Cricket Books

Book SynopsisBatting for Time: The Fight to Keep English Cricket Alive is the exploration of a sport in existential crisis. In a rapidly changing sporting and social landscape, county cricket - an institution whose history spans more than 150 years - finds itself confronted with the most uncertain period in its long history. The proliferation of lucrative global franchise leagues has threatened to leave behind a member-owned English structure deep-rooted in the Victorian era. Pitting traditionalists against modernisers, and romantics against pragmatists, the need for change has sparked a host of civil wars, creating deep divisions among those who care for the English game.Using the 2023 season as a backdrop, Batting for Time explores the precarious state of English cricket, asking what it is we expect from our domestic game, who it primarily exists for and where things might go in the future. What must English cricket do to survive?

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Book SynopsisA national hero in his playing days, Herbert Sutcliffe belongs to a select band of all-time cricketing greats. Alan Hill’s award-winning biography of the Yorkshire and England batsman charts his extraordinary transformation from cobbler’s apprentice to urbane gentleman: one of the coolest, most determined and technically accomplished practitioners the game has ever known.Blessed with the looks of a matinee idol, Sutcliffe was a complex, often enigmatic, personality. As a cricketer, he was touched with genius. His career spanned exactly the years between the wars and he performed with distinction in every one of those seasons. He scored 50,138 first-class runs, including 149 centuries, and his remarkable Test average of 60.73 is the highest for an English batsman – higher than those of Hobbs, Hammond or Hutton.Herbert Sutcliffe: Cricket Maestro calls upon the reminiscences of Bob Wyatt, Sir Donald Bradman, Sir Len Hutton and Les Ames among other illustrious contemporaries, to evoke the splendour of Sutcliffe’s achievements for Yorkshire and England, and to bring to life the vivacious story of one of the greatest batsmen ever.

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Book Synopsis‘This is a great tale, and what’s more, it’s beautifully told.’ – Simon BarnesFrom Sathasivam to Sangakkara, Murali to Malinga, Sri Lanka can lay claim to some of the world’s most remarkable cricketers – larger-than-life characters who thumbed convention and played the game their own way. This is the land of pint-sized, swashbuckling batsmen, on-the-fly innovators and contorted, cryptic spinners. More so than anywhere else in the world, Sri Lankan cricket has an identity: cricket is Sri Lanka, and Sri Lanka is cricket.We all know the story of the 1996 World Cup: how a team of unfancied amateurs rose from obscurity and changed the way the game was played. Yet the lore of Sri Lankan cricket stretches back much further, from early matches between colonists and locals, and Ashes-bound ships bringing in cricket’s biggest stars, to the more recent triumphs and tragedies that stem from cash flowing freely into the game. An Island’s Eleven tells this story in full for the first time, focusing on the characters and moments that have shaped the game forever.Trade ReviewNicholas Brookes has filled a gap in cricket literature. This wonderful book, based on compendious research, tells the great story of Sri Lankan cricket, how it began in schools and colleges and emerged to become one of the great forces in world cricket. It is more than a cricket book: it is also indispensable for understanding Sri Lanka itself. This book should be in the library of every serious cricket lover. It has been written with real passion and understanding. A great debut from a serious sports historian. -- Peter OborneThis is a great tale, and what’s more, it’s beautifully told. -- Simon Barnes

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Book SynopsisCricket Champions is an enthralling account of the summer of 1966, a time of many memorable sporting performances. Above all it was a time when the West Indies showed they were a remarkable team led by Garry Sobers, a truly outstanding cricketer.

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Book SynopsisDo They Play Cricket in Ireland? is the endearing story of driven players and officials who wanted to compete with the best. From worrying about Gibraltar to worrying Australia, David Townsend tells how the Boys in Green took the world by storm, beating Pakistan, England and West Indies on the way to a Test at Lord's.

