- published: 21 Feb 2014
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Michael ( /ˈmaɪkəl/) is a given name that comes from the Hebrew: מִיכָאֵל / מיכאל (Mikha'el), derived from the Hebrew question מי כמו אלוהים? (Hebrew pronunciation: [mi kəmo ʔelohim]) meaning "Who is like God?" In English, it is sometimes shortened to Mike, Mikey, or, especially in Ireland, Mick. In Russian language, it is Mikhail and Mykhailo in Ukrainian.
Female forms of Michael include Michèle, Michelle, Michaela, Mechelle, Micheline, and Michaelle, although Michael is occasionally seen as a female name, with women named Michael including actresses Michael Learned and Michael Michele. Another form is Mychal, which can either be a male or female name. Surnames that come from Michael include Carmichael, Dimichele, MacMichael, McMichael, Micallef, Michaelson, Mikhaylov, Mykhaylenko, Michaels and Mitchell.
The name first appears in the Bible, Numbers 13:13, where Sethur the son of Michael is one of twelve spies sent into the Land of Canaan. The Archangel Michael, referred to later in the Bible (Daniel 12:1), is considered a saint by the Roman Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox Church. 29 September is the feast day of the three archangels, Michael, Gabriel and Raphael.
The Surrey and All-England cricketer called Durling (first name, date of birth and date of death unknown) was a noted player in the mid-18th century, although nothing is known of him outside mentions in match reports.
He played for the famous Addington Cricket Club and he is first recorded in the 1748 season when he took part in a "fives" match for high stakes alongside other leading players of the day, his team winning. Earlier the same year, on 6 June, in another "fives" game between Addington and "The Rest of England excluding Kent", Addington’s players were Tom Faulkner, Joe Harris, John Harris, George Jackson and the shoemaker that lately came out of Kent! As Durling was himself apparently new that season, it is possible that he was the mysterious shoemaker.
In 1749, when All-England played his native Surrey and were a man short, they picked Durling from their opponents to complete the side. Later that year, when Addington played All-England in a "fives" match, Durling played for a very strong Addington side alongside Faulkner, Jackson and the Harris brothers.