In terms of the rules of the game, cricket has undergone lots of changes with changing times. From hockeylike bats to the straight bats that we know today; from bowling underarm to bowling through the air; from being an elite sport to becoming a game of the masses, cricket has changed a lot. Yet, in many ways it has also remained unchanged. This can be clearly seen by looking at cricketing equipment. Cricket’s most important tools are still made of natural, preindustrial materials. The bat is made with leather, twine and cork. Even today, both bat and ball are handmade, not industrially manufactured. Unlike golf and tennis, cricket has refused to remake its tools with industrial or manmade materials such as plastic, fibreglass and metal. However, in the matter of protective equipment, cricket has been influenced by technological change. The invention of vulcanised rubber led to the introduction of pads in 1848 and protective gloves soon afterwards. The modern game is unimaginable without helmets made out of metal and synthetic lightweight materials.