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Book SynopsisThrough the prism of cricket and the transformative year of 1981, Ben Dobson explores how sport and popular culture can influence as well as reflect society. Taking an innovative approach, he considers the remarkable synergies between two of the era's most iconic figures Margaret Thatcher and Ian Botham.From the author of the widely acclaimed Too Good to be Forgotten: Three Wise Men from Football's Golden Era.This compelling book: Examines the role sport plays in the mood of the nation and wider society Revisits the 1970s and 1980s eras of English cricket, and particularly the transformational summer of 1981 Brings to life a fascinating period in the evolution of Britain's politics and culture Tells the tale of two cultural giants one political, the other a sporting icon Ian Botham and Margaret Thatcher and the intriguing parallels in their careers, fortunes, fundamental beliefs and how their character traits and achievements would impact the future of Britain and its people Shows how those times are mirrored in Britain's current political landscape and national mood, giving the book a modern resonance This engrossing book is a must-read for all cricket fans and anyone interested in social history. Journey back to a time when cricket helped shape our future.

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Book SynopsisSpirit of the Blues is the definitive story of Everton's 133 years at Goodison Park, told with help from those who were there. Chronicling golden eras, landmark moments, Merseyside derbies, quirky stories and goals galore from Goodison's first fixture in 1892 to its final one in 2025 it's a must-read for every Everton fan.

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Book SynopsisWhat follows, which explores some of the charms, the quirks and the peculiar allure of cricket from a variety of perspectives, is not intended as a memorial for long-lost sepia days. The game is still alive. Whether it turns out to be therapy for me or entertainment for you remains to be seen. To achieve both would be a bonus.From Somerset stalwart to acclaimed writer and broadcaster, Vic Marks has lived a life steeped in cricket. In Late Cuts he takes us beyond the boundary rope, sharing the parts of the game fans don't get to see, from the food served at lunchtime (then - sweaty ham; now - quinoa, cranberry and feta salad) to the politics of the dressing room.Whether revisiting his playing days to reveal the secrets of bowling a killer spell and what it feels like to be heckled by a riled-up crowd, or ruminating on the current state of the game (don't mention The Hundred!), this amusing and insightful collection will delight all cricket lovers.Trade ReviewIn amongst his artfully delivered stock balls, enough deliveries grip to keep the pages turning. It's the literary equivalent of an afternoon in the sun at a county outground, and who doesn't enjoy that? -- Jon Hotten * Wisden Cricket Monthly *Distinctively Marksist: thoughtful and wry, gentle and wise * The Cricketer *Table of Contents1: Selection 2: Captains 3: Partnerships 4: The Spell 5: Declarations 6: Crowds 7: Failure 8: Food 9: Twelfth Man 10: Press Conferences 11: The Library 12: Somerset

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Book Synopsis*WINNER OF THE 2023 SPORTS BOOK AWARDS SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT BOOK OF THE YEAR**FOREWORD BY BEN STOKES*Hallo - I'm Mark Wood. As an England and Durham cricketer who was born, raised and refined in Ashington, Northumberland, my life has been quite unique. Over the course of my career so far, I've won an Ashes and a World Cup in an international career that at the time of writing is going on seven years and counting. Being a fast bowler like myself is up there with the toughest of all sporting pursuits, like being Tyson Fury's punchbag or working behind the bar during the darts at Ally Pally.Being a cricketer? There's nothing like it. And doing it for England? Well, I'm lucky to call it a profession. There's been a lot of hard work along the way. Plenty of sacrifices and pain to accompany the good times that make them all worthwhile.I've been everywhere, from Barbados to Brisbane, Chester-le-Street to Chennai, waiting rooms to operating tables. I've played in some of the most exotic locations in the world and eaten margherita pizzas in every single one of them. To be honest, it's amazing I've waited this long to bring out my own self-help book.Trade ReviewA self-help manual laced with simple humour, homespun wisdom and an insight into the England cricket machine. -- Richard Hobson * The Cricketer *Table of Contentsi: Foreword by Ben Stokes ii: Introduction 1: How to Celebrate 2: How to Kill Time 3: How to Be Fast 4: How to Love 5: How to Travel 6: How to Stay Healthy 7: How to Keep Level 8: How to Be True to Yourself 9: Q & A x: Epilogue: Mark Wood, A Second Opinion by Miles Jupp

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Book SynopsisOf all the rules governing sport, the laws of cricket are among the oldest. The first written rules of 1744 survive uniquely on the border of a piece of linen at the MCC Museum of Cricket. They were drawn up by certain ‘Noblemen and Gentlemen’ at a time when gambling on cricket matches was rife. The ‘laws’ were codified to ensure a fair outcome when so much was riding on the game. The story of the evolution of these laws and how they affected the game is a fascinating and seldom told chapter in the history of cricket. Following on from the success of The Rules of Association Football 1863 and The Original Rules of Rugby, this book reproduces the complete text of the original laws and is illustrated with images from the unique manuscript held at the MCC as well as images of the game from the eighteenth, nineteenth and twentieth centuries. It also includes what is thought to be the first known image of cricket dating from a fourteenth-century manuscript now in the Bodleian Library.

