Guest Review: The Croucher A Biography of Gilbert Jessop By Gerald Brodribb

Review: Gilbert Jessop (1874-1955) was a cricketer who played for Gloucestershire and England. In his early days he was known for his fast bowling, but it was as a big-hitting batsman that he gained more fame, his crouching stance at the wicket earning him the nickname “The Croucher”. His most famous innings came in the fifth Test Match against  Australia at the Oval in 1902. Needing 263 runs to win, England were quickly reduced to 48 runs for 5 wickets on a rain-affected pitch when Jessop went out to bat. He decided to attack the bowling in his own inimitable style and scored 104 before he was finally out with the score at 187 for 7. His century was scored in only 75 minutes off 76 balls and, to this day, is still the fastest century in a Test Match by an England batsman. The match was still not over, but England’s tail end managed to accumulate the winning runs, with the last pair anecdotally “getting ‘em in singles” to give England a dramatic victory by one wicket.

Jessop’s childhood and his early career as a teacher before breaking into first class cricket with Gloucestershire and Cambridge University is outlined. As well as describing “Jessop’s Match” at the Oval in 1902, the book details his career with Gloucestershire for whom he made his debut in 1894. He took over the captaincy of the county from the great W. G. Grace in 1900, his performances often outshining the rest of the team. His cricketing career was effectively ended following the outbreak of the First World War, but he continued to play and be involved in golf. He also worked as a journalist and writer. At the end of the book is a short statistical section detailing his cricketing achievements, particularly his remarkable fast-scoring feats.

As an informative biography of one of the lesser-known cricketers of the so-called “Golden Age”, and having seen the bat that Jessop used in scoring his famous century in 1902 in the museum at Lord’s cricket ground, I found this to be an interesting and enjoyable book. It should appeal to all cricket lovers.

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Guest Review: Broadly Speaking By Stuart Broad

Stuart Broad is the ultimate competitor - someone addicted to the pressures of Test cricket, the big occasions and being thrust into the heat of battle.

For over seventeen years, he's left it all on the field. A multiple Ashes winner and World Champion, Broad was integral to some of the greatest England teams of all time. His awards and achievements, however, don't tell the whole story. He has always been a cricketer of more than mere numbers. Broad's passionate and spontaneous behaviour has mad him a fan favourite. No other player feeds off the crowd quite like he does.

In his autobiography, Broad shares the moments from the game which have made him and those that almost broke him. What's clear, however, is his unwavering belief in his own ability to become one of the best ever.

Candid, entertaining, and refreshingly honest, this book reveals the personal side of a true cricketing great.

Review: Stuart Broad was a professional cricketer who played for Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire and appeared in 167 Test Matches for England, as well as numerous One Day and Twenty 20 Internationals. He announced his retirement just prior to the end of the final Test Match in the 2023 Ashes series against Australia. This is his autobiography, written with the assistance of the journalist Richard Gibson.

The book covers his childhood, starting with his premature birth, weighing in at just 2 pounds 2 ounces, and his first couple of weeks of life in an incubator, before growing into the 6 foot 6 inches fast bowler who took 604 wickets in Test Matches. The story finishes with the 5th, and final, Test against Australia, when it appeared he had written his own script for how he wanted to finish. Although an autobiography, with the author’s personal reflections on his life in cricket and on what the future may hold, the timeline jumps around and the chapters are interspersed with ones describing the five games in that 2023 Ashes series.

With numerous colour photographs and a section at the end giving his career statistics, this is an interesting, although brief, autobiography by one of the more colourful characters in cricket. It should appeal to all lovers of the game.

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Guest Review: Treasures of Lord’s By Tim Rice

Review: Lord’s cricket ground in North London is the headquarters of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and is considered to be the world headquarters of cricket. This iconic ground, especially its pavilion and adjoining museum, is home to a huge collection of artworks and other artefacts connected with the history of the game. This book, compiled by the lyricist Tim Rice, is a concise, lavishly illustrated volume describing some of the more famous items in the collection. The author is probably best known for his collaboration with musician Andrew Lloyd Webber, but he is also a keen student of cricket and has been a former president of the MCC.

The opening chapter of the book describes the founding of the ground and its forerunners (the current site is the third venue founded by Thomas Lord) and its subsequent development. This is followed by chapters and illustrations covering the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries (the book was published in 1989), and a final chapter on some of the more idiosyncratic artefacts. These include the famous “Ashes” urn, which was presented to the captain of the England/MCC touring team in Australia in 1883 and which is competed for in Test Match series between England and Australia.

