From around the globe to your local park, The Cricket Tragic's Book of Cricket Extras captures the highs and lows, the ups and downs and the ins and outs of this glorious game we call cricket. Whether it be outstanding or esoteric performances on the field, or bizarre and baffling incidents off the field, fascinating facts on all aspects of the game can be found within these covers. You'll read about the female cricketer exposed as being a boy, the Australian Test captain who became a sheep farmer, the Prime Minister who made a duck on his first-class debut, and the New South Wales player who became a star on Broadway. With every cricketing nation represented, you will be taken on the ultimate cricket tour from Colombo to Cape Town, Mumbai to Kabul and Lord's to the SCG. The pages within are crammed with a vast array of oddities the world over that will entertain and amuse sports enthusiasts of all ages. With an abundance of statistical tables, celebrity 'Dream Teams', unusual photographs, stories and quotes from players and observers alike, The Cricket Tragic's Book of Cricket Extras is a must-have book for cricket and sports fans alike. The author, Marc Dawson, an ABC newsreader, is the ultimate 'cricket tragic' and has notched up 14 books on the subject over the past 20 years. Never short of cricketing curiosities, this is the first volume in his Cricket Tragic's series of cracking facts and feats from around the world.

This is a gentle ramble through Northamptonshire cricket, through the fields of maroon and gold. There are plenty of signposts along the way, pointing at the big players and stopping off at some of the big matches that, between 1974 and 2013, have been part of Northamptonshire's cricketing map. From the author's first introduction to life at Wantage Road, right through to the Twenty20 coronation at Edgbaston - only the fourth major trophy in Northamptonshire's history. The book is intended to be a ramble, pottering here and there but by no means covering all the ground. It reflects upon how some of world cricket's biggest names contributed to the county game with Northamptonshire and touches on what life was like covering the fortunes of the county cricket club as a reporter before professionalism took a stranglehold. In particular, it tells the story of one local boy who did very good - David Capel, who spent 33 years at Wantage Road as a boy and a man, a player and a coach, and in-between time fitting in an England career as an all-rounder. Former chief executive Steve Coverdale and several former players - Capel himself, David Steele, Geoff Cook, Dennis Lillee, Rob Bailey, Nigel Felton, Winston Davis, Andrew Hall and David Ripley - provide an overview of a diverse and colourful cricket club. While short of trophies, Northamptonshire's cricketers have never fallen short in their determination to attack and entertain over the years. Welcome to Wantage Road. Keep on attacking

Reader, you are in for a treat. Or possibly a shock. Richard 'Siggy' Young has just written an astonishing cricket book about football. Or perhaps it's a stunning football book about cricket. There was much more to the birth and subsequent explosive rise of football in Scotland than mere football. There was cricket. Scottish cricket, Big Scottish cricket. This is serious revisionist history. Cherished myths are debunked. ...a must-read for all with even a passing interest in the origins of Scottish 'fitba' and the social dynamics of nineteenth century industrial Scotland. One thing's for sure. Make no mistake. It's an utter gem.

Many of us have dreamed about upping sticks, leaving the humdrum of urban living for a new life of blue skies, warm sunshine and sparkling seas. For Anthony and Ivana Stancomb, moving from Fulham to Vis was an easy decision. But fitting in with the locals was one of the hardest things they have ever had to do. Under a Croatian Sun takes the reader on a journey from Grey Britain to a ramshackle village in Croatia - a village proudly defined by its tragic history, its unique cafe culture, its fishing industry and its potent alcohol. Faced with a language barrier and not the friendliest of locals, little by little our undaunted couple become islanders in their own right, and melt a few hearts in the process. With the Adriatic Sea as a backdrop, we trace their transformation from foreigners to friends, taking in their adventures on the water, fierce grandmothers, star-cross'd lovers and the establishment of the island's first ever cricket team. This heartwarming accounts of following your heart and not your head, shows how, with a bit of courage and an open mind, home is wherever you make it.