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Book SynopsisIn 1968, Yorkshire County Cricket Club won a record 29th outright County Championship title. Blessed with the talents of Brian Close, Fred Trueman and Geoffrey Boycott, they dominated their opponents through sheer desire, skill and belief. It was a golden era for the club, and no one saw it coming to an end. But over the next few years, everything changed. Yorkshire's star players departed and their rivals benefited from the introduction of overseas professionals like Garry Sobers, Viv Richards and Clive Rice. As they decided only to hire those born within the county, Yorkshire struggled to compete with their contemporaries and became one of the worst-performing teams in the land. It was a dire time for the club. But when a young Sachin Tendulkar arrived at Headingley in April 1992, a revolution began. Through his talent and personality, Yorkshire's first overseas player modernised a failing institution and gained experience that helped him become the greatest international batsman of his generation. This is the story of how a promising 19-year-old became an Honorary Tyke... and, in the process, changed the history of England's most successful club.

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Book SynopsisWhen Len Hutton led the MCC to the Caribbean in 1953/54, the series was billed as the 'world championship of cricket' and described later as the most controversial since Bodyline. Who Only Cricket Know provides the first full-length account of this extraordinary tour, where a rollercoaster of a Test series was only half the story.

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Book SynopsisCricket’s Strangest Tales is a fascinating collection of cricketing weirdness – and there’s a lot of it to choose from! Within these pages you’ll find a game that was played on ice, meet a plague of flying ants who failed to dampen players’ enthusiasm, and examples of the grand old tradition of one-armed teams versus one-legged teams. The stories in this book are bizarre, fascinating, hilarious, and, most importantly, true. Fully revised, redesigned and updated with a selection of new material for 2016, this book is the perfect gift for the cricket fanatic in your life. Word count: 45,000 words

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Book SynopsisBrian Close is a true sporting icon: schoolboy cricket and football prodigy, youngest ever England selection, played for England in 22 Tests over four successive decades, best win ratio of any England captain ever, unfairly sacked by Yorkshire (about which the protests of Yorkshire supporters are heard even now), loved a flutter on the horses, hair-raising driver and, through it all, the most likeable and popular of men. It was not until after Brian Close's death in September 2015 that either David Warner or Ron Deaton - or anyone else for that matter - had even the remotest idea that the subject matter for this book ever existed. Only when the scores of letters which Brian wrote in the early stages of his career to lifelong friend, John Anderson, surfaced did it become apparent that they were of major historical significance in highlighting in great detail the day-to-day events of one of cricket's best known personalities. To many, they will also be of geographical interest as the letters and their envelopes show exactly which hotels he stayed in while playing first-class cricket in this country and in Australia and Pakistan. The details contained in them are a graphic reminder of just how gifted a sportsman Brian was, not only on a cricket field but when participating in a multitude of other sports including soccer (on the books of Leeds United, Arsenal and Bradford City),golf, boxing, swimming and shooting to name but a few. It is over 70 years since the first letters to John Anderson were penned and it is extraordinary that they and all of the rest have survived the passage of time. A remarkable set of circumstances led to them being seen by Warner and Deaton and their astonishment upon sifting through them was all the greater because there had never even been the slightest suggestion that letter writing formed any part of Brian's make-up. The letters, the autograph books which he filled on John's behalf, and the other memorabilia contained within these pages are part of a much wider collection which is now in the hands of the Yorkshire Cricket Foundation. The material selected for this book will surprise and enthral readers..

