Wisden India Almanack, now in it's sixth edition pays homage to India's women cricketers, who over the past couple of years have been among the most talked-about, the most keenly followed and the most vociferously encouraged in the country. Starting with Menon and including Karunya Keshav, Sharda Ugra, Lawrence Booth, Aakash Chopra, Amrit Mathur, Simon Barnes, Ian Chappell, Shehan Karunatilaka, Bhagwat Chandrasekhar, Erapalli Prasanna, Samanth Subramanian and many more, the discerning reader has plenty to read and savour over 800 pages.

Widely regarded as one of the most important and influential sports books of all time, C. L. R. James's Beyond a Boundary is-among other things-a pioneering study of popular culture, an analysis of resistance to empire and racism, and a personal reflection on the history of colonialism and its effects in the Caribbean. More than fifty years after the publication of James's classic text, the contributors to Marxism, Colonialism, and Cricket investigate Beyond a Boundary's production and reception and its implication for debates about sports, gender, aesthetics, race, popular culture, politics, imperialism, and English and Caribbean identity. Including a previously unseen first draft of Beyond a Boundary's conclusion alongside contributions from James's key collaborator Selma James and from Michael Brearley, former captain of the English Test cricket team, Marxism, Colonialism, and Cricket provides a thorough and nuanced examination of James's groundbreaking work and its lasting impact. Contributors. Anima Adjepong, David Austin, Hilary McD. Beckles, Michael Brearley, Selwyn R. Cudjoe, David Featherstone, Christopher Gair, Paget Henry, Christian Hogsbjerg, C. L. R. James, Selma James, Roy McCree, Minkah Makalani, Clem Seecharan, Andrew Smith, Neil Washbourne, Claire Westall

'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'.

A satirical obituary from 1882 mourned the death of English cricket after a match in which Australia won on English soil for the first time. The body would be cremated, the notice said, and the ashes taken to Australia. The great rivalry between England and Australia known as The Ashes had begun.

For the first time in 20 years, the Cricket World Cup returns to England and Wales and with our National team close to the top of the one day rankings, expectation and enthusiasm for this event is bound to be high. Each of the eleven tournaments have been written up that include records of matches and individual performances, as well as a brief setting of the scene. Clear and concise, these chapters include the relevant statistics (highest and lowest totals, match aggregates, highest partnerships, top individual batting and bowling performances and biggest and smallest victory margins etc). Quirky findings such as the lowest team total to include a century partnership, birthday performances, most batsmen bowled out in an innings, as well as many more, are revealed in the miscellany section, and which are sure to delight cricket lovers. A History & Guide to the Cricket World Cup is informative, factual and engaging, and is sure to make the perfect companion for attendees of this year's tournament.

This is a compelling and irreverent account of a sport that originated in 16th century England and was then gradually fed to the British Empire; nowadays, of course England are regularly outplayed by most of the commonwealth countries. The author's probing research has uncovered hitherto unrevealed secret scandals amongst the governing bodies of the game and of the complex lives of some of the great heroes of the past and present day. He reveals the plots and sub-plots that have, it can now be said, livened up the MCC Committee meetings at Lord's over the years. Totally outrageous, written with Henry Blofeld's contagious sense of humour, Cricket and All That shows cricket as a game that has had a profound effect on the very structure of English life.

This book offers the first ever academic study of women's cricket in Britain from its origins in the 18th century to the present day. It examines women's cricket from grassroots to international level, in schools, universities, the workplace and clubs. The book draws on a wealth of new source material including player diaries and scrapbooks, club records and the records of the Women's Cricket Association. Through use of oral history interviews with many former players, the book argues that women's cricket was a site of feminism across its history, and an important source of empowerment to the women who participated in the sport. However, it also examines barriers to women's participation, analyzing the persistence of opposition to women's sport across the twentieth and into the twenty-first century. Overall, the book uses women's cricket as a case study to highlight the existence of ongoing fundamental inequalities in the quantity and quality of women's leisure in contemporary Britain.