"An intricate and colourful story of deception beautifully rendered. As a portrait of the idiosyncrasies of English cricket, Cometh the Yuan is a Chinese cut above the rest." - The Guardian They said it could never happen. They said such a national treasure would never be allowed to fall into China's insatiable grasping clutches. And anyway, they said, what could China possibly want with the spiritual home of the game of cricket? Retribution, said some. Lord's Cricket Ground owes its eighteenth century origins to fortunes made from getting the Chinese hooked on opium and now it's payback time. Nonsense, said China. We're just extending a helping hand to a western cultural icon in a financial fix. Honest. Smelling a sizeable rat in China's assurances, the fraternity of world cricket starts digging. What it unearths is enough to shake western civilisation to its roots. With England's hosting of the Cricket World Cup just a year away, China's motives for taking an interest in Lord's are not only not honourable, it discovers, they're simply not cricket."

The second half of the once-in-a-lifetime Double Ashes Series unfolds day by day via the quirky and insightful pen of The 17th Man, the last player picked in the Australian cricket squad. England started bristling with confidence, but it soon evaporated in the heat of the WACA sun, as Australia secured The Ashes and then steam-rolled England 5-0. All the triumph and controversy is here - departures and debuts, drop-bears and drop-ins, runs and runaways, petulance, performers and pretenders wedged between the odd sledge, broken bats, and a bucket of celebration, capped by hilarious commentary from the Tests in Tweets. Relive it all in The 17th Man's 'Summer of Shove', the sister volume to 'Summer of the 17th Man, England 2013'.

If you love cricket, you'll love the 17th Man's Ashes Diary Laugh your way through the 2013 Ashes Tour with nearly 100 diary entries The 17th Man returns, bringing his unique style to the 2013 Ashes series. As the last man picked in the Australian touring squad, The 17th Man writes a daily diary covering the on-field action and the behind the scenes intrigue of his parallel cricketing universe. Now, his diary is available here, with added features, illustrations and The 17th Man's famous "Best of the Test in Tweets." All the controversy of the 2013 Ashes in one book - WalkaboutGate - One Coach down, 5 tests to go - DRS and other catastrophes - Who turned out the lights? - Rain? What rain? With illustrations by cartoonist Jock Macneish What readers say about the 17th Man "Funny, considered, intelligent humour which struck a chord for me as a cricket fan." "Warwick Todd with bite " "It so believable that I wish it were all true." "Easy and fun reading." "The Catch 22 of cricket fiction"

SHORTLISTED FOR THE TELEGRAPH SPORTS BOOK AWARDS CRICKET BOOK OF THE YEAR 2021 'Verdict on Willis book: a treat' - Express 'The book is a gem' - Mike Atherton 'It's a lovely book, containing previously unseen musings from the great man' - David Lloyd 'enjoyable and eye-opening... a delight to read' - The Telegraph 'A warm, polished recollection.' - The Guardian 'It's such a great read' - Piers Morgan 'Willis book will bowl you over' - Sunday Mirror & The People A biography celebrating the life of the legendary cricketer Bob Willis, with tributes from key figures in sports and media and a foreword by Sir Ian Botham. Following his passing in 2019, tributes to Bob came flooding in in every major news outlet and from every major figure in the industry - and outside of it. His career spanned decades, from his days as a cricketer for England to his time as a pundit on Sky TV. This autobiography includes never-before-seen writing from Bob alongside contributions from key figures as well as a detailed account of the great England victory over Australia at Headingly in 1981. The book, edited by Bob's brother David, combines a new biography, written by Daily Mail sportswriter Mike Dickson, with a celebration of a truly legendary man. Tributes from some of his many friends in the world of cricket and beyond are accompanied by reflections on highlights from an eventful life, drawing on autobiographical and personal material by Bob himself, contemporary press reports and the accounts of team-mates and opponents.

When Mark Boucher played his first game of cricket for South Africa, a senior player took him aside and bluntly told him he was the worst wicketkeeper ever to play in the national side. Over a decade later, when Bouch finally retired with a plethora of records under his belt and to huge acclaim from the public, he took grim satisfaction in relating this piece of history.

Through My Eyes is the story of a man with remarkable sporting prowess. Born into a sports-mad family in East London, he excelled in squash, tennis and rugby before choosing cricket as his preferred sport. His extraordinary achievements on the field are well known - he was voted SA player of the year in 1998, 2000 and 2006. What is not so well known, and makes up much of this book, are the behind-the-scenes stories and anecdotes. Stories of staring down the barrel of defeat and of celebrating victory; of developing strong bonds with teammates Graeme Smith, Jacques Kallis and others that go way beyond mere friendship. What emerges is the image of a man who always fought for the underdog, whose never-say-die attitude inspires those around him.