Comprising a mixture of text covering the history of the ground and famous players; illustrations of the artworks; and detailed notes about the provenance of the artworks, their subject(s) and the artists who created them, this is a fascinating insight into the treasures housed in cricket’s headquarters. It should appeal both to followers of the game and those interested in art history.

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Guest Review: The Cricketer Book of Cricket Disasters & Bizarre Records Edited by Christopher Martin-Jenkins

Review: Christopher Martin-Jenkins (1945-2013) was a cricket commentator and journalist. He was also editor of the magazine “The Cricketer”. The sport of cricket lends itself to all sorts of unusual statistics and records, and this book, published in 1984, is a lighthearted compilation of some of the more unusual or remarkable achievements that were sent to the magazine.

The entries come from all over the world, including places as diverse as Fiji and Denmark, as well as from the more well-established cricketing nations. There are unusual records involving batting, bowling and wicket-keeping, together with bizarre incidents involving animals. There is also a chapter on some of the more esoteric local rules governing both first class and village cricket grounds. The book is well-illustrated with numerous photographs, several of which are from a bygone age, and humorous cartoons.

I found this to be an amusing collection of bizarre and unusual events and one which should appeal to all cricket enthusiasts.

Guest Review: Greatest Moments of Cricket By Ralph Dellor and Stephen Lamb

Little Book of the Greatest Moments of Cricket is a 96-page hardback book written by Ralph Dellor and Stephen Lamb. A collection of articles celebrating the most iconic moments in cricketing history, it is sure to bring back memories of the most emotional events, as well as remembering those events that stretch further back into the golden age of cricket. Whether it is the Ashes or other memorable matches against some of England's greatest rivals such as the West Indies, Sri Lanka or South Africa, this is a fantastic celebration of cricket.

Review: This is a collection of 30 short articles, each describing an iconic event in the history of cricket up to the 2005 Ashes series between England and Australia. Each article is accompanied by high-quality photographs, although occasionally these do not match exactly the text.

The games featured cover Test Matches, One Day Internationals and a one day County game. The choice of articles is very subjective, and is heavily weighted towards more recent times. For example, although the initial article describes the first reference, in 1882, to the Ashes in a mock newspaper obituary, only 8 more articles feature matches played prior to the 1970s.

This book will be of interest to cricket lovers, with many photographs of players from yesteryear, and will generate discussion about which moments should have been included.

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Guest Review: More Cricket Extras By David Rayvern Allen

A collection of anecdotes, statistics and trivia from the world of cricket. The book lists cricket's greatest hits which features extraordinary feats with bat and ball. It looks at some unlikely but famous cricketers and recounts tales of hi-jinks from the cricket broadcasting world.

Review: This is a follow-up to the author’s previous book “Cricket Extras”. It is a collection of anecdotes and strange facts relating to the sport of cricket. Divided into different chapters covering such topics as varied as: cricket and politics; disputes that ended up as court cases; and famous cricketing thespians, the book is trawl through some of the stranger stories relating to the game. It covers some of the more unusual events that have occurred throughout the world. At the end of the book, there is a short collection of cricket-related poems, some amusing and some reflective.

Although somewhat dated (the book was published in 1992), I found it to be an amusing and quirky collection of anecdotes. It should appeal to all enthusiasts of the game, wherever they are in the world.

Guest Review: Rhythm and Swing By Richard Hadlee

Review: This is the autobiography of the New Zealand cricketer Richard Hadlee, written with the assistance of the journalist Richard Brecht. It also includes a chapter by Richard Hadlee’s wife, Karen. Richard Hadlee was an all-rounder who played Test Match cricket for New Zealand during the 1970s and 1980s. He also had a spell playing county cricket in England for Nottinghamshire. Although he became known as an all-rounder, achieving the county “double” of 100 wickets and 1,000 runs for Nottinghamshire during the 1984 season, it was his seam bowling that was the stronger of the two disciplines. Just prior to the book’s publication (1989) he became, at the time, the world’s leading Test Match wicket taker, with 374 wickets, when he dismissed the Indian batter Arun Lal in November 1988.

Unusually for an autobiography, the book does not follow a chronological pattern but has chapters on specific topics, such as all-rounders, bowlers, batsmen, county cricket, touring and umpires. It is clear that, from a young, raw fast bowler, the author matured into a very thoughtful cricketer. What comes across is his attention to detail and his very meticulous preparation. It is probably this that allowed him to maintain high performance levels over what, for a fast bowler, was a relatively long career.

Unsurprisingly, the book concentrates a lot on cricket in New Zealand and its administration. Nevertheless, I found it a useful insight into the life of a dedicated, professional cricketer, and it is a book that should appeal to all cricket fans.

