Every cricket lover, for better or worse, has their year. The year it all fell into place or all fell apart. A year of triumph or disaster; of tragedy or comedy. This being cricket, there's normally a bit of everything. Covering 50 different seasons, from 1934 right up to the weird summer of 2020, a series of journalists, poets, musicians, comedians, and ex-players - plus the odd England captain - have come together to produce a collection of personal essays, using the game of cricket as the backdrop to tell the story of their own Golden Summers. 50 voices for 50 years: each one delving into the year that means the most to them. This is Golden Summers.

More than any other sport, cricket highlights our peculiarities and quirks, our strengths and weaknesses - sporting or otherwise. It welcomes all-comers, no matter what their quirks or achievements. Cricketing Allsorts celebrates those oddities and records, and offers a lively portrait of the game and its players in all their glory and eccentricity. Presented in the form of 'top ten' lists and illustrated with photographs from through the ages, Cricketing Allsorts covers all aspects of the game, both on and off the field. It guides us through topics such as: - the top cricketing love affairs, featuring Keith Miller and Princess Margaret - the greatest bowing partnerships, including Wasim & Waqar, Laker & Lock and Ramadhin & Valentine - the best fictional cricketers, including Hooker Knight and Flashman - the most brutal bowling spells, as Donald roughs up Atherton and Ambrose mauls England - the game's most iconic fashion statements, such as Clive Lloyd's glasses and Gower's blue socks - the greatest dynasties, including the Cowdreys and the Pollocks - the most memorable sixes, featuring Dhoni, Sobers and Albert Trott - the most unlikely cricket fans, such as Barack Obama, Roger Federer and the Taliban. An engaging, witty and affectionate look at all things cricket, Cricketing Allsorts is the ultimate book for anyone who wants to know anything and everything about the game, and the perfect gift for any cricket fan.