For more than four decades Jim Maxwell has called the cricket for the ABC. Since 1973 he has covered over 250 Test matches, including six tours to the West Indies, seven to the subcontinent, over fifty Ashes Tests and five World Cups. His distinctive voice, dryly understated humour and immense knowledge of the game have been part of the fabric of Australian cricket for forty years. In his long-awaited autobiography he reflects on his life and career in a book that is fascinating, warm, nostalgic and uniquely informed about the game he loves and has dedicated his career to.

*Large-format edition* The 154th edition of Wisden Cricketers' Almanack is crammed, as ever, with the best writing in the game. Matthew Engel looks back at 60 years of Test Match Special, Derek Pringle reveals the secrets of ball-tampering, and Gideon Haigh explores the evolution of the six. There are also superb pieces by Rob Smyth, Vic Marks and Tanya Aldred, plus the all the usual reports, reviews, scorecards and statistics - plus the hard-hitting editor's notes by Lawrence Booth. In an age of snap judgments, Wisden's authority and integrity are more important than ever. A perennial bestseller in the UK, yet again this year's edition is truly a "must-have" for every cricket fan. "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

The autobiography on one of cricket's best-loved characters. With his trademark bow tie, his distinctive rich, plumy voice and his eccentric observations Henry Blofeld is one of Britain's prized experts. He has been close to the heart of the game for over 40 years. As a leading commentator on Test Match Special and cricket writer, at home and abroad, he has informed and entertained wide audiences with his extensive knowledge and perception of cricket at the very highest level. Last year Henry Blofeld was forced by major heart surgery to take stock of his life and here in this autobiography he offers sharp pictures and vivid memories, a few sad, and many humorous.

In 2014, Kevin Pietersen's autobiography was one of the most talked about sporting media stories of the year, largely due to the shockwaves it sent through the cricketing establishment. Now, Kevin turns his focus to events on the pitch, offering his views on what it takes to be a successful cricketer in the modern age. This summer's Ashes series has demonstrated just how demanding and unpredictable the game has become, and Kevin is ideally - perhaps uniquely - placed to comment on those developments. In KEVIN PIETERSEN ON CRICKET we'll see exactly how today's player approaches batting, bowling, bowling, captaincy, preparation, and many other aspects of the game itself, through the prism of the author's own experience. We'll see what it's like to face a bowler like Mitchell Johnson at his menacing best, learn how cricketers cope with the challenges presented by foreign climates and conditions, and gain a fresh understanding of how players manage the psychological side of the game.

The West Indies Cricket Team, formed in 1884, made its first overseas tour two years later to Canada and the United States. The tourists played thirteen matches during August and September; they won six, lost five and two were drawn. The first match was played against the Montreal Cricket Club, 16-17 August 1886. It ended in a draw after which the West Indians moved on to Ottawa, Toronto and Hamilton.They arrived in the United States to play several matches in Philadelphia where the cricket culture was well established. Local clubs proved too strong an opposition for the tourists. The press was encouraging but made it clear that the islanders were out of their depth. It was an important tour for the first West Indians cricketers. It was the first international step in an apprenticeship that lasted decades. The English decided, finally, to host the West Indians in 1900. This book speaks to the Canadian and American beginning of the West Indian cricket culture that was to emerge a century later as the most powerful performance force the game had ever seen.

Few modern British sportsmen have fascinated the public more than Geoff Boycott. In this first comprehensive and balanced account of Boycott's life - fully updated to include his battle against cancer - award-winning author Leo McKinstry lifts the lid on one of cricket's great enigmatic characters. A record-breaking Test cricketer and acerbic commentator, Geoff Boycott has never been far away from controversy during his long career in the game. Based on meticulous research and interviews with a host of players, Test captains, officials, broadcasters, friends and enemies, this definitive biography cuts through the Boycott myth to expose the truth about this charismatic, single-minded and often exasperating personality. What was Boycott like as a schoolboy? How did his England cricket colleagues such as Graham Gooch, Dennis Amiss and Brian Close feel about him as a person? Why was he so unpopular in his early career for Yorkshire? And what is the real truth about the relationships that soured his private world? From his upbringing as a miner's son in a Yorkshire village, through highlights like his hundredth century at Headingley against Australia, to the low points such as the damaging court case in France, this warts-and-all account of his life makes for captivating reading.