Guest Review: Spinner’s Yarn By Ian Peebles

When Ian Peebles moved from his native Scotland to London in 1926 at the age of eighteen, he began working with the former Test all-rounder Aubrey Faulkner at his indoor school. The two men hoped that Peebles would emulate the success of Sydney Barnes, regarded for most of the twentieth century as the greatest bowler of all time. Peebles, when he joined Faulkner, could bowl the same finger-spun fast leg-break that made Barnes so formidable. But although he could produce this delivery at will in the indoor nets, he soon completely lost the ability to do so outdoors in competitive cricket. 

Review: This book, published in 1977, is the autobiography of Ian Peebles, a cricketer and journalist. Born in Aberdeen and educated in Glasgow, he moved to London in 1926 to work at an indoor cricket school. His cricketing talent as a spin bowler was soon recognised and he was invited on an MCC tour of South Africa. He started playing county cricket for Middlesex and, in the autumn of 1929, he went up to Oxford University, being awarded a blue the following summer. It was during this summer, that he was selected for the 4th and 5th test matches against the touring Australian side at Old Trafford and the Oval, thus becoming the first man born and brought up in Scotland to play cricket for England. His first wicket in test cricket in England was none other than the great Don Bradman, caught at slip for a score of 14, which given “The Don’s” brilliant form during that summer of 1930, was considered a major coup.

At Oxford, Ian had concentrated on cricket rather than his undergraduate studies and decided to give up the academic life and go on another MCC tour of South Africa during the winter of 1930-31. He played his last test match for England the following summer against New Zealand, and subsequently represented Scotland against the same opposition in 1937. He played for Middlesex, captaining them during the last season before the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939. During the London Blitz, he lost most of the sight of one eye as a result of a bomb blast. He played a few more games for Middlesex after the war, his last match being in 1948.

During this period, there was a distinction between cricketers who played as amateurs and those who played as professionals. Ian Peebles was an amateur, and therefore needed an occupation to sustain himself when he wasn’t away on a cricket tour. He worked in a few different jobs, but eventually worked in the wine and spirit trade. He had also done some freelance cricket reporting for newspapers and, when his playing days were over, he concentrated on cricket writing. He covered two tours of Australia and one tour of the West Indies for the Sunday Times.

I found this book very readable and enjoyed the author’s writing style, which is not surprising given his background as a journalist and writer. It is a fascinating insight into the world of cricket during the 1920sand 1930s, with its descriptions of some of the characters who occupied that world. However, it is not just cricket that is described, since Ian Peebles also discusses society outside of cricket, providing a window into a bygone age of Britain prior to, during and after the Second World War. As such, this book will be of interest not just to cricket fans, but to anybody interested in this period of the 20th century.

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Guest Review: Fibber in the Heat By Miles Jupp

Fanatical about cricket since he was a boy, Miles Jupp would do anything to see his heroes play. But perhaps deciding to bluff his way into the press corps during England's Test series in India wasn't his best idea. By claiming to be the cricket correspondent for BBC Scotland and getting a job with the (Welsh) Western Mail, Miles lands the press pass that will surely be the ticket to his dreams.

Soon, he finds himself in cricket heaven - drinking with David Gower and Beefy, sharing bar room banter with Nasser Hussain, and swapping diarrhea stories with the Test Match Special team. Amazing! But struggling in the heat under the burden of his own fibs, reality soon catches up with Miles as - like a cricket-obsessed Boot from Evelyn Waugh's Scoop - he bumbles from one disaster to the next.

A joyous, charming, yet cautionary tale, Fibber in the Heat is for anyone who's ever dreamt about doing nothing but watching cricket all day long.

Review: Miles Jupp is an actor and comedian. Prior to 2006, he was probably best known for playing Archie The Inventor in the children’s television series “Balamory”. He is also a cricket enthusiast and during a fallow period of acting work, and following a quip from his partner that he should get a job that enables him to watch more cricket, he decided to do just that. Although having no experience as a sports journalist, he decided he would become a cricket journalist. To this end, and using contacts in BBC Radio Scotland and the Western Mail, a Cardiff-based newspaper, he bluffed his way into the press corps covering the Test Match series between India and England.