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Book SynopsisWISDEN BOOK OF THE YEAR 2020 Winner of The Telegraph Sports Book Awards 2020 Heartaches Cricket Book of the Year ‘Fascinating . . . essential reading’ – Scyld Berry ‘A fascinating book, essential for anyone who wishes to understand cricket’s new age’ – Alex Massie, Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack ‘An invaluable guide’ – Mike Atherton, The Times ‘excellent . . . both breezily engaging, and full of the format’s latest, best and nerdiest thinking’ – Gideon Haigh, The Australian ‘The century’s most original cricket book . . . An absorbing ride . . . some of their revelations come with the startling force of unexpected thunder on a still night’ – Suresh Menon, editor Wisden India Almanack Cricket 2.0 is the multi award-winning story of how an old, traditional game was revolutionised by a new format: Twenty20 cricket. The winner of the Wisden Almanack Book of the Year award, the Telegraph Sports Book Awards’ Cricket Book of the Year and selected as one of The Cricketer’s greatest cricket books of all time, Cricket 2.0 is an essential read both for Test and T20 cricket lovers alike, and all those interested in modern sport. Using exclusive interviews with over 80 leading players and coaches – including Jos Buttler, Ricky Ponting, Kieron Pollard, Eoin Morgan, Brendon McCullum and Rashid Khan – Tim Wigmore and Freddie Wilde chronicle this revolution with insight, forensic analysis and story-telling verve. In the process, they reveal how cricket has been transformed, both on and off the field. Told with vivid clarity and insight, this is the extraordinary and previously misunderstood story of Twenty20, how it is reshaping the sport – and what the future of cricket will look like. Readers will never watch a T20 game in quite the same way again. “For people that love cricket it’s really important to read it,” said Miles Jupp. “I found it extraordinary.” Trade Review'the first essential study of the T20 game, studded with analysis and big-name interviewees' * Wisden *'Wigmore and Wilde take us on an absorbing ride . . . well written, some of their revelations come with the startling force of unexpected thunder on a still night' -- Suresh Menon * The Hindu *'A lucid and thoughtful guide to the T20 phenomenon' * The New Statesman *'Cricket 2.0 is the definitive book for those looking to understand the T20 format – both on and off the pitch' -- Nasser Hussain'Cricket 2.0 takes about as long to read as the average T20 game, and might be time better spent than a good many of them, being both breezily engaging, and full of the format’s latest, best and nerdiest thinking' -- Gideon Haigh * The Australian *'A fascinating insight into how the newest format has impacted on the game at every level including Test cricket. Essential reading for T20 fans and traditional followers' -- Scyld Berry * The Telegraph *'An invaluable guide by two smart young writers to the story of T20 cricket, to the strategies that underpin it and to the players who have made the format' -- Mike Atherton * The Times *'T20 is here to stay and we should celebrate and cherish all the skills involved . . . it is only going to get bigger' -- Michael Vaughan * The Telegraph *'Tim and Freddie are the torchbearers of tomorrow, we must listen to them' -- Harsha Bhogle * CricBuzz *

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Book SynopsisPaul Edwards is a beautiful writer. He can express the moods and emotions of a day as well as anyone. And his love for the game – and those involved in it – pours off every page of this book. But because he has interests far beyond the boundary – in politics and people, in music and history – he is as likely to quote Mott the Hoople as Herman Melville; as likely to cite the repeal of the corn laws as regulations regarding Kolpak registrations. His work is all the richer and more satisfying for it. He knows that not everything that counts can be counted. He knows you can’t define love or loyalty or a million things in between. So he tells us how a day’s play feels. He tells us about the people and places. He tells us why it matters but knows it doesn’t matter too much.

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Book SynopsisAs a cricketer, Frank Worrell mesmerised spectators with his stylish play, his elegance and his classy strokes – an artist in a realm replete with talent. Apart from that finesse on the field, he epitomised the sporting characteristics associated with the finer aspects of the game: the spirit of cricket. He relentlessly advocated for more equitable playing conditions; rebuking the many discriminatory practices that still plague sport. He was the first black man to be officially appointed West Indian captain for the famous 1960–61 tour of Australia, but he had been regarded as its de facto leader throughout the 1950s. What set Worrell apart was his natural air of authority. He did not need to be in a leadership position to manifest it, and this characteristic defined his life. By the time his international playing days were over after his final Test in England in 1963, he had become an icon as a West Indian leader, whose qualities of grace and wisdom framed him as the ideal representative of a society still constructing its identity. While this biography looks at his cricket, its primary focus is examining the nature of this enigmatic and charismatic figure, whose personal journey altered many of the existing concepts of what it meant to be West Indian. For much of his career he was plagued by insecurities and haunted by traumas, embittered by inequities within the social structures that dominated regional life. Yet he was a natural mentor, who generously shared his wisdom and experience with everyone who came into his sphere. If contemporary cricketers and administrators could have access to the kind of unconventional coaching he provided, it would make a world of difference to the approach to development, especially within the West Indies. All around the Caribbean, monuments have been erected to celebrate him, yet given the amnesiac quality of memory, it is likely that they stand in name only, without context, for a generation whose history has practically disappeared without a trace of its legacy. This biography, a result of years of research, will shed some light on the life and legacy of Sir Frank Mortimer Maglinne Worrell, and his impact on a world that needs heroes more than ever.

