Last-Wicket Stand
Last-Wicket Stand

Author: Richard Clarke

Publisher: eBook Partnership

Published: 2020-07-27

Total Pages: 249

ISBN-13: 1785317121

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Last Wicket Stand is an honest account of one man's search for meaning, purpose and reinvention, both for himself and the sport he loves. At the start of the 2020 season, English county cricket faced radical change. The Hundred was coming, introducing new 'franchises' playing a new format in the hope of attracting much-needed new audiences. Its inception was controversial. Advocates argued only drastic action could halt the decline of cricket in the UK. Opponents feared it would undermine the very fabric of the much-loved county game. One devoted Essex fan set out to document the last summer before the big change. He toured the country in 2019 chronicling this often-ignored sport, from the gentle lullaby of the County Championship to the bawdy singalong of T20 Finals Day. Richard Clarke was in his 50th year, at a personal crossroads and fearing his best days may be long gone. Change vs tradition, growth vs security, money vs meaning - these perennial struggles lie at the heart of this absorbing and revealing journey of redemption.

The Ashes
The Ashes

Author: John Miller

Publisher: Exisle Publishing

Published: 2010-04

Total Pages: 98

ISBN-13: 1921497696

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No contest has captured the imagination of cricket lovers around the world as much as the Ashes. From the controversy of the Bodyline series to the brilliance of Bradman, from the heroics of batsmen like Botham and Ponting to the bowling magic of Warne, this is an event that has always demanded the very best of those who wish to win it. THE ASHES looks at the moments that have made this one of the world's great sporting events.

Wisden on the Ashes
Wisden on the Ashes

Author: Steven Lynch

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2022-10-27

Total Pages: 769

ISBN-13: 1399405527

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*Updated edition to include the 2017-18, 2019 and 2021-22 Ashes series* Wisden on the Ashes: The authoritative story of cricket's greatest rivalry is a detailed chronological journey through the history of this famous English-Australian contest. With Test reports, scorecards, "Great bowlers of the year" and other fascinating material from the archives, together with new editorial pieces, this is a remarkable record of cricket's most enduring battle. The book begins its journey with England's first tour of Australia in 1876 and the subsequent three series prior to the 1882 tour that led to a mock obituary being placed in the Sporting Times "In affectionate remembrance of English cricket, which died at The Oval on 29th August, 1882. ... The body will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia." Celebrating the players who made their mark on the game and the controversies that shook the sport, the book covers every series since then through to the most recent series. In 2005 England won a highly competitive series that helped raise the popularity of the sport, and each series since then has attracted huge attention. This book will be a welcome addition to all cricket enthusiasts' collections, as well as an ideal gift purchase. This updated edition includes the 2017-18 series, which saw England fail to defend the Ashes, the summer 2019 series held in England, which was the first drawn series since 1972, and the Covid-affected 2021-22 series. It also includes a colour photo section celebrating the players, the matches and the key moments from an ongoing rivalry.

All Ten: The Ultimate Bowling Feat
All Ten: The Ultimate Bowling Feat

Author: Chris Overson

Publisher: Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians

Published: 2017-11-01

Total Pages: 297

ISBN-13: 1908165898

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For a bowler, taking all ten wickets in an innings is the ultimate statistical feat. It is also a very rare one: in nearly 60,000 first-class matches it has been achieved only 81 times. Surprisingly, although books have been written about Hedley Verity’s world record ten for 10 in 1932 and Jim Laker’s all-ten in the 1956 Old Trafford Test, nobody has ever written a book describing every all-ten. Until now. All Ten chronicles each all-ten, from Edmund Hinkly’s at Lord’s in 1848 to Zulfiqar Babar’s at Multan over a century and a half later. All-tens have been taken at many different venues, from famous Test match grounds to outgrounds on which first-class cricket is no longer played. Some were taken by great bowlers such as Colin Blythe and Clarrie Grimmett, some by less well-known ones including Harry Pickett of Essex and Tom Graveney’s brother Ken. Some bowlers were at the beginning of their careers, some were nearing the end. You will read about them all here and their very special feat, and maybe wonder why the bowlers at the other end didn’t strike even once, why many of the greatest bowlers of all-time never took an all-ten, and why all-tens have become much rarer in the last half century.