Armed with a letter of introduction from BBC Scotland, and with the promise of a press pass once he reached India, he set off with the journalists and cricket broadcasters to cover England’s Test Match series in India. This book covers his adventures, and misadventures, leading up to and during the three matches played in Nagpur, Chandigarh and Mumbai during March 2006. I found it highly amusing and entertaining, filled with interesting observations, and with the author’s wry sense of humour throughout. There are anecdotes relating to tussling with bureaucrats, haggling with taxi drivers and booking rooms in Indian hotels. Starting the trip full of enthusiasm about watching cricket and meeting his sporting heroes, he gradually realises that watching as a fan is different from working as a journalist. In addition, although he gets to meet a number of his cricketing heroes, he comes to realise that beneath their public persona, they are subject to the usual human frailties. There is one incident where he comes across Andrew Flintoff, who had taken over the captaincy of the England team after Michael Vaughan and Marcus Trescothick had left the tour, at the end of a day’s play in Chandigarh slumped exhausted in a chair. Miles Jupp astutely realised the mental pressure that Andrew Flintoff was under, a fact that has become more publicised in recent years. By the time of the final Test Match in Mumbai, Miles realises that cricket journalism is not for him, much to the entertainment world’s gain.

Although he states that he couldn’t cut it as a journalist, I found his descriptions of the cricket matches informative and exciting. The book also serves as an illuminating travelogue of India. Cricket enthusiasts will thoroughly enjoy this book, but you do not have to be a cricket fan to enjoy this entertaining and funny account of the author’s journey through India which led to his, ultimately, “finding himself”.

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Guest Review: Bob Willis: A Cricketer and A Gentleman Edited by David Willis

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.

Review: Bob Willis was a professional cricketer who opened the bowling for his counties, Surrey and Warwickshire, and for England. He made his England debut in 1971 and went on to play in 90 Test Matches, taking a total of 325 wickets, at the time overtaking Fred Trueman’s record tally of wickets for England. He also captained the national side in 18 Test Matches, winning 7 and losing 5. His finest hour came on the fifth day of the third Test Match against Australia at Headingley in 1981. Notwithstanding Ian Botham’s swashbuckling century the previous day, when it had appeared that England would suffer an innings defeat, Australia had been set a target of 130 to win and appeared to be cruising to victory when the score stood at 56 runs for the loss of 1 wicket. In two devastating spells either side of lunch, Bob took 8 wickets for 43 runs to bowl England to an 18 run victory. Following his retirement as a player, he worked as a television commentator/summariser, becoming known for his forthright views. He died in December 2019, aged 70.

This book is a compilation of articles, edited by his brother David Willis, about and by Bob. The first part of the book comprises a biography written by the sports journalist Mike Dickson. This is followed by contributions from a range of people, including extracts from books and articles by Bob himself, celebrating his life. Some of the tributes paid after his death are quite moving. The book is illustrated by a number of photographs, and there are copies of scorecards from notable matches. There is also a transcript of the television commentary by Richie Benaud and Christopher Martin-Jenkins describing his 8 wickets at Headingley in 1981. I read this at the same time as watching the event on video on YouTube, which I would recommend.

I had always thought Bob Willis to be a fine bowler, but quite a dour person given his terse interviews whilst a player and his often caustic opinions as a commentator. This book reveals a different side to his character, showing him to be a very sociable person with a wry sense of humour. Published in the year following his death, it is a timely celebration of the life of one of England’s legendary cricketers. Although sad in places, it is a fascinating read for all fans of the game.

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Guest Review: England’s World Cup The Full Story of the 2019 Tournament Edited by Richard Whitehead

The Cricket World Cup in 2019 was the first to be held in England for 20 years and expectations were high. It did not disappoint. Over six weeks and 48 matches it showcased the best that the one-day game has to offer, with compelling individual performances and spellbinding matches – all culminating in England’s unforgettable victory over New Zealand in the final. The Times England’s World Cup gives you a chance to relive the drama as it happened with the best of cricket writers.

Review: This is the story of the 2019 Cricket World Cup, held in England and Wales, told through a series of articles published in “The Times” newspaper and compiled and edited by Richard Whitehead. England went into the tournament as favourites to win, despite never having won before and not having appeared in the final for 27 years. The tournament was being held on home soil and England were at the top of the world rankings in the 50-over game. Held over seven weeks from the end of May until the middle of July, ten teams from five different continents took part. Initially, the teams played each other in a league format, at the end of which, the top four teams went through to the semi-finals with the winners playing in the final at Lord’s.

Despite some of the group matches being disrupted by the weather, the initial stages of the tournament produced some exciting games and a few stand-out moments. England started the tournament well but then stuttered, losing three of their group games. This meant they had to win their last two group matches to be certain of qualifying for the semi-finals. This, they accomplished, finishing third in the league table. In the semi-final, they overcame Australia to take them through to the final against New Zealand. This final has been described as the greatest game of cricket in history. After both sides had batted their allotment of 50 overs, the scores were level. This meant that, for the first time in the history of the World Cup, the match would be decided by a Super Over. Two batsmen from each team would face one over, and the team scoring the most runs in that over would win. England posted 15 runs in their allotted over. New Zealand started well, but needed two runs off the final ball to win. They ran a single but their batsman was run out a few feet short of his ground when going for the second run. This meant that, once again, the scores were level, but according to the rules of the tournament, whichever team had hit the most boundaries during their innings would be declared the winner. England had hit 26 boundaries compared to New Zealand’s 17, so England won the World Cup for the first time.

