11. What were the two great advances in bowling pioneered by Pakistan? Write about them.

Ans. Pakistan has pioneered two great advances in bowling – the doosra and the ‘reverse swing’. Both skills were developed in response to sub-continental conditions- the doosra to counter aggressive batsmen with heavy modern bats who were threatening to make finger-spin obsolete and ‘reverse swing’ to move the ball in on dusty, unresponsive cricket under clear skies.

Initially, both innovations were greeted with great suspicion by countries like Britain and

Australia which saw them as underhanded, illegal bending of the laws of cricket. Afterwards, it came to be accepted that the laws of cricket could not continue to be framed for British or Australian conditions of play, and they became part of the technique of all bowlers everywhere in the world.

12. Explain why cricket became popular in India and the West Indies. Can you give reasons why it did not become popular in countries of South America?

Ans. Cricket became popular in India and the West Indies because of the following reasons:

(a) Both India and West Indies were a part of British colonial empire.

(b) The game was made popular by the white settlers and the local elites.

(c) In both these countries cricket was looked upon as a sign of superior social and racial

status.

(d) In both these countries cricket was a successful sport and became a measure of racial

equality and political progress.

Cricket did not become a popular sport in the countries of South America because:

1) South American countries were under the influence of American, Spanish and the

Portuguese.

2) Unlike other games, cricket remained a British colonial game.

3) The pre-industrial oddness of cricket made it hard game to export. Therefore, it took root

only in countries that the British conquered and dominated.

13. Which was the first Indian community to start playing the game of cricket? How did it contribute to this game?

Ans. The first Indian community to start playing the game of cricket was the group of Zoroastrians, the Parsis.

The Parsis founded the First Indian cricket club, the Oriental Cricket Club in Bombay in 1848.

Parsi clubs were funded and sponsored by Parsi businessmen like the Tatas and Wadras. The Paris built their own gymkhana in Bombay to play cricket in. The Parsis became the First Indian cricket team to tour England in 1886.

14. What important changes occurred in the game of cricket during the 19^th century?

The important changes that occurred in the game of cricket during the 19^th century are:

(a) The rule about wide balls was applied.

(b) The exact circumference of the ball was specified.

(c) Boundaries were introduced where previously all shots had to be run.

(d) Over-arm bowling became legal.

Working of Institutions

Ques. 1 How does the Parliament exercise political authority?

Ans. 1 The parliament exercises political  authority in the following ways:

1. Parliament is the final authority for making laws in any country. It can make new laws, change existing ones or abolish them and make new ones.

2. Parliament all over the work exercise some control over those who run the government. In India, they can take decisions only so long as they enjoy the Parliament support.

3. Parliaments  control all the money the governments have.

4. It is the highest forum of discussion and debate on public issues and national policy in any country.

2 Which are the two houses of the parliament? What is the difference between them?

Ans. The two houses of   the Parliament are the Lok sabha and the Rajya Sabha.

 Lok Sabha                                                                              Rajya Sabha                                                                     

1. It is the House of the People.	1. It is the Council of States.
2. It has 543 members (and 2 nominated)	2. It has 233 members (and 12 nominated by President).
3. The members are directly elected by people as representatives through elections	3. The members are indirectly elected.
4. It is addressed by the speaker	4. It is addressed by the Vice President   of India.
5. The term of members is 5 years.	5. 1\3 members retire after every 2 years. So the term of each member is 6 years.

3 Which  of the two houses of the Parliament is more powerful and How?

Ans. 3 On most matters, Lok Sabha exercises supreme  power and is more powerful than Rajya Sabha.

1. Any ordinary bill needs  for to be passed by both the  houses. But if there is a difference between the two,  final decision is taken in a  joint session in which members of both Houses sit. Because of the larger number of members, the view of the Lok Sabha is likely to prevail.

2. Lok Sabha  exercises more  power on money matters. Rajya Sabha can only delay these by 14 days or suggest changes.

3. Lok Sabha controls the council of Ministers. Only a person who enjoys the support of majority of members of LS is appointed the PM. If the majority of Lok Sabha members have no confidence in Council of Ministers, all ministers with the PM, have to quit. The  Rajya Sabha does not have this power.

Ques. 4 Why are the functionaries called as the executive?

Ans. The functionaries are called as the executive because they are in charge of the execution of the policies of the government. Thus, when one talk about ‘the government’ we usually mean the executive.

Ques. 5 What are the two kinds of executive? What is the difference between  the two?

Ans. The two kinds of executive are:

1. Political executive and

2.  Permanent executive

1. Political executive :It is  elected by the people for a specific period. Political leaders who take big decisions fall in this.