Bouch's career was brought to a dramatic end on a cricket pitch in England when the bail of a stump punctured his left eye. But, in his own words, "I lost sight but gained vision".

True to his character of gritty determination, Bouch has rededicated his life to a new cause, that of the environment and particularly the critically endangered rhino.

The Alternative Cricket Almanack 2011 is a collection of witty and incisive articles from a group of unheralded, passionate writers. This book is a fantastic read for cricket fans, and proceeds go to an equally brilliant cause for cricket fans. Cricket coverage is terrible these days, with overpaid, under-qualified commentators spoon-feeding us their sterilized non-opinions. We have decided to take a stand. Rather than boring you to death with turgid prose, we have written this book in order to entertain you. There are hilarious anecdotes to go with brutally honest analysis of the current game. Proceeds will go towards a scholarship for promising cricketers in Afghanistan, via the Afghan Youth Cricket Support Organisation. Cricket is as potent a sport as any in terms of bringing people together, and Afghanistan is in need of an ambassador who can be a spearhead in this context. There is ample talent out there, just waiting to be discovered and nurtured - with your help, we can achieve something incredible. If we are able to discover a diamond in the rough, a Murali, a Tendulkar, maybe even the next Dilhara Fernando...it will make a huge difference - any success for Afghan cricket has the potential to inspire Afghanistan as a nation. We certainly pull no punches when it comes to criticising everyone from commentators, to overpaid board members to umpires, although we do reserve praise for our 'Alternative Team of the Year' and 'Players to Watch for in 2011'. On VVS Laxman: "Laxman remains the most attractive man in the Indian side, despite having the appearance of a pharmacist in 1970's Mumbai." From 'Diary of a Cricket Widow' "I also don't see why he is so obsessed with Shahid Afridi. We both have similarly luscious hair, although I do concede that I never get promotions at work for sucking at life and bending the laws. My partner is not even Pakistani himself, yet he watches YouTube videos of Afridi's Head & Shoulders adverts. Confusingly, sometimes I find him posing in front of the bathroom mirror, stroking his ever-growing bald patch and pouting: "Because I'm worth it, yaar." I daren't ask. " Our book also includes pieces such as... - Don Bradman coming back from the dead as a zombie - A Day in the life of the Pakistan captain - Why Girls Can't Throw - An Homage to Tendulkar - Why Fast Bowlers Don't Eat Ice Cream - An Alternative Perspective on Women's Cricket This is an altogether unique take on cricket, written by fans with a passion for the game. You will laugh out loud at our visceral, often black humour, and you will raise eyebrows at our unapologetically honest take on the cricket world.

This is the story of how one cricketer in Yorkshire started a nationwide conversation, putting a spotlight on a society riddled with bias. Green grass, blue skies, white flannels and the gentle thwack of leather on willow: the quintessential image of Englishness that heralds the start of the cricket season. A so-called gentleman's game developed with the principle of fair play at its heart. All well and true - unless you're a person of colour living in Britain today. Azeem Rafiq, the former Yorkshire cricketer and England youth captain, learnt this the hard way. When, on 16 November 2021, Azeem stood up and courageously spoke out about his experiences of racism at Yorkshire County Cricket Club he was coolly dismissed, told that it was "friendly banter" and that he was a troublemaker. The case blew up, and millions of people voiced their support for Azeem. It's Not Banter, It's Racism will provide a bracing look at the moments that led up to and defined the watershed meeting where Azeem shared his truth. As well as interviewing key figures involved in the case, Azeem, with The Cricketer's George Dobell, will illustrate how the continual denial of racism is sending us backwards as a society, and how pervasive polarisation has become. It is with great sensitivity and determination that Azeem will also unpack his own biases, while also building forgiveness and understanding with the communities he has impacted. Giving voice to the voiceless, Azeem's book stands for accountability and honesty in a world that would prefer to cancel and silence.

