Prince Ranjitsinhji Practising Batting at the Nets

Probably the first ever cricket film: Indian cricketing royalty prepares for the first test between England and Australia at Sydney.

A film fit for cricketing royalty! This is the oldest surviving cricketing film, and probably the first ever made. It features Indian Prince Ranjitsinhji trying out a selection of strokes while on the 1897-98 winter tour with the England team to Australia. Captured from a camera positioned in the silly-mid-off area by the netting, it was one of four films shot during the tour by Henry Walter Barnett (the other three are lost).

Kumar Shri Ranjitsinhji, known as 'Ranji', was an Indian prince who played first class cricket for Sussex and made his test debut for England against Australia in July 1896. He became Maharaja Jam Sahed of Nawangagar in 1907.