Tiny French village keeps a centuries-old cricket story alive
Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail
A small village in northern France has once again attracted cricket players and fans from across Europe by hosting a tournament linked to a fascinating claim about the sport’s early history.
The 11th edition of the Liettres Challenge 1478 brought teams from France and Belgium to the village of Liettres, where players competed near the local castle.
The tournament was started by Lille Cricket Club in 2015 after organisers highlighted the village’s possible connection to one of the earliest written references to cricket.
According to the story behind the event, a letter sent to King Louis XI in 1478 described a dispute involving a man at Liettres castle and another person who was playing a game referred to as “criquet”.
The incident reportedly ended in violence, with the player being injured by a javelin and later dying from his wounds.
If the reference was indeed to cricket, it would predate the earliest known English written reference to the sport by more than a century. An English court document from 1589 mentions a schoolboy playing a game called “creckett”.
The unusual historical claim inspired the village to invite Lille Cricket Club to organise a cricket event. What began as a workshop eventually developed into a full tournament.
Organisers initially used a farmer’s field, which was prepared for cricket with a portable wicket. Lille later invited teams from Belgium and England to take part.
The event has continued to grow since its launch, eventually becoming part of a wider medieval-themed festival near the village castle.
The annual celebrations now include activities such as juggling, fire performances, pony rides, axe throwing, javelin competitions, Viking-themed events and other family entertainment.
Local tourism officials say interest in cricket has also increased over the years, with spectators now attending specifically to watch the matches.
Debate over Liettres cricket claim
The claim that Liettres hosted an early cricket match remains controversial among historians.
Philippe Dethoor, who helped establish the tournament, has stressed that organisers never claimed cricket was invented in France.
He said the main point was that the village appeared to have one of the earliest written references potentially connected to the sport.
James Worstead, an English teacher and former Lille Cricket Club secretary, said there was a playful element to the debate, particularly because cricket is strongly associated with England.
Some cricket historians have suggested that the sport may have developed from games played in regions including Flanders, making the French connection an interesting possibility.
However, experts at the Marylebone Cricket Club, which oversees the laws of cricket, have questioned whether the 1478 document actually refers to cricket.
Neil Robinson, head of heritage and collections at the MCC, pointed to research published in 1973 which examined the original handwriting. According to that analysis, the disputed word may have been “etiquet” rather than “criquet” and could have referred to a stake used in another type of game.
Robinson said the interpretation was a strong challenge to the claim that the document represented an early reference to cricket.
Despite the historical disagreement, the Liettres tournament continues to attract players and spectators and has become an unusual part of the village’s identity.
For a community of just over 300 people, the chance to host an international cricket event and celebrate a possible connection with the sport’s history has given Liettres a distinctive place on the cricket calendar.