There have been hundreds of books written on the subject of cricket coaching over the past two centuries. This book does not attempt to add to that list. Instead it attempts to provide young cricketers with nontechnical tips and techniques to help them develop into successful young cricketers. The Young Cricketer's Companion is for all young cricketers who wish to raise their level of performance. The book provides performance tips and valuable insights into the mental side of the game - the psychology of cricket - at a level suited to those aged between 10 and 18 years. The author covers the mental aspects of batting, bowling, fielding and wicket-keeping, as well as fitness, pre-season preparation, practice and captaincy. '.... for many years we have seen a plethora of books based on improving cricketing techniques. Seldom do we come across an approach to cricket which encompasses so many facets of the game, such as physical, mental and nutritional preparation. A good read for any players serious about their cricket who wish to improve their performance....' Peter Watt, Head of Physical Education, Hutt International Boys' School. 'The Young Cricketer's Companion is a wonderful book for any young cricketer who loves cricket and wishes to take his game to the next level. The book offers sound advice and a common sense, simple approach to a game that can sometimes be overcomplicated by those charged with coaching the game. What sets it apart from many of the other books about youth cricket is the underlying "mental approach" to the game that the author subtly refers to consistently throughout the book. Cricket at the higher level is all about the "top six inches" and the sooner our cricketers are exposed to this at the lower levels the better I believe they will become.' Mark Borthwick, Coaching Director, Cricket Wellington.

The mental side of cricket is what separates the best players from the rest. Technical, tactical, and physical preparation are important for top class performances but it is often what happens inside a player's mind that is the difference between success and failure. The very best players and teams are confident, motivated, concentrate effectively, cope with pressure, and control their emotions. The Psychology of Cricket is the first book to provide expert and up-to-date advice into one of the most psychological sports around.

The book is appropriate for anyone involved in playing or coaching cricket, and for all levels. The Psychology of Cricket teaches individuals to develop mental toughness by using mental skills which can be used in both practice and match situations, and provides expert advice on understanding the important ingredients of successful teams and leaders.

- Train and develop your mind to perform more effectively and consistently.

- Learn how to deal more consistently and effectively with your emotions and pressure.

- Boost your confidence through recalling success, reflection, and smart thinking.

- Develop concentration routines to maximize your mental energy.

- Learn how the best players develop mental toughness

Shane Warne is one of the most fascinating sports people on the planet. You might not follow cricket, you may never have even seen Warne on the cricket field, yet you know who he is. How has Warne shaped sport and how has sport has shaped him? Who is the real man behind the back page and front page headlines?

Right from the time of its introduction in 1975 when Test cricket was the undisputed giant of the game, through the eight following editions till 2007 with the 50 over format becoming the definitive, crowd-pulling format, to a preview to the 2011 edition, at a time when 20-20 cricket is threatening to steal its thunder. It includes a review of all the world cups, peppered with interesting facts and quotes, a warm up to the matches, venues and nations of World Cup 2011, an expert's SWOT analysis of the competing teams and of course, a special in-depth report of the Indian stars who carry the hopes of a billion people! Cricket connoisseurs will also find a handy guide the matches, memorable pictures and some exciting competitions with mouth-watering prizes up for grabs! The book is a great appetizer is for anyone looking forward to the World Cup and a must for a cricket lover.

This book includes comprehensive coverage of every League in the North West plus Youth and Women's Cricket, Leagues, Clubs, Contacts, Fixtures, New Structures, Previews and Reviews, Facts, Figures and Tables.

Rudi Koertzen is one of world cricket's most experienced and respected umpires. In a career spanning 29 years, he has stood in 100 Test matches and 200 One Day Internationals. (To date, he is the only umpire to have stood in 200 ODIs.) The slow and deliberate way in which he raises his left arm to give a batsman out has given rise to his nickname, Slow Death, which gives this memoir its title. The title takes the reader back to some of the most important highlights in Test, ODI and T20 matches over the past three decades, including several World Cups and Ashes series. It also covers the controversial side of international cricket, from match fixing to terrorist attacks. And Rudi gives his views on the use of technology in cricket, looking at the pros and cons of the umpire decision review system (UDRS).

When Dakota stole away in her fathers jeep, she had no idea of the dangers she would be facing. But she finds out when she becomes dinner for a giant cricket. But when Jake saves her in a nick of time she falls for him. it becomes a race against time when they are chased by giant crickets and lava. But deep in the cave there are a colony of people. And the leader has different ideas about them leaving.