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Book SynopsisSports fans around the world were enthralled when Australia beat South Africa in that famous World Cup semi-final at Edgbaston in 1999. Among them, in a bar in Cyprus, were two holidaying Icelanders, Ragnar and Stefán. It was the first time they’d seen cricket, but they returned home determined to teach the game to their friends. They didn’t know the rules, own any kit, or have a team to play against – but they were determined to form Iceland’s first national cricket team. From Lord’s to the Fjords is the uproarious tale of cricket in Iceland: how the national press believed a stag party from Oxford were the official England team, how Sky Sports accidentally sent a crew to televise an Icelandic Cricket Cup final that didn’t exist, how the lead singer of Iron Maiden flew a passenger jet into a match under the midnight sun, how Henry Blofeld umpired in a blizzard on top of an ice cap, how the Iceland team was sold to the world’s public and became a viral Twitter sensation (incurring the wrath of Jofra Archer), how an Icelandic ‘mystery spinner’ signed for an Indian Premier League team, how the Iceland team fulfilled their dreams by playing their first international match – and how historical evidence proves that the Vikings were absolutely, definitely playing cricket in the tenth

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Book SynopsisThis is the story of the 40-year career in cricket as player and coach of Andy Moles. After finally breakinginto the professional game at the age of 25, the man known to all as Moler' proved to be an outstanding openingbatsman for his native Warwickshire where he won a cult following with supporters.

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Book SynopsisDavid Warner: Daring To Be Different Unveiling cricket''s greatest entertainer!The first Australian cricketer to play 100 internationals across all three levels (Tests, ODIs and T20s), David Warner is a champion of his generation; fabulous but flawed. No Australian opener in history has surpassed his rapid-fire strike rate in excess of 70 runs per 100 balls. Only one other has surpassed his aggregate of 45 centuries across all levels.Feisty, flamboyant, verbose and villainous, few have been as entertaining or as polarising as the great David Warner.

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Book SynopsisThe mysterious obituary of a woman cricketer in Auckland. A young Australian killer under siege by the police. Sherlock Holmes's extraordinary day at the Oval. These and other stories (eleven of them plus a sub) provide more twists and turns than a thrilling test match. Bob Cattell's second collection of short stories once again takes the reader on a world tour. Linked by the theme of cricket, each tale is shot through with wit, humour and drama.

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Book SynopsisThe first Indian to score five double centuries in Test Cricket, each of those scores higher than the previous one; the first Indian to score centuries in four consecutive Test innings; the first non-wicketkeeper in Test history to take 200 catches; the first batsman in Test history to score a century in every Test-playing nation of his time; one of the greatest match-winners of all time, and now, the coach of the Indian Under-19 team which won the World Cup!

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Book SynopsisSupremely entertaining, and full of bewildering events, surprising anecdotes and cool facts compiled together in wacky, interesting ways, this is the perfect book for fans of the sport, trivia lovers or anyone looking for entertainment!

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Book SynopsisThe Nine Waves is a comprehensive history of Indian cricket, detailing the nine waves of success from 1932 to Virat Kohli's team today. It covers iconic moments, victories, and players, showcasing India's rise to cricketing superpower status with a billion-strong fan base.

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Book Synopsis'A superb portrait of the most brilliant cricketer of his generation' Mike Atherton Shane Warne dominated cricket on the field and off for almost thirty years - his skill, his fame, his personality, his misadventures. His death in March 2002 rocked Australians, even those who could not tell a leg-break from a leg-pull. But what was it like to watch Warne at his long peak, the man of a thousands international wickets, the incarnation of Aussie audacity and cheek?   Gideon Haigh saw it all, still can't quite believe it, but wanted to find a way to explain it. In this classic appreciation of Australia's cricket's greatest figure, who doubled as the nation's best-known man, Haigh relieves the highs, the lows, the fun and the follies. The result is a new way of looking at Warne, at sport and at Australia.'Bloody brilliant... As good as anything I have read on the game' Guardian Winner of The Cric

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Book SynopsisA follow-up to last year's award-winning first volume, Sticky Dogs and Stardust Volume 2 is another cache of fascinating and - in many cases - previously untold stories documenting the experiences of superstar cricketers playing for recreational teams.