Understanding cricket and cricketers has been a lifelong quest for Merv Hughes. - How much can a roommate take before events deteriorate into shaving cream at ten paces? - How seriously should senior players take their responsibility to train young twelfth men? - What makes a good captain?Now, for the first time, Merv brings us a combination of yarns about his favourite players as well as his observations of the game.In Merv Hughes' 104 Cricket Legends, he shares his thoughts on the importance of training effectively, learning by watching how the best approach their preparation and the qualities that make a player a champion. And he takes us through the 104 legends (teammates, opponents and heroes) who all had an influence on the cricketer Merv became.

The Life and Death of Andy Ducat is the fascinating and captivating biography of one of England's earliest sporting heroes. The story starts in the reign of Queen Victoria and ends, tragically, on the hallowed turf of Lord's Cricket Ground during the Second World War. History has not been kind to Andy Ducat, and his untimely death in 1942, while playing at Lord's, is the only fact known by many about this sporting idol. Andy is one of a select band of men to represent England at football and cricket. In football, he captained Aston Villa to FA Cup glory in 1920 and made Arsenal's 'Greatest 50 players'. In cricket, Andy scored more than 23,000 first-class runs and played for Surrey in a team of greats such as Hobbs, Sandham and Fender. Andy was a gifted sportsman with a core philosophy of fair play, which made him universally liked. However, his contribution to English sport in the early years of the 20th century has been forgotten. It is time for a new generation of sports fans to discover Andy's story.

A bat-and-ball, a bowler, the third man: to many Americans, cricket sounds like a confused jumble of several contemporary sports. The history of cricket in Wales, however, dates back to 1783--when the first recorded match on Welsh soil took place and when the principality's culture and social history forever took a turn toward cricking nationhood. "Cricket in Wales" is a remarkable illustrated history of the sport, tracing its development from the nineteenth-century - where it provided a common bond and unifying activity for the diverse peoples who found their way to booming Welsh cities and towns - to its current favor as the game of choice at folk festivals, rural picnics, and family gatherings. In addition to recreating the conditions and aspects of the game's history that have generated such ardent fandom among the Welsh, this volume also considers the relationship between England--where cricket is the national sport--and Wales, who to this day still field a single representative team for the international circuit despite sometimes contentious relations, demonstrating how nationalist loyalties fuel the fire behind this engaging sport and the citizens who adore it.

Cricket matches didn't always top out at five days, regardless of a result or not - they used to be 'timeless', with play continuing until one team won, no matter how many days that took. The last of these - which took place in Durban in 1939, in a series pitched against the backdrop of impending war - is now universally acknowledged as 'the timeless Test'. Weighing in at a prodigious ten days - the match stretched from 3-14 March 1939, and allowed for two rest days, while one day's play (the eighth) was lost entirely to rain - it is quite simply the longest Test ever played. A litany of records also perished in its wake and 'whole pages of Wisden were ruthlessly made obsolete'. If that was not enough, one player, the fastidious South African batsman Ken Viljoen, felt the need to have his hair cut twice during the game. Only the matches between Australia and England at Melbourne in 1929, which lasted eight playing days, and West Indies and England at Sabina Park, Jamaica, a year later (seven days), come remotely close in terms of their duration. In Edging Towards Darkness, John Lazenby tells the story of that Test for the first time. Set firmly in its historical and social setting, the story balances this game against the threat of encroaching world war in Europe - unfolding at terrifying speed - before bringing these two disparate strands together in an evocative and vibrant denouement.