The book gives a report of all 48 matches with a summary of the scores and some statistical information. Interspersed with these results are profiles of some of the England players, and there is a more comprehensive statistical section at the end of the book. A number of black and white photographs are included, although many of these are of poor quality since they are reproduced from newspaper reports. However, there are a number of very good quality colour photographs in the middle of the book. One disappointment I had was that the report of the one game that I attended was dominated by the fact that it was the West Indies player Chris Gayle’s last appearance in a World Cup, and probably his last appearance in an international match in England, with very little detail of the match itself. To both team’s credit, and despite the game being a dead rubber, they played out an exciting match right up to the very last ball, which resulted in a spectacular, diving, one-handed catch. However, this is a minor criticism and this comprehensive record of England’s historic World Cup victory will appeal to all cricket aficionados.

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Guest Review: Ben Stokes On Fire By Ben Stokes

Early evening on Sunday 14th July 2019. Lord's Cricket Ground in London. Something had just happened in the sport of cricket that had never happened before: England had won the Cricket World Cup for the very first time since the tournament's inception in 1975. 

At the epicentre of England's historic triumph was Ben Stokes, the talismanic all-rounder with an insatiable appetite for The Big Occasion. He contributed an absolutely critical 84 runs off 98 balls when England batted, a seemingly nerveless innings of discipline and maturity. Thrillingly, it was enough to tie the scores at 241 runs each, so the match reverted to a Super Over - just six balls for each side to bat in the ultimate in sporting sudden death. Stokes and his batting partner, Jos Buttler, saw England to 15 runs off their over. When it was finally confirmed that Martin Guptill had been run out off the very last ball of New Zealand's Super Over with the scores once again level, England had astonishingly won on the boundary count-back, and the nation could finally breathe again.

Early evening on Sunday 25th August 2019. A sun-drenched Headingley in Leeds. Having been bowled out for just 67 earlier in the Third Test, England were facing the prospect of failing to regain the Ashes. In their second innings England were still 73 runs short of victory with a solitary wicket remaining. Australia were near certainties to retain the Ashes there and then. Cue one of the most amazing innings ever witnessed as Ben Stokes thrashed the Australian bowlers to all corners of the ground, in the process scoring 135 not out, driving England to a barely believable one-wicket victory and keeping the series very much alive. The nation took another breath. 

In his brand-new book, Ben Stokes tells the story of England's electrifying first ever Cricket World Cup triumph as well as this summer's momentous Ashes Test series. It is the ultimate insider's account of the most nerve-shredding but riveting three-and-a-half months in English cricket history.  

Review: During a remarkable summer of 2019, the England cricket team won the Cricket World Cup and contested a memorable Ashes Test Match series with Australia, drawing 2-2. Ben Stokes played a major part in both the World Cup and the Test Match series. This book is his story of that summer, with particular emphasis on two Sundays, July 14th and August 25th.

At the start of the World Cup tournament, England were the favourites. They were in good form going into the tournament and were playing on home soil. After a bit of a wobble during the group stage of the competition, England entered the final two matches of this stage needing to win them both if they were to progress to the semi-finals. This they achieved and, after winning their semi-final, they went through to the final against New Zealand at Lord’s on Sunday 14th July. Batting second, they were losing wickets at regular intervals whilst chasing down New Zealand’s score. Ben had come in after the fall of England’s third wicket and was determined to be there at the end to see England home. He describes the excitement of facing the 50th, and final, over when England needed 15 runs to win. Off the final ball, England needed two runs to win, but could manage only a single, meaning that, after both sides had batted for 50 overs, the scores were level. This meant that, for the first time in the history of the World Cup, the game went into a Super Over. Each team would bowl one further over to be faced by two nominated batsmen to decide the winner. England batted first, with Ben as one of the nominated batters, and scored 15. It was now New Zealand's turn to bat for one over. Again, needing two to win off the final ball, they managed only a single. This meant that the scores were tied, but the rules of the competition stated that in this event, the team scoring more boundaries during their innings would be declared the winner and, on boundary count-back, England had won the World Cup for the first time.

