We will have to look at the data. As this quote hit the airwaves it was said to sum up England's backward and stuttering performance at the 2015 World Cup. It didn't matter that Peter Moores, the coach at the time, had been misheard—he said he would look at it later. The narrative of a team held back by too much information had taken hold. But this was not the first time England had struggled in cricket's premier event. England's history with one-day cricket is a troubled one. Des...

Graeme Swann's transformation from international outsider to England's primary match-winner and undisputed best spin bowler in the world has been remarkably rapid. Within two years of his 2008 Test debut, he had become his country's most reliable bowler, made the shortlist for the ICC's cricketer of the year award and claimed an Ashes-sealing wicket. Yet the script took many twists and turns along the way.Drafted into the squad for the full tour of South Africa in 1999-2000. Swann'...

For 30 years, batsmen around the world have feared the slow and deliberate way Rudi Koertzen raises his left arm to give them out - so much so that it has given rise to his nickname, Slow Death. Despite the sinister sobriquet, Rudi Koertzen remains one of the most loved and respected umpires in world cricket, and certainly one of the most experienced: to date, he is the only umpire to have stood in 200 One Day Internationals, and he has 100 Test matches under his belt. Now Rudi takes the r...

HIGHLIGHTS OF A CAREER IN CRICKET FROM BRITAIN'S BEST-LOVED UMPIRE, THE LATE DICKIE BIRD.'You know what you will get with Mr Bird, and he delivers it with unabashed aplomb in this amiable book' - Country LifeHardly a week went by without Dickie Bird visiting a county or Test match arena where he could keep up to date with all that was happening in the cricket world, while at the same time taking the opportunity to reflect, in the company of old f...

Michael Vaughan tells the full, compelling story of a remarkable career - from his early days at Yorkshire, to his emergence as a world-class batsman; from the successful partnership with Duncan Fletcher that culminated in the raising of the urn at The Oval in 2005, to the recurring injuries that ultimately forced his retirement.With the insight that helped him bring the best out of personalities as different as Freddie Flintoff, Kevin Pietersen and Steve Harmison, the winner of a ...

Andrew 'Freddie' Flintoff is one of the most exciting cricketers in the world and has improved out of all recognition during the last two years. In 2003, he was England's best player at the World Cup. Then, explosively, he lit up the second half of the summer in 2004, lifting spirits at Lord's with a bat-smashing 142. He walked off with the England man of the series award and averages to flaunt. This book marks his story so far in his own words, taking us up to and including the summer of ...

The story of a lifetime at the very centre of international cricket, from the most respected TV commentator in the game.Few people understand cricket as well as Richie Benaud. For sixty years, as player and commentator, he has set the standards for others to follow and has witnessed all the major events in the game. No one else has found such favour with the vast numbers of cricket lovers in both Britain and Australia.A high-class attacking...

In this anecdotal book, the unstoppable Dickie Bird takes one County Cricket Club at a time and revisits each with the aid of memorabilia, statistics, books and videos. A mass of new hilarious stories flow from Dickie as he flexes his memory: he describes the cricketers, the matches and the character of these clubs. Dickie also relives his journeys as a umpire to clubs and Test match arenas overseas and recalls the humorous times that have filled his unique career. A must have for cricket ...

THE LATE CRICKET LEGEND DICKIE BIRD, IN HIS OWN WORDS.Dickie Bird's retirement was an international event shown on TV screens and newspapers throughout the world. He is a household name, an eccentric, and one of the most loved and respected characters in world cricket. His idiosyncratic style and infectious humour has endeared him to millions, transcending his sport.Fiercely proud of his background as a Yorkshire miner's son, his account follows his youth i...

Andrew Strauss, one of the most successful and respected England cricket captains of the modern era, announced his retirement from professional cricket at the end of 2012. In DRIVING AMBITION he gives a candid account of the highs and lows of his remarkable career for Middlesex and England.An outstanding opening batsman and natural leader, Andrew Strauss captained his country in 50 of his 100 Tests. During his time in charge, England emerged from a turbulent and controversial perio...

The autobiography of West Indies fast-bowling legend turned Sky pundit, Michael Holding, author of the award-winning Why We Kneel, How We RiseAs one of the fastest bowlers the world has seen, Michael Holding went by the haunting nickname 'Whispering Death', claiming 249 Test wickets. Despite having not laced his bowling boots since 1989, it remains a fitting sobriquet. As a commentator and administrator, Holding has delivered his views on cricket in the same manner...

From the early days of Test cricket to the immortalized handshake offered by Andrew Flintoff to Brett Lee in the Ashes series 2005, cricket has a history of extraordinary moments that embody everything that sets the game apart from any other. The Spirit of Cricket remembers some of the outstanding performances, captivating matches, and remarkable incidents that represent the glory of the sport. Each entry gives the background to the match or moment, profiles of the key players in...