How did the cricket wicket develop from a hurdle gate?

Cricket is believed to have originated as early as the 13th century, when children played by bowling at a tree stump or the hurdle gate of a sheep pen.1

This hurdle gate served as the prototype for the modern wicket. It consisted of two uprights with a crossbar resting on their slotted tops. The crossbar was known as a bail, and the entire structure was referred to as a wicket.1

The design was preferred over a simple stump—a term later applied to the hurdle's uprights—because the bail could be easily dislodged when the gate was struck, providing a clear indicator of a successful hit. While early records vary regarding the wicket's dimensions, it eventually evolved to include a third stump by the 1770s.1