Sports are generally governed by some kind of rules or traditions, that ensure fair play, and enable consistent adjudication of the results of sporting events. In most organized sports, statistics of past performances are also often maintained, and this data can be openly reported or publicly announced in sports news. As well as public reporting, several activities such as amateur sport events, such as paintball and baseball can be supported with membership clubs and amateur sports clubs. Such groups work to encourage competition, build interest in the sport, and enhance the skills and qualities of players.
There are many different types of sports, with some common names being football (English), ice hockey, rugby, Australian rules football, American football, basketball, cricket, softball, tennis, basketball, motor racing, track running, polo, gymnastics, swimming, motorbicycle racing, motorbike racing, cricket and horse racing. Many of these have evolved from their indigenous countries’ sports heritage, but all are governed by the same sets of laws and regulations. A wide variety of equipment is used in most sports activities, including protective gear, shoes, helmets, padding, paddles, and training aids such as spiked shoes. Some sports are organised around particular competitions such as swimming, cycling, athletics and golf.
Cricket is a very popular sport, with the England and India teams competing regularly in the World Twenty-Eight series. Cricket is a hugely popular sport in Australia, where there are already hundreds of clubs and more being established every month. Cricket has enjoyed a steady growth in popularity in the last few decades, growing from fewer than a thousand people playing the sport in the twentieth century to over a million people playing it in 2021. Cricket is played in almost all countries on earth today, apart from Antarctica. The game has enjoyed great success since its inception and it is expected to grow in popularity in the coming years.