Foul play

[ssmart]

Why do we say something dubious is not 'cricket' rather than any other sport?

[SIMONGR]

It may be because cricket was always considered a gentleman's game. Coming to prominence during the 19th century, played at a high level largely by upper-middle and upper-class types, whose belief in innate British 'fair play' was unshakeable, it was seen as the British (for which read English) way in miniature: sporting, gentlemanly, for the 'gifted amateur'. It's just a guess, however . . .