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The proper uniform for cricket is a long sleeved white shirt and long white trousers--initially flannels. Everything had to be white. Crickt boots were also always white. Immaculate cricket whites may seem an unpractical sport uniform, but British uniforms were not always notable for practicality. The only exception to the white motif during the match (game) was the cap. After the match (game), boys would put on their colored school blazers. Boys who won their colors could wear the colored school cap. Generally long white flannels were used for cricket. Some boys wore white shorts instead of the long pants. The boys wearing shorts are usually the younger prep school boys where the uniform use to be mostly short pants. Prep school boys often practice cricket with colored kneesocks, but almost always when the play an actual match will wear white kneesocks. Before or after the game boys might wrear their blazers with their cricket whites.
The proper uniform for cricket is a long sleeved white shirt and long white trousers--initially flannels. Everything had to be white. Crickt boots were also always white. Immaculate cricket whites may seem an unpractical sport uniform, but British uniforms were not always notable for practicality.
The only exception to the white motif during the match (game) was the cap. This of course was standard at a time when boys commonly wore school caps. While caps have been discontinued at most schools, boys often wear them for cricket. School colors has the same meaning in Britain as a letter in America. Boys who won their colors could wear the colored school cap. We note in recent years a new style of cap has appeared with a less stricly defined crown. There is a recent
trend to wearing baseball style caps. Soccer purists might object. I do not recall seein baseball caps in Britain until the 1980s. The first Brits I saw wearing baseball caps were Arthur Scargale's coal miners during the confrontation with Primeminister Thatcher. Of course coal miners hardly seem a group to begin a fashion ttend affecting cricket. Baseball caps, however, are in many ways more practical than the traditiinal peaked school cap. Youngsters can vary the size as they grow older. Also the larger peak (brom) provides more protection from the sun. Some players prefer floppy rimmed sunhats.
After the match (game), boys would put on their colored school blazers. Before or after the game boys might wear their blazers with their cricket whites.
The white cable knit sweater is popular for cold days. I'm not sure why the convention developed that these white sweaters should be canle knits. Both short and long long sleeved sweaters are worn, always with "V"-necks. The sweaters were normally in the club or school colors.
Generally long white flannels were used for cricket. Some boys wore white shorts instead of the long pants. The boys wearing shorts are usually the younger prep school boys where the uniform use to be mostly short pants. Some times at prep schools the younger boys play in shorts and the older boys in long white flannels. This varies from school to school. We have noted boys playing cricket in white shorts in England, but it seems weven more common in New Zealand and South Africa. A reader writes, "Interesting that in the movie 'Wonderous Oblivion' that the prep school boys wore whites with shorts for practice and whites with longs for games. Interesting that there would be a set of whites for both." (The film was set at an English prep school apparently in the late 1950s or early 60s. The boys wore the ususal prepschool blazers and ties with long shorts and knee socks.)
Prep school boys in Britain often practice cricket with their regular school shorts and grey kneesocks. In Scotland colored kneesocks are more common. Some schools have the boys practice in white shorts and white kneesocks. When actually playing matches they wear whites. If they play in white shorts then they wear white kneesocks. Note the South African boys here wear their school socks rather than white knee socks (figure 1).
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