Following such a pulsating World Cup, it would have been difficult to predict that the rest of the summer would throw up more drama. However, the World Cup was followed by a series of five Test Matches against Australia for the Ashes. These matches are always fiercely contested. After losing the first match and drawing the second one, England went into the third match at Headingley knowing that should Australia win, they would retain the Ashes. This was looking highly likely when England, batting second, were dismissed for 67 in their first innings. Following their second innings, Australia posted a target of 359 runs for England to chase. Ben went in after the fall of the third wicket on the evening of the third day and was there at the close of play when England had scored 156. The fourth day was Sunday 25th August. England applied themselves to their batting but wickets were starting to fall. When the ninth wicket went down and the last batsman came to the crease to join Ben, England still required 73 runs to win. The following phase of play is the stuff of legends and is up there with a previous sensational victory England pulled off at the same venue in 1981.

Following England’s win at Headingley to level the series, Australia won the fourth Test, thereby retaining the Ashes, and England won the fifth and final Test.

The book is the author’s personal recollection of a truly memorable summer, with particular attention being paid to the pivotal role he played on those two aforementioned Sundays. I found reading the accounts of these matches as exciting as being there. (In fact, I had a ticket for the fifth day’s play of the Test Match at Headingley, but the match finished a day early.) I would recommend this book to all cricket lovers.

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Guest Review: Ben Stokes Firestarter By Ben Stokes

Ben Stokes is not cast in the same mould as the vast majority of English cricketers. Fiery, combative, gladiatorial - he plays the game hard and with great gusto. He is an all-rounder who bats, bowls and fields at full throttle.

Stokes impresses with his physical stature and muscular brand of cricket. He doesn't back down, smashing the next ball for six, bowling his 90 mph "chin music", or taking a breathtakingly full-stretch catch at backward point.

Whether it's thrashing the fastest ever Test century at Lord's or the quickest ever Test double-hundred by an Englishman or destroying the Australian batting at Trent Bridge, Stokes plays the game he loves with his heart on his sleeve and with 100% effort and commitment. Cricket fans adore him for it.

His very first book focuses on the pivotal moments in his life and career so far. These episodes are vibrant, emotional, poignant - revealing the man in three dimensions, red in tooth and claw. From being forged as a young boy in New Zealand, to moving to Cumbria at the age of 11, to playing county cricket for Durham and then onto the England team, this book provides a riveting insight into one of the most exhilarating figures in sport today.

Review: This is the autobiography of the England cricketer Ben Stokes. Born in New Zealand, he moved to Cumbria aged 12 with his family when his father, a rugby league coach, was appointed as coach of Workington Town.

The book describes his childhood, firstly in New Zealand and subsequently in Cockermouth in Cumbria. Having been a keen sportsman since his earliest childhood, he was soon selected for representative cricket teams in Cumbria, before signing a professional contract with Durham County Cricket Club. He made his debut for the England One Day International Team in 2011, and for the England Test Match Team in 2013 during an Ashes Tour in Australia. It was during this tour that he scored his maiden Test Match century. His further cricketing exploits and his family life are described.

This book was published in 2016, so the author’s performances only up until the end of his season through injury in the summer of that year are described. It is a must read for all cricket fans and gives an insight into his personality and competitive spirit. His achievements during what would turn out out to be a remarkable summer of 2019 are described in a further book (and will be the subject of a further review).

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Guest Review: Around the World in 80 Pints by David 'Bumble' Lloyd

Bestselling author and hugely popular commentator David 'Bumble' Lloyd takes the reader on an unmissable and hilarious tour of the cricketing world as he searches for the perfect pint.

After more than 50 years involved with cricket as a player, international, umpire, coach and now commentator, David Lloyd has travelled the world. It's all a long way from his childhood, growing up in a terraced house in post-war Accrington, Lancashire. But cricket has taken him all over the globe, and he has experienced everything from excruciating agony Down Under to the Bollywood glamour of the IPL - he's even risked it all to cross the Pennines into Yorkshire. 

In Around the World in 80 Pints, Bumble relives some of the most exciting and remarkable periods in his life, showing how his travels have opened up new and exciting avenues for him. The book is packed full of brilliant stories from famous Ashes matches and Roses clashes, sharing the commentary box with Ian Botham and Shane Warne, and much else besides - all told in his idiosyncratic style that has won him so many fans the world over. His previous autobiography, Last in the Tin Bath, was a huge bestseller, and this one is sure to appeal to anyone who shares Bumble's unquenchable love for cricket - and life!

Review: David Lloyd is a former cricketer who represented Lancashire and England, went on to coach the England cricket team and, currently, is a much respected commentator on the game. This book relates his journey as a cricketer, but also describes the important role played by the social side of the game. As the title of the book suggests, much of this socialising takes place over a pint in the club bar or a nearby hostelry once the day's play has finished.

