An eye-opening survey of cricket, from the crowd violence and blatant match-rigging of the eighteenth century, down to the twentieth century's glaring abuses of the spirit of the game.
PLAYING HARD BALL is a unique sports book, a cultural comparison of two national games - cricket, English in origin and American baseball - written from the viewpoint of a top-class practitioner of both codes.
'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?
'A treasure of recollections and reactions, talking heroes, controversies and big themes' i paper'Brearley is at his best in these quirky, delightful essays when he is exploring the human qualities of humbler players .
The remarkable story of three Yorkshire cricketers from the Golden Age - George Hirst, Wilfred Rhodes and Schofield Haigh - who transformed their countys fortunes, inspired a generation of cricketers and left a unique legacy on the game.
'The perfect Christmas gift' - Alan BrazilA brilliantly entertaining and hilarious quiz book from the country's favourite sports broadcasterKnow your bull calf from your bullseye?
First published in 1983, Heroes and Contemporaries reveals a new aspect of David Gower's personality - that of an astute and intelligent observer of the game and of his fellow players.
Love him or loathe him, Ricky Ponting is one of the biggest names in cricket, having been at the heart of so many memorable Ashes and Test encounters over the years.
The quintessentially English cricket commentator, writer, oenophile, bon viveur, collector and national treasure, fondly known as "e;Blowers"e;, tells his riveting life story.
Jonathan "e;Aggers"e; Agnew, England's voice of cricket, showcases some of the very best writings on the noble game, from the 1930s to the present day.
RIP GRAHAM THORPE 1969-2024Graham Thorpe's achievements on the cricket field contrasted wildly with his personal problems, where drink and depression combined to send him spiralling off the rails.
Following on from the hugely successful Best After-Dinner Sports Tales, yet more rousing stories from the after-dinner speaking circuit, from some of the biggest names in sport as well as celebrities from the world of entertainment.
For the first time ever, a DVD featuring exclusive video and audio material accompanies the latest New Naturalist volume, a multimedia first for the series.
Welcome to the weird and wonderful world of "e;Bumble"e;, the legendary SkySports cricket commentator who's one ball short of an over and delivers madcap moments galore in this ebullient, endearing and hilarious book.
The quintessential barking-mad Yorkshire cricketer, 'Hoggy's' record-breaking bowling exploits for England allied to his humorous, uniquely oddball yet hugely endearing attitude to sport and life makes this essential reading for all lovers of the game.
The former Prime Minister examines the early history of one of the great loves of his life in a book that sheds new light on the summer game's social origins.
In this, another collection of classic cricket writing by Sir Neville Cardus, he urges that the game itself is more important than winning, players should fully express themselves in the game and he writes about those players who delight the senses: Hurst and Hutton, McCabe and Compton.
Included are the imaginative reconstruction of the 1882 England and Australia test match to Cardus's descriptions of village cricket, accounts of the great players that Cardus watched play (from Donald Bradman and Harold Larwood to Wally Hammond) to examples of his 'Shastbury' writings.
