"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'.

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.

'Grand Slam' is a metaphor is derived from tennis. Cricket, like tennis, depends on surfaces. Winning 6-0 at times is cool, but the best can do 6-2, 6-4 again and again, across continents. Grand Slam Tendulkar is the cricketing equivalent of that Grand Slam Tendulkar, is essentially the last chapter of "Lessons at Love All Play- Legend Tendulkar Matters" (Amazon ASIN B00H0LABVK, Nov 30 2013).* Re-live a golden era of Indian cricket 2007-11, with match summaries of Indian Cricket Legend Bharat Ratna Sachin Tendulkar and Team India in Tests & ODIs. Tendulkar brought up his third Test Grand Slam, and raised his ODI game, yet again, to help India get to the top in both formats. He had a mind-boggling range of match winning performances, as well as, support contributions-the profile of a tournament winner. Win matches on your day and help your teammates win it on their day #ItsATeamGame Team India grabbed their #loveAllPlayMoment-the point when a team is ready to compete globally-to get ahead of every other nation. Sehwag, Gambhir, Dravid, Tendulkar, Laxman, Ganguly, Yuvraj, Dhoni, Kumble, Harbhajan, Zaheer Khan, with other young stars- Kohli, Ishant Sharma, Ashwin, Pujara, Rohit Sharma and others - were one heck of an 'Incredible India' combination. Topics covered: The Test Grand Slam- performing against/in each country Tendulkar's Test Cycles- 3.5 Grand Slams Match summary of every Test series of India 07-11, crediting other legends and young stars. Tendulkar's amazing '07-11, the numbers which matter Tendulkar achieved some stunning sequences in consistency, which any other legend, from any era would envy. India ahead of every Test country - Ranked #1 irrespective of ICC ratings ODI World Cups- Tendulkar the opener World Cup Bowling review (since '92) - England and West Indies on top India in WC '11- getting the phases and chases right "*This abridged version is for readers, who do not wish to get into sports essays or cricket theory, but want to get directly into the matches. The best lessons are learnt in real games, after all A synopsis of the earlier sections of the original, is provided with an Appendix for reference. The same hashtag nomenclature is followed. However, rivalries of Tendulkar with other legends- Lara, Ponting, Kallis, the great bolwers of 1990-2000s, and comparative notes related to past legends are in the original only."

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.

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"

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.

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.

This book takes an in depth look at India's iconic cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar including his success and where he fell short. Author of the book who is of Sachin's age, describes how the child prodigy Sachin took over the entire nation by storm in his early days. How he quickly earned the status of batting genius and the God, which puts Sachin in the ultimate batting league of only Viv Richards and Brian Lara. Book goes a step beyond, to praise Sachin outside his batting records and greatness. Author measures Sachin's performances in context, by judging him only against the best attacks, the toughest batting conditions and the high pressure big occasions in the game. Just the way the book mentions Sachin's heroics over the 23 year career, book also sheds light on how he has come up short against the world champion Australian side, the South Africans and at the high pressure big occasion innings. Author also explores the Indian cricket culture. of putting personal milestones ahead of the team's performances, and how the retirements of the players are delayed, hurting the performance of the team and the careers of the new youngsters. In the end, Author talks about the successful MS Dhoni era and how Sachin has positively contributed to this era.

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

Here, for the first time, the Oval Test match of 1882 - every bit as dramatic as anything in the 2005 season - is recreated ball by ball all the way to the agonising climax when Australia won by 7 runs. Here, too, is the social context of that match, from the founding of Australia, spiced with a host of insights into how cricket was born and how it grew in a vast, rugged land. The story of The Ashes is more, much more. When the Hon. Ivo Bligh took an England team to Australia in 1882 - 83 he said he was going to reclaim the Ashes of English cricket, lost at the Oval. That led to a meeting with a property baron near Melbourne, an invitation for the team to stay at his mansion for Christmas - a knock-about match against the staff - and the baron's wife, who had a little urn on her mantelpiece. We know what went in it!

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?

At seventeen, Sachin Tendulkar became the second youngest man to make a hundred in international cricket; ever since, there has been no looking back. Today, Sachin is widely regarded as the world’s finest batsman, with over 33,000 international runs—the highest aggregate by far for any cricketer—and an incredible 100 international centuries to his credit.

In this biography of India’s greatest sportsperson ever, Gulu Ezekiel pens a compelling account of Sachin the man and his passion for cricket. He tracks Sachin from his childhood when he first caught the bug of cricket, and follows him on his meteoric rise to international stardom.

With unfailing attention to detail, he reconstructs the crucial matches and events that have marked Sachin’s career and reveals the magic of the cricketer whom Wisden Cricket Monthly once dubbed ‘bigger than Jesus.

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.

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 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.