The book is divided into three sections. In the first section, the author describes how he first started playing for Accrington Cricket Club in the Lancashire League, and the experiences of club cricket, before progressing to playing for his native county of Lancashire. He goes on to describe the various Test Match venues in England and Wales and the nearby cafes and pubs that he favours. The second section of the book describes his travels around the major cricket-playing nations of the world and the attributes that the various countries have brought to the game. In the third section, David Lloyd discusses being part of a broadcasting team, what improvements in the game he would like to see and where he thinks cricket's future lies.

As in his previous book that I read, this volume is full of the author's trademark impish sense of humour, with plenty of anecdotes and descriptions of many of the characters that inhabit the world of cricket. For an insight into the world of club, county and international cricket, the social side of cricket clubs and the life of a cricket broadcaster, I would recommend this book as a very interesting and amusing read.

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Guest Review: The Record-breaking Sunil Gavaskar By C D Clark

This is the biography covering the first part of the career of the Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar.

Review: This is the biography covering the first part of the career of the Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar. He played a total of 125 Test Matches for India between 1971 and 1987 as an opening batsman. During this time, he amassed over 10,000 runs, established numerous records for batting and took over 100 catches.

This book was published in 1980, so only matches played up until then are covered. However, the start of his career was quite spectacular. Born in Mumbai (known formerly as Bombay), Sunil Gavaskar was first selected for India for their tour of the West Indies in 1971. Despite missing the first Test Match due to a finger infection, in the remaining four Test Matches, he scored a total of 774 runs, a new record for the highest aggregate in a maiden Test series. In the fifth test in Trinidad, he scored a century in the first innings, and a double century in the second, a feat very few batsmen had achieved at that time, or have achieved since.

The book contains a lot of details regarding cricket, but is a little thin on details of Sunil's personal life. Many of the chapters end with a short, statistical section, and there is an appendix at the end with more detailed statistics. As such, this makes for for quite a dry read, but it is one that should appeal to cricket fans.

Guest Review: Cricket Rebel By John Snow

This is an autobiography of cricketer John Snow. 

Review: This is the autobiography of John Snow, a fast bowler who played cricket for Sussex and England. Between 1965 and 1976 he played 49 Test Matches for England, taking a total of 202 wickets. Probably his finest hour came during the 1970-1971 tour of Australia, during which he took 31 wickets, helping England to become the first touring side to regain The Ashes in Australia since the "Bodyline" tour of 1932-1933.

His career was not without controversy. There were a number of confrontations with the cricket authorities due his readiness to speak his mind, no matter the consequences. During the 1960s and 1970s, this was not considered acceptable behaviour by professional cricketers, who were expected to accept authority without question. One controversial incident occurred in the above-mentioned Ashes tour when, during the final Test Match at Sydney, an Australian batsman ducked into one of his short-pitched deliveries and was struck on the head. John received a warning from the umpire for the persistent bowling of short-pitched deliveries. When John returned to his fielding position on the boundary at the end of the over, bottles and cans were thrown on to the field and one spectator grabbed his shirt. The captain of the side, Ray Illingworth, took the England team off the field until order was restored. Another incident occurred during a match with India, when John collided with and barged over the Indian batsman Sunil Gavaskar when the latter was going for a quick single and John was attempting to gather the ball to effect a run out. For this incident, he was dropped for one Test Match for disciplinary reasons.

This autobiography was published in 1976, before the author's playing career had ended. It makes interesting reading the second time around, since many of the improvements called for in the book, such as improved pay for cricketers, four day matches in the County Championship and neutral umpires in Test Matches, have all come to pass since the book was written. A major factor in the improvement in cricketers' pay was the setting up, by the Australian businessman Kerry Packer, of the rival World Series Cricket in response to being denied the television rights to Test Matches in Australia. Many international players signed up to this and it will come as no surprise that John Snow, disillusioned with the cricket authorities in England and coming to the end of his career, also signed up in 1977. Eventually, the Australian Cricket Board agreed terms with Kerry Packer for the television rights and normality was restored, but the increased money that he was offering the players led to increases in the players' fees.

One aspect of John Snow that may not be expected of a hostile fast bowler with a reputation for bloody-mindedness is that he has published two volumes of poetry. These are reprinted in full at the end of the book, and show the author's thoughtfulness and ability as a wordsmith, qualities that are apparent throughout the book.

Guest Review: Cricket and All That By Henry Blofeld

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.

Review: As its sub-title states, this is an irreverent history of the game of cricket from the 16th century until the start of the 21st century. The author, Henry Blofeld, is a retired sports journalist and radio cricket commentator. He is well known for his rich turn of phrase and sense of humour, and the book is infused with this sense of fun throughout.

