With the striking success of Shane Warne and Abdul Qadir in modern Test cricket, wrist-spin bowling is definitely back in fashion. In this fully illustrated and readable book, Peter Philpott shows players and coaches at all levels how to acquire the skills of this highly dexterous style of bowling. Areas include: the basic techniques covered step by step; solving bowling problems; how to bat against wrist-spin; mental and physical preparation for matches and the tactics to use. There is a Foreword by Keith Andrew

Completely revised and updated featuring two brand new chapters, in preparation for the 2019 Ashes series From the William Hill Award-Winning Author of A Lot of Hard Yakka comes Cricket's Greatest Rivalry: A History of the Ashes in 12 Matches by Simon Hughes. A fast-paced, distinctive history of the iconic, 137-year-old cricketing rivalry between England and Australia published in the year of back-to-back Ashes contests. No other sport has a fixture like the Ashes. From the early 1880s the rivalry between these two great sporting nations has captured the public imagination and made sporting legends of its stars. Commentator, analyst and award-winning cricket historian Simon Hughes tells the story of the 12 seminal series that have become the stuff of sporting folklore. Cricket's Greatest Rivalry places you right at the heart of the action of each pivotal match, explaining the social context of the time, the atmosphere of the crowd and the background and temperaments of the players that battled in both baggy green and blue caps. The book also includes complete statistics and records of all the Ashes fixtures and results and much more!

Sultan is the official biography of Wasim Akram, the "sultan of swing", one of the greatest fast bowlers in the history of cricket. For twenty years, Wasim Akram let his cricket do the talking - his electrifying left-arm pace, his explosive left-handed striking, his leadership and his inspiration. For another twenty years he kept his own counsel about those days, full of drama, controversy and even mystery, in a country, Pakistan, that to outsiders is a constant enigma. Until now. Sultan tells the story of cricket's greatest left-arm bowler, and one of its greatest survivors, who was chosen from the streets of Lahore and groomed by Imran Khan to become champion of the world - man of the match in the final of the 1992 World Cup. Along the way were unforgettable rivalries with the greatest of his time, from Viv Richards and Ian Botham to Sachin Tendulkar and Shane Warne. Along the way, too, a backdrop of conspiracy and intrigue over ball tampering and match fixing about which Wasim finally sets the story straight. But there's more: Sultan goes frankly into the crumbling and rebuilding of Wasim's private life, marred by the tragedy of his first wife's death and the torment of addiction. The result is an unprecedented insight into the life of a cricketer who revolutionised the game with his speed and swing, and a patriot buoyed and burdened by the expectation of one of the game's most fanatical publics.

Originally published in 1900. A study of this most English of games. With contributions by other well known authors. Contents Include: How To Prepare A Wicket and How to Look After A Ground by T.A. Hearne - Batting by Albert Ward - Slow Bowling by F.G.Bull - Cricketing of Today by M.A.Noble - Fielding by P.F.Warner - Fast Bowling by T.C.Collings - Hints to Young Cricketers by O.R.Borradaile - Recreation and "Cricket" by Lord Harris - Management of a Club by C.W.Alcock - The Rules of Cricket - What Cricket Costs. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. Home Farm Books are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

Crickety Cricket - A Collection Of Cricketing Poetry and CaricatureBy Douglas Moffat 112 pages Contents include: At the nets - Let us toss - The champion - The smiles of grace - Alphabet - A woodcock - Ye cricketers of England - Bob Peel - The captain's address to his men - Father, Dear Father - The Irish boy - Thomas Hearne - J.T. Hearne - Let me whisper in your ear - Ho! In London - Grace preparing to bowl - The lobster of Sussex - Pougher - S.M.J. Woods Originally published in 1898. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. Obscure Press are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

Designed specifically for players aged 12 to 16, this manual contains a wide range of progressive practice drills to help young players develop. Fun, educational and challenging, all drills are illustrated and cover the essential technical skills, including: warming up; batting; bowling; fielding; wicket keeping; conditioned games; cooling down. As well as easy-to-follow instructions, each drill contains information on the equipment needed, the space required, how to construct a safe and effective training session and how to organise the players.