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Book SynopsisIm in the team can you come and watch me play? If you will be sitting by a cricket pitch this summer, mystified by the antics on the field in front of you, Cricket Made Simple is the book for you. Not only will it help to explain what is going on from the spectators viewpoint it will also raise you several notches in your loved ones esteem. After reading Cricket Made Simple, you will be able to talk knowledgeably about spin and swing bowling, off drives, knocking in, and know the difference between a googly and an off-break. You might even enjoy the matches much more as a result. Just as well because they can take up a whole day at junior level, or up to five days for a Test match. The author, a mother who has spent many seasons at her sons playing fields, provides a complete guide to the intricacies of cricket for all those bemused supporters to whom this sport is a complete mystery. She also includes valuable advice on supporter etiquette and preparing cricket teas as well as dealing with the inevitable washing mountain. Cricket Made Simple is for all bemused supporters, male and female, who loyally turn out to cheer in all weathers.

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Book SynopsisLost Cricket Stickers brings you the inside story of the 1983 cricket season, locating lost heroes and discovering their journeys with the help of a Panini sticker album.1983 was a pivotal year for cricket. India won the World Cup and England lost to New Zealand at home, both for the first time. There was a 35-minute century and a 14 all out. Yorkshire came bottom of the Championship (and won the John Player League), while South Africa tour rebels, banned from playing for England, dominated the county game. Thatcher won a landslide election victory post-Falklands.This is a warm, funny and insightful tale of tracking down a fondly remembered player from each county, each with his unique take on then and now. The book is based on the only cricket sticker album of the era.Four decades on, the county game has transformed. The Hundred and video analysis have replaced the John Player League and pub sessions after a long day in the field. But is that for

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Book SynopsisWinning takes many forms. For fans of Matthew Syed, this is a great sports book about leadership, judgement and decision-making rooted in the theory that helped Ed Smith lead England cricket to sustained success. And to help us all win more.An absolutely fascinating book' THE GAME, The Times football podHow do you spot the opportunities that others miss?How do you turn a team's performance around?How do you make good decisions amid a tidal wave of information? And how can you improve?As chief selector for the England cricket team, Ed Smith pioneered new methods for building successful teams and watched his decisions tested in real time on the pitch. During his three-year tenure, England averaged 7 wins in every 10 completed matches, better than they have performed before or since.Making Decisions reveals Smith's unique approach to finding success in a fast-changing and increasingly data-reliant world. The best decisions, Smith argues, rely on a combination of differing kinds of intellTrade Review PRAISE FOR MAKING DECISIONS ‘Sincere and often self-reflective… offers genuine searing insight, making points you feel have never been made before. A learned and engaging study of decision-making.’ New Statesmen ‘A WONDERFUL book’ Stumbling and Mumbling Economics blog ‘An excellent read… based on his years as England’s chief cricket selector, but drawing on much broader thinking on decision-making’ Simon Kuper ‘A masterful combination of analysis and personal experience of decision-making at the highest level. Full of insights, wisdom and highly entertaining’ Mervyn King ‘In this fascinating and highly readable book, Ed Smith explores how the human and the machine can work together’ Matt Ridley PRAISE FOR ED SMITH’S LUCK ‘There's hardly a sentence here that isn't clear, thought-provoking and beautifully expressed. Sport bores me rigid. Inspirational books repel me. But Smith on sport, life and luck brings fresh ways of looking at things on every page and, despite myself, I read on’Matthew Parris ‘Smith is a beguiling and skilful writer: good-humoured, anecdotal, discursive and often fascinating. You'll probably read his book in an evening but think about it for weeks, even years, afterwards’New Statesman ‘Book of the week … Elegant and absorbing … Smith is excellent at exploring nuances … The writing on sport is superb … Smith moves beyond sport with great effect’The Times ‘Funny and honest … like one of Smith's well-crafted innings in his playing career, it leaves you wanting more’Sunday Times ‘Blends personal experience, sporting insight and a broad knowledge of history with the journalist's talent for storytelling to fashion an original and thought-provoking book … not only refreshing but uplifting’Spectator An exceptional book: lucid, thought-provoking, informative and fair. Outstanding’The Times