2.  Permanent executive : The Civil servants are appointed for a long turn basis.  They remain in office even when the ruling party changes.  

Ques. 6 Why does  the political executive have more powers than non-political executive?

Ans. In a  democracy the will of the people is Supreme. The minister is elected by the people and thus empowered to exercise the will of the people on their behalf. He or she is finally answerable to the people for all the consequence s of its decisions. That is why political executive has more powers than non-political executive.

Ques.7 What is  a Cabinet – Secretariat?

Ans. Every ministers  has Sectaries who are civil servants. The secretaries provide the necessary background  information to the ministers to take decisions. The Cabinet as a team is assisted by the Cabinet Secretariat. This includes many senior civil servants who try to Co-ordinate the working of different ministers.

Ques. 8 Why are the parliamentary democracies in most countries known as Cabinet form of government?

Ans. It is not practical for all ministers to meet regularly and discuss everything. Therefore the decisions are taken in Cabinet meetings. That is why parliamentary democracy in most countries is often known as Cabinet form of government.

Ques. 9 What is a Coalition government? What  constraints has  it imposed on the powers of the Prime Minister?

Ans. Coalition  government is a government formed by an alliance  of two or more political parties usually when no single party enjoys majority support of the members in a legislature. The Prime Minister of a Coalition government can not take decisions as he likes. He has to accommodate different groups and factions  in his party as well as among alliance partners. He also has to heed to the views and positions of the coalition partners and others parties on whose support the survival of the government depends.

Ques. 10 How does the President remain only a nominal executive?

Ans. The President is the head of the State who exercises only nominal powers. The President of India is like the queen of Britain whose functions are to a large extent ceremonial The President supervises the overall functioning of all the political institutions in the country so that they operate in harmony to achieve  the objectives of the State.  The President can never claim the kind of direct popular mandate that the Prime Minister enjoys. This ensures that he remains a nominal executive only. All government activities take place in the name of the President. All laws and major  policy decisions of the government are issued in her name. All major  appointments are made in the President’s name. But the President exercises all these powers  only on the advice of the Council of Minister and the Prime Minister.

Q.11 What kind of disputes can be settled by the Supreme Court?

Ans. The Supreme Court can take up disputes between:

(a) Citizens of the country

(b) Citizens and  government

(c) Two or more State Governments

(d) Governments at  the union and state level.

Q. 12 What is Office Memorandum?

Ans. Office Memorandum is a communication issued by an appropriate authority stating the policy or decision of the government.

Q.13 What is public interest litigation? Why does judiciary enjoy  high level of confidence among people?

Ans. In recent years the Courts have given several judgements and directives to protect public interest and human rights. Anyone can approach the court if public interest is hurt by the actions of the government. This is called Public Interest Litigation. The courts intervene to prevent the misuse of the government’s power to make decisions. They check  alpractices on the part of  public officials.

Therefore, judiciary enjoys a high level of confidence among the people.

Q.14. How does the  constitution ensure that courts are independent of legislative and executive. Explain in detail.

Ans. The judges  do not act on the direction of the government or according  to the wishes of parties in power.

1. The judges of SC and HC are appointed by the President on the advice of the Prime Ministers and  in consultation with the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

2. In practice  it now means that the senior judges of the SC select the new judges.

3. There is very little scope for interference by the political executive.

4. Once a person  is appointed as jude of the Supreme   or High Court, it is nearly impossible to remove him or her from that positions as  difficult as removing the President of India.

5. A judge can be removed  only by an impeachment motion passed separately by two-third members of the two houses of the  Parliament.

6. The Supreme Court  and the High Court have the power to  interpret the constitution of our country.

Q. 15 Why do we need a Parliament?

 The parliament  exercises political  authority in the following ways:

1. Parliament is the final authority for making laws in any country. It can make new laws, change existing ones or abolish them and make new ones.

2. Parliament  all over the work exercise some control over those who run the government. In India, they can take decisions only  so long as they enjoy the Parliament support.

3. Parliaments  control all the money the governments have.

4. It is the highest forum of discussion and debate on public issues and national policy in any country.

Q. 16 How is a government order passed? Explain with the help of an example.

Ans. A govt. order is passed in the following  ways:

1. The President of India  in his address to the Parliament announces the intention of govt. to implement it. Like Mandal Commission.

2. The Union Cabinet takes a formal decision to implement the recommendations.

3. The  Prime Ministers informs the Parliament about the decision through a statement in   both the houses.

4. The decision  of the Cabinet is sent to the Department of Personnel and Training. The Senior offices of the department drafts on order in line with  the Cabinet decision and take the ministers  approval.

5. An officer signs the order on behalf of Union Govt.   And hence the order is passed.