C.T.Studd - Cricketer and Pioneer By Norman P. Grubb. Originally published in 1933. A fascinating biography of an english country gentleman and cricketer who becomes a devoted missionary. Contents Include Foreword by Alfred B.Buxton Author's preface A visit to a theatre and it's consequences Three Etonians get a shock An all England cricketer The crisis A revival breaks out among students C.T. becomes a Chinaman He gives away a fortune An Irish girl and a dream United to fight for Jesus Perils and hardships in inland China On the American campus Six years in India A mans's man The greatest venture of all Through cannibal tribes The very heart of Africa C.T. among the natives Forward ever Backward never! The God of wonders When the holy ghost came Bwana's house and daily life Hallelujah! God enabling us We go on! Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. Home Farm Books are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

An excellent book on a topic rarely explained, Practical Groundsmanship will be the greatest possible assistance to all who have a respponsibilit of turf upkeep from the park-keeper to the groundsman of the smallest local sports club. Contents Include: The Presentation of Groundsmanship - Cricket - Tennis - Bowls - Hockey - Football - Outfields and General Areas - Running Tracks - Garden Lawns and Paths - Maintenance - Composts - War on Weeds - The Worm Problem - Machinery and Equipment - The Groundsman's Calendar - Dimensions of Playing Areas - Practical Points

R. C. Robertson-Glasgow once again employs his well-known wit and urbanity to introduce a further collection of cricketing portraits .This time he has winded his scope to include not only the cricketers who have won international fame, but also those who have given years of faithful service to their countries and universities. Ranging from Sir Aubrey Smith, whose cricketing feats for Sussex and Cambridge date back to the mellow Edwardian days, to Kenneth Miller, dashing Australian batsman-bowler, these prints include such stalwarts as, Laurie Fishlock, Len Hutton and L.J.Todd of Kent-and J.M. Lomas, the graceful Oxford batsman, whose untimely death robbed cricket of a potential great name. Robertson-Glasgow, former Oxford University and Somerset cricketer and now correspondent for the Observer brings not only wide playing experience but years of acute observation and comparative criticism to bear on his subject. His style, as easy and assured as a Compton off-drive, combines with his wisdom and kindly shrewdness to make this book a memorable successor to Cricket Prints, his first book.

Updated edition to include the 2017-18, 2019 and 2021-22 Ashes series.

Wisden on the Ashes: The authoritative story of cricket's greatest rivalry is a detailed chronological journey through the history of this famous English-Australian contest. With Test reports, scorecards, "Great bowlers of the year" and other fascinating material from the archives, together with new editorial pieces, this is a remarkable record of cricket's most enduring battle.

The book begins its journey with England's first tour of Australia in 1876 and the subsequent three series prior to the 1882 tour that led to a mock obituary being placed in the Sporting Times "In affectionate remembrance of English cricket, which died at The Oval on 29th August, 1882. ... The body will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia." Celebrating the players who made their mark on the game and the controversies that shook the sport, the book covers every series since then through to the most recent series. In 2005 England won a highly competitive series that helped raise the popularity of the sport, and each series since then has attracted huge attention.

This book will be a welcome addition to all cricket enthusiasts' collections, as well as an ideal gift purchase.

This updated edition includes the 2017-18 series, which saw England fail to defend the Ashes, the summer 2019 series held in England, which was the first drawn series since 1972, and the Covid-affected 2021-22 series. It also includes a colour photo section celebrating the players, the matches and the key moments from an ongoing rivalry.

Once the opinionated, party-going socialite, complete with celebrity girlfriends and ridiculous haircuts, Kevin Pietersen has developed into the biggest crowd pleaser in English cricket, some would say modern sport. This fascinating and well-researched biography draws on interviews with Pietersen and those who know him best, including many of his mentors, team-mates and opponents. As Pietersen prepares for his biggest challenge yet - leading England's attempt to regain the Ashes from Australia - this unique appraisal tells, for the first time, the full story behind Britain's most exhilarating and successful sportsman.