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Book Synopsis'Is there anything in sport to compare with the sustained excitement of a cricket match, especially a Test match, in which the advantage continually fluctuates one way and then the other, and when the match enters its last few minutes, all four results are still possible?'After entertaining countless radio listeners around the world for decades, who better to convey the breathless drama of a Test match cliffhanger than Henry Blofeld? Now, in Ten to Win . . . and the Last Man In, he has personally selected thirty matches featuring unforgettable finishes and brought them vividly to life again in his own inimitable way.Ranging from the match-winning bowling of F.R. Spofforth against W.G. Grace's England in 1882, via the first tied Test between Benaud's Australia and Worrell's West Indies in 1960, to the never-say-die batting of Ben Stokes in 2019, he picks out the key events and performances of each memorable match and describes them as only he can.Alongside the big-hitting heroics of Jessop in 1902 and Botham in 1981, he revisits less celebrated matches such as South Africa's hard-fought first Test win in 1906, as well as a crucial innings from Denis Compton in 1948 and a match-saving performance by a young Alan Knott in Guyana in 1968 - one of the most exciting matches he has ever witnessed first-hand.Filled with colourful detail and informed by insight gained from a lifetime immersed in the sport he loves, Henry Blofeld's latest book will leave the reader in no doubt - as he himself puts it - about 'what an absurdly irresistible game cricket can be'.Trade ReviewThis will be a hot item for the cricket lover this Christmas and deservedly so * Cricket Web *

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Book SynopsisA biography of John Wisden, a key figure in the development of cricket in the middle of the nineteenth century.

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Book SynopsisWhen Cricket and Politics Collided describes one of the most extraordinary periods in the history of English cricket. A meeting on 27 August 1968 to select the players for a MCC winter tour of South Africa started a chain of events which would shake the very foundations of the cricket establishment. Over the next two years tours were cancelled, another abandoned and finally one of the founding Test playing nations banned from international cricket for over twenty years. Remarkably during this upheaval, and at very short notice, two replacement Test series were played. The first between between Pakistan and England, took place in a country where law and order were disintigrating and as a result the tour schedule was changing on an almost daily basis. The players were under enormous stress, their safety genuinely at risk, and even the country’s President would soon be deposed. The second, pitted England against the Rest of the World, opponents that many considered to be the strongest ever assembled for an international match. These two series produced some of the most exciting cricket of the period, and yet both are now largely forgotten.

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Book SynopsisWidely regarded as one of the greatest bowlers in the history of cricket, Shane Warne was a giant of his time. A sporting hero and national icon, young cricketers today are inspired by his leg spin legacy.Perhaps the most charismatic personality of any sport, Shane Warne's triumphs restored craft and subtlety to the foreground of the game. Taking the highest number of Test wickets when he retired – 708 at 25.14 apiece, he was chosen by Wisden as one of the five outstanding players of the 20th century. The rebel who used his injury in his early years to build strength in his wrists and upper body, his unwavering optimism and unassailable competitive spirit became a defining feature of the leading man of cricket.Packed with quotes and insights The Little Book of Shane Warne explores the man who, by unanimous consent, pitched the ball of the century, and earned his place in the pantheon of exceptional players.'He was the best of them all and you can't say any more than that.' Michael Parkinson'People put down their beer every time Shane Warne came on to bowl.' Ian ChappellTable of ContentsShane Warne on the Way Up: Childhood accidents and teenage rejections to ten-pint nights and a lot of hard work. Shane Warne on the Ashes: From the Ball of the Century to the art of sledging and everything inbetween. Shane Warne on Cricket: The smartest captain Australia never had, Shane Warne on the game he loved. Shane Warne on Leg Spin: Big hands, strong wrists and an abundance of natural talent. Shane Warne on Life: Making friends and winning respect, the streetwise king who did it his own way. Life on Shane Warne: Thoughts and messages of love and respect from around the world.