As he states in the introduction, the author has been selective in the individuals and anecdotes described in the book, but those included provide a rich selection of some of the larger than life characters that have graced the game of cricket. Hence, such famous names as Colonel Charles Lennox (who subsequently succeeded to the title of Duke of Richmond, was present at the Battle of Waterloo and whose wife gave the famous ball prior to the battle), W G Grace, Don Bradman, Geoffrey Boycott and Imran Khan decorate the pages.

As a cricket enthusiast, I found the book an enjoyable and fun read, and was fascinated by its descriptions of the history of the game, how its laws 

evolved and became codified, and how its headquarters and the home of Marylebone Cricket Club at Lord's cricket ground, procured by Thomas Lord, originated. All of this is written in Henry Blofeld's colourful and inimitable style.

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Guest Review: Last in The Tin Bath by David Lloyd

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER FROM CRICKET'S HUGELY POPULAR COMMENTATOR

With his infectious enthusiasm for the game, David 'Bumble' Lloyd blends immense knowledge and experience with an eye for the quirky detail and an unending fund ofbrilliant stories.

This definitive autobiography recalls his childhood in Accrington, Lancashire, when, after a long day playing cricket in the street, he would get his chance to wash himself in his family's bath - but only after his parents and uncle had taken their turn first. From being last in the tin bath, he moved on to make his debut for Lancashire while still in his teens, eventually earning an England call-up, when he had to face the pace of Lillee and Thomson - with painful and eye-watering consequences. After retiring as a player, he became an umpire and then England coach during the 1990s, before eventually turning to commentary with Sky Sports.

After spending more than 50 years involved with the professional game, Bumble's memoir is packed with hilarious anecdotes from the golden age of Lancashire cricket through to the glitzy modern era of T20 cricket. He provides vivid behind-the-scenes insight into life with England and on the Sky commentary team. Last in the Tin Bath is a joy to read from start to finish and was shortlisted for the British Sports Book Awards Autobiography of the Year.

Review: David Lloyd is a former Lancashire and England cricketer and coach, and currently is a much respected commentator on the game. This book is his autobiography. It describes his upbringing in Accrington, Lancashire and his subsequent career in the sport.

His journey as a player started in club cricket in the Lancashire League and progressed through the ranks of county cricket with Lancashire before reaching its pinnacle with nine Test Match appearances for England. Following his retirement as a player in the first-class game, he became an umpire before moving into coaching, serving as coach for Lancashire and then England. He is now a successful cricket commentator on television and radio.

The book is full of amusing anecdotes about his childhood and his cricketing career. Amongst other things, it describes the origin of his nickname "Bumble", a consequence of banter in a professional sportsmen's dressing room. The title of the book, incidentally, will be familiar to all brought up in the period of austerity following the end of the Second World War when, due to the cost of heating water, families would take it in turns to use the one bathful of hot water, and the youngest member of the household would be last in the pecking order.

The book is full of the author's trademark impish sense of humour. There are plenty of anecdotes, such as a painful injury incurred whilst batting against the fast bowler Jeff Thomson in Australia, together with descriptions of the often larger than life characters that inhabit the world of cricket. For an insight into the world of professional cricket in the last part of the 20th century, and the way it has evolved in the 21st century, I would recommend this book as a very interesting and amusing read.

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Guest Review: All Wickets Great and Small by John Fuller

Nowt stops for cricket in Yorkshire. Passion runs deep, beyond those in whites, to the groundsmen, tea ladies, scorers and umpires who embody the game. All Wickets Great and Small is a romp across the landscape of amateur cricket in Yorkshire during the summer of 2015. Author John Fuller looks at the key issues affecting the grassroots game: the struggles to attract players, funding shortages, natural disasters and the social dynamics that can threaten a captain's eleven on a Saturday. What shape is the grassroots game in and can it still survive and thrive? From vicars and imams socking sixes in Dewsbury to heritage clubs hitting social media out of the park, this is the story of sleeves-rolled-up cricket at its best in the county that locals call 'God's own'.

Review: This book is a testimony to club cricket at grass roots level in Yorkshire. The author, sports journalist John Fuller, decided to make a pilgrimage to various club grounds in a number of regions of Yorkshire over the course of one summer to identify what makes cricket in Yorkshire tick at grass roots level.

His love of the game shines through, as does his affection for the various grounds visited and the characters at the heart of the clubs who give so much of their free time to ensure the clubs can continue to survive and flourish. However, the book is not just about cricket. There are observations about the public transport system and the Royal Mail, among other things, all infused with the author's wry humour.

Having played cricket at a number of the grounds mentioned, I found the book a very interesting and humorous read.

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