This book is available as open access through the Bloomsbury Open Access programme and is available on www.bloomsburycollections.com. Globalizing Cricket examines the global role of the sport - how it developed and spread around the world. The book explores the origins of cricket in the eighteenth century, its establishment as England's national game in the nineteenth, the successful (Caribbean) and unsuccessful (American) diffusion of cricket as part of the development of the British Empire and its role in structuring contemporary identities amongst and between the English, the British and postcolonial communities. Whilst empirically focused on the sport itself, the book addresses broader issues such as social development, imperialism, race, diaspora and national identities. Tracing the beginnings of cricket as a 'folk game' through to the present, it draws together these different strands to examine the meaning and social significance of the modern game. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the role of sport in both colonial and post-colonial periods; the history and peculiarities of English national identity; or simply intrigued by the game and its history.

Winning 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 pod How 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 intelligence: from algorithms to intuition. This is a truth that the most successful people know: data cannot account for everything, it must be harnessed with human insight. Whatever the power of data, humans aren't finished yet. Sharing for the first time the tools he introduced as England selector, Smith's book captures the immediacy of life at the sharp end, while also exploring frameworks from the top levels of sports, business and the arts. Decision-making is revealed as a creative enterprise, not a reductive system. Making Decisions offers an invaluable guide for those who want a better framework for developing, explaining and implementing new ideas.

*Standard hardback edition* The 159th edition of the most famous sports book in the world - published every year since 1864 - contains some of the world's finest sports writing, and reflects on a year when Azeem Rafiq forced the sport to examine, more painfully than ever, its attitude to racism. The launch of The Hundred gave a huge boost to the women's game while raising many questions about the men's. Then, in the last two months of the year, Australia's men won the World T20 and retained the Ashes. Writers include Lawrence Booth, Stephen Fry, Mike Atherton, Gideon Haigh, Henry Blofeld, Vic Marks, Tanya Aldred, Andy Bull, Tim de Lisle, Emma John and Scyld Berry. As usual, Wisden includes the eagerly awaited Notes by the Editor, the Cricketers of the Year awards, and the famous obituaries. And, as ever, there are reports and scorecards for every Test, together with forthright opinion, compelling features and comprehensive records. "There can't really be any doubt about the cricket book of the year, any year: it's obviously Wisden" Andrew Baker in The Daily Telegraph @WisdenAlmanack

A lot of leather has 'plunk-plicked' against willow since cricket was first played on the village greens of Olde England, but this doughty little book heroically manages to capture the true essence of the noble ball game in just 100 run-grabbing moments (plus a few extras for overthrows). This is the story of cricket as it has never been told before: a well tossed-up compilation of surreal match reports, spoof correspondence and quirky cartoons. From a Great Victorian refusing to walk (even though his bails have been knocked off by the bowler) to modern-day sledgers playing floodlit pyjama cricket, the game's towering achievements, hilarious happenings and ludicrous coincidences are entertainingly recalled. The book's title says it all: which other sport would have Silly positions in the field? For those who don't know, silly mid-off (facing the batsman) & silly mid-on (behind him) field within a couple of metres of the man at the crease as he flails at the ball, delivered at 140kmh, using a 1kg wooden bat.

This fascinating book reveals the secrets of fast bowling and explains how it is possible to simultaneously bowl fast, straight and accurately. The Fast Bowler's Bible is a very practical, easily accessible bowling manual that any seam or swing bowler playing at any level can understand. It contains explosive new information being used by the world's best cricketers. Written by one of the world's best fast-bowling coaches. Well illustrated with sixty photographs and thirty-four diagrams and drawings. Explains what part of your body generates pace and why holding onto the ball longer is far more effective. Unravels the mysteries of advanced biomechanics as they apply to bowling. Reveals how to bowl crushingly effective bouncers and yorkers every time. Discusses what to do in practice and what to avoid. Analyses how to train and exercise in order to produce the best results. Illustrates all the correct grips for each delivery so that you get it right every time. Describes how to increase pace effortlessly, how to adopt the correct mental approach, how to deal with pressure, how to apply it to the opposition, and much more.