Glamorgan CCC is Wales' sole representative in the world of county cricket. Formed in 1888, the Club at first faced some difficult years before joining the Minor County Championship in 1897. After a series of successful summers, they were admitted into the first-class game in 1921 but this initially proved a massive step for the Cardiff-based club to take, as defeats became more commonplace than victories. However, after overcoming financial uncertainties in the 1930s, and the loss of their influential captain, Maurice Turnbull, during the Second World War, Glamorgan won the County Championship title in 1948 under Wilf Wooller besides providing a series of players for England teams. The good times continued in the 1960s when they defeated the Australians on back-to-back tours, and lifted the County Championship title again in 1969 under Tony Lewis. Further silverware came Glamorgan's way during the 1990s as they won the Sunday League in 1993 before Matthew Maynard led them to a third Championship in 1997. During the 2000s, the Welsh side lifted the one-day title again in 2002 and 2004, before embarking on a successful stadium development scheme at their headquarters which saw Test cricket come to Wales in July 2009 as Cardiff hosted the Ashes Test between England and Australia. Changing Faces - Glamorgan CCC 1888-2012 celebrates the people who have taken the Club on this remarkable journey and who have worn the Club's colours with pride and distinction. Using a series of team photographs and group images from the Club's archives - many of which have never been previously published - this is a fascinating collection that will greatly appeal to Glamorgan supporters and lovers of Welsh sport in general.

The Following Game is about passion and obsession. It's about cricket, family and poetry, but most of all it's about a father following his son's career in the public eye and the close relationship they share. Jonathan Smith is the father of Ed Smith, a prominent writer and former Kent, Middlesex and England cricketer. The Following Game is a follow-up to Jonathan's critically-acclaimed 2002 book The Learning Game, one of the most talked-about books in education over the last ten years.

Ian Botham's bestselling autobiography is an explosive blend of sex and drug allegations, personal upheavals, confrontations with peers and remarkable record-breaking feats. Voted favourite cricketer of the 20th century in a recent survey, Botham's outstanding contribution to the game, both as a player and an outspoken commentator for Sky television, makes for compelling reading.

In this fully revised and updated edition, Botham laments the continued decline of English cricket while putting forward his argument for a change in the selectorial process. Away from the game, he writes about his most recent charity walk for Leukaemia Research and where he sees his long-term future.

'Plenty of indiscretion, malice and comedy'
DAILY TELEGRAPH

'Catches the authentic flavour of the man'
INDEPENDENT

'The juggernaut of sports autobiographies'
EXPRESS

The most thrilling and controversial cricketer of his generation, Brian Lara is a hero to millions worldwide. A naturally attacking style and limitless scoring arc, allied to phenomenal mental and physical stamina, proved a recipe for some of the biggest and most-compelling innings in cricket history. This new biography charts the influences that shaped Lara as a child batting prodigy, through an astonishing and turbulent career and onto his post-cricket life as businessman, benefactor and national icon. Through in-depth interviews with former international players, coaches, teachers, neighbours, friends and family members, new light is shed on this brilliant but complex man; a true Caribbean hero who still has many chapters to write.

When Andrew Strauss's team seized the world title in the summer of 2011 they finally recovered what had been lost at the Adelaide Oval in 1959. This tale of England's preceding triumph and loss is recounted through the memoirs of many of the star players when England had last been top of the world. Bent Arms and Dodgy Wickets tells the story of English cricket's slow recovery from the Second World War, of its brief time of triumph and of its undignified fall from grace - a tale of fluctuating fortunes reflected upon by great names including Hutton, Compton and Trueman, Lindwall and Miller, McGlew and Weekes. The title refers to the sporting controversies of the time - suspect bowling actions and poor pitches - as Britain declined as an imperial power, and English cricket was hampered by class snobbery, anachronistic fixations and an uncompetitive domestic game.