Calling the Shots (ebook)
Calling the Shots (ebook)

Author: Michael Vaughan

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Published: 2012-08-16

Total Pages: 287

ISBN-13: 1444756036

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CALLING THE SHOTS covers the two year period from the time Michael Vaughan took over as England captain. This book concentrates on leadership, with Michael describing his approach to captaincy, his aims and thoughts about the various Test series, as well as his decision making and man management strategies. The book reads as a lively and entertaining narrative, whilst maintaining its informative role during the most successful period for England cricket during the past 25 years. CALLING THE SHOTS also takes us through the electrifying 2005 Ashes series. Michael Vaughan describes his hugely successful approach that led to triumph over the formidable Australian team, and how it felt to be part of one of the greatest series ever.

Cricket's Strangest Matches
Cricket's Strangest Matches

Author: Andrew Ward

Publisher: Portico

Published: 2016-04-04

Total Pages: 217

ISBN-13: 1911042408

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Cricket’s Strangest Tales is a fascinating collection of cricketing weirdness – and there’s a lot of it to choose from! Within these pages you’ll find a game that was played on ice, meet a plague of flying ants who failed to dampen players’ enthusiasm, and examples of the grand old tradition of one-armed teams versus one-legged teams. The stories in this book are bizarre, fascinating, hilarious, and, most importantly, true. Fully revised, redesigned and updated with a selection of new material for 2016, this book is the perfect gift for the cricket fanatic in your life. Word count: 45,000 words

Brief Candles 2: More One-Match Wonders
Brief Candles 2: More One-Match Wonders

Author: Keith Walmsley

Publisher: Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians

Published: 2016-11-01

Total Pages: 129

ISBN-13: 190816574X

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This second volume of ‘Brief Candles’ once again looks at the lives, in and out of cricket, of a batch of players who flickered only briefly on the first-class scene. Most earn their inclusion because of an unusual achievement that they recorded during their brief careers at that level. So you can read here about the five cricketers who played an innings in the 90s in their debut game, and the five who shared in century partnerships on debut when batting at number 11 - and yet none of them was ever picked again. Others are included because of something that happened to them during their one-and-only first-class matches - like the three cricketers who were no-balled for throwing on their debuts, whereupon they disappeared from the first-class game altogether. Another two earn their appearance because of a pair of unhappy coincidences: though unrelated they shared the same unusual surname, and both met their deaths in the most tragic of circumstances. And finally there’s the clergyman who played his only first-class match when just six months short of his 60th birthday. Brief Candles 2 explores the lives of these and some others who deserve to be better remembered for their unusual, if very short, contributions to the history of the first-class game.

Wisden at The Oval
Wisden at The Oval

Author: Jon Surtees

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2017-06-01

Total Pages: 321

ISBN-13: 1472942647

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The Oval in Kennington, south London – with its instantly recognisable gasholders – is one of sport's most iconic and popular venues. It has played host to an array of blue-ribbon sporting events over the years, including the FA Cup final and rugby's first varsity match. But it is as an iconic cricket venue that it is so widely known and loved. Since opening in 1845, The Oval has been the home of Surrey County Cricket Club, and these days it traditionally hosts the final Test match of the English season. It was one of the first grounds to stage a Test match (second only to Melbourne's MCG), when it hosted England–Australia in 1880, and its place in sporting history continues as 2017 sees the 100th Test match at the venue. The modern-day history of cricket can be told purely by referencing events that have taken place at The Oval or players that called the ground home. Wisden at The Oval takes the reader through that rich history, delving into the Almanack's archive, and arguing that more memorable events and moments have happened at The Oval than any other ground in the world. It will showcase the remarkable matches and series: from that first Test match in England and the subsequent birth of the Ashes, to the first ever official County Championship (won by Surrey), the first ever One Day World Cup in 1975, The Oval's key role in the birth of Twenty20 in 2003, and the biggest series of modern times with the 2005 Ashes and three subsequent Ashes victories in the following decade. It will celebrate the outstanding players and performances, including: Jack Hobbs, who played home games and his final Test at The Oval; Len Hutton's astounding 364* in 1938; Don Bradman's final innings; the iconic performances of Surrey's Jim Laker; Fred Trueman becoming the first player to take 300 Test wickets; the era-defining West Indians of the 70s and 80s who called it a home from home; and all the greats of the game through to today.