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Book SynopsisThe South African tour of England in 1960 was far from ordinary. The Springboks, under captain Jackie McGlew - and with fine players like Roy McLean, Hugh Tayfield and Neil Adcock - arrived full of confidence, but that confidence was quickly shaken. The tour began a few weeks after the Sharpeville massacre of April that year, and the cricket took place just as the world was waking up to the evils of apartheid. Then there was the 'no-balling' of Geoff Griffin, a controversy that had a great deal more to it than met the eye, revealing the sometimes unfortunate intervention of administrators into umpiring decisions. It may also have decided the series, for England won rather easily, but this of course was the era of the great English bowlers Brian Statham and Fred Trueman. All this took place before the all-seeing eyes of the new medium of television, and it was one of the first tours to be featured in detail on BBC TV. The Troubled Tour leaves no stone unturned to bring you the full story of that extraordinary tour.

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Book SynopsisForgotten Pioneers tells the extraordinary tale of the world''s first professional women cricketers. Founded in 1890, the ''Original English Lady Cricketers'' played exhibition matches all over Britain. Enormous crowds flocked to see them and sceptical journalists were gradually won over by their obvious skill. However, the women were more than just cricketers: most evenings, they performed in local theatres and music halls, singing, dancing, fencing and putting on acrobatic displays.But after their triumphant first season, something went wrong; midway through 1891 the organisation collapsed acrimoniously. Although poor weather and changes in personnel played a part, there was a strong suspicion of fraud by the team''s (largely male) managers. A court case followed in 1892 and the OELC vanished from the headlines.As women''s cricket continues to reach new heights in the 21st century, this book tells the story of the forerunners of today''s professi

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Book Synopsis From Azeem to Ashes charts the last, miserable days of Joe Root''s captaincy in early 2022 through to the T20 World Cup victory before the breathless Bazball Ashes finale at the Oval. It''s a book written for cricket lovers by a cricket lover, with voices from clubs, the boardroom and the commentary box.September 2020: cricket is in the headlines for the first time since the 2005 Ashes. But the focus is racism, not runs or wickets. Azeem Rafiq''s treatment has ignited fierce debate about prejudice and class.The book never ducks uncomfortable questions posed by the Rafiq affair. Why do England''s cricket teams - men''s and women''s - look so unlike the nation they represent? How can grassroots participation be developed and preserved? In the franchise-driven, global circus of modern cricket, what place is there for Tests - or even 50-over games?From Azeem to Ashes takes a hard-nosed but affectionate and humorous look at cricket. It''s a book

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Book SynopsisThis is the story of US cricket in the 21st century, a game that was once a proud part of American sports, lost its way and is now returning. Along the way we meet its players, movers, shakers, dreamers and schemers, its romantic souls and lost causes and, as the sport and nation stand at a crossroads, we look at what lies ahead.

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Book Synopsis"You do well to love cricket," said Lord Harris, "for it is more free from anything sordid, anything dishonourable, than any game in the world." Harris, who captained the first England team to do battle with the Australians in this country, obviously never got his hands on a copy of The Worst of Cricket. If that volume failed to totally convince you that the sport is designed to disturb, dismay and disgruntle in equal measure, then maybe it was because it only scratched the surface. Subtitled 'More Malice and Misfortune in the World's Cruellest Game', The Worst of Cricket 2 completes the job, taking up where its predecessor, one of the best-selling titles in Pitch's popular 'Worst of Sport' series, left off. The book takes another humorous look at the whole catalogue of malevolence, misadventure and madness associated with the sport - corruption, violence, drunkenness, incompetence - on and off the pitch!

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Book SynopsisShortlisted for The Telegraph's Sports Book Awards - Autobiography of the Year, 2019Longlisted for the Specsavers National Book AwardsOne of the Daily Mail's and the Observer's Books of the Year, 2018The match-winning superstar of the England cricket team finally shares his remarkable personal story in this eagerly-awaited autobiography.Moeen traces his journey from backyard cricket to the county game and his first-class debut as a teenager, through to his international debut at the relatively late age of 27 and the golden summer of 2017, when he was anointed Player of the Series against South Africa with thousands of England fans chanting his name.But cricket is just one part of Moeen's life. His upbringing in the tough Sparkhill neighbourhood of Birmingham and the awakening at eighteen that led him to become a devout Muslim have given him a social conscience unusual for an elite athlete but have also attracted controversy. Here, for the first time, Moeen tells his side of the story.Talented, tenacious and thoughtful, Moeen Ali is a true all-rounder.

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