Book Review: The Englishman by Tim Brooks

My first reaction on receiving this book was one of surprise. Pitch Publishing, long-established as publishers of excellent sports nonfiction, moving into the realms of fiction, albeit with a sporting theme? Yes and to very good effect.

Tim Brooks follows the journey of an Edwardian cricketing prodigy with the world at his feet, who leaves university to defend all he holds dear – only to find himself in the ranks of the lost generation in the war to end all wars.

The author has written three previous books, all of them well received , including the excellent Bat Maker of Copenhagen, based on the true story of a World War Two cricketing hero.

In this one, the theme bears similarities to The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje, with the central character badly wounded and with no recollection of his life before the war or how he came to be on the island of Corfu.

Yet it is in the sketching of that previous life that the book finds its strength. Real life cricketers flit across the pages, such as Phil Mead, CB Fry and Jack Hearne, brought vividly to life by a writer who clearly knows his cricket from the passages of play described herein.

So too in the descriptions of Edwardian life, Oxford gentility and the idyllic setting of Corfu and its long history of cricket. It can and will be enjoyed by those who want a hugely entertaining story, as well as those who come across it for the cricket content.

As I reached the final pages, I was certain that this book could easily translate to a mini series, or to a film itself. To replicate the quality of the prose here would be a challenge, while the in game footage would need to be realistic enough to convince cricket fans of its authenticity. But as myriad successful books and films have shown, there is great interest in the Edwardian era and the privileged lives of society's higher echelons.

This is a hugely enjoyable read that I rattled through in just a couple of days. Then wanted to start again. When that happens, you know you have just read something special.

Well done Tim Brooks and well done Pitch Publishing. This is a beautiful story, expertly told and if there is any justice it will sell in large quantities.

The Englishman is written by Tim Brooks and published by Pitch Publishing.

Book Review: A Fine Line - How The Spireites (Almost) Reached The FA Cup Final by Matthew Rhodes

A little bit of a departure for me, with this one. I haven't reviewed a football book on the blog before, but knowing many of you, like me, follow the sport in the winter, I thought that you would be interested in this stirring local tale.

it is Matthew Rhodes' first book and if the name seems familiar, he is the former Senior Sports Editor for North Derbyshire Radio, who interviewed me regularly over the last couple of seasons about Derbyshires fortunes.

Now a freelance sports journalist, he provides live audio commentaries and written match reports for Flash Score, but has returned to his first love, Chesterfield FC, for his first book.

I hope there are many more, because he tells this tale in engaging fashion, helped by eye witness reports and comments from fans, writers, players and administrators alike.

And what a tale it is. Although not a Chesterfield fan as such, I follow their results and those of Burton Albion because of the local connection and clearly recall the astonished reaction, as the 'Derbyshire minnows' made the semi-final of the FA Cup. And oh so nearly got to Wembley.

It is hard to believe that this is now thirty years ago, but Matt's account makes it as fresh as if it happened last season. Managed by former Tottenham and Derby star John Duncan and with a young, soon to be star in Kevin Davies, who later played once for England, the side also featured Sean Dyche, who has since become a highly-respected manager, heavily influenced, as he says, by Duncan.

A lot of the book brought back memories for me as a child and a young man, queuing for cup tickets in the old-fashioned way and hoping they wouldn't run out before you reached the front of the line. Going to matches in conditions that were far from the sanitised stadia of today and in some ways all the better for it. 

It makes for an exciting read. History records what happened, of course, but Matt Rhodes has done a really fine job in bringing together many disparate strands and making this the definitive account of how a little local club came within a disallowed goal of Wembley. He has even included an interview with referee David Elleray, which gives a unique perspective on the thought process behind the goal that never was.

Chesterfield drew that first, enthralling game 3-3, against an opposition side that included such players as Ravanelli, Festa and Juninho. They couldn't raise themselves to such heights in the replay, but what a cup run, what a season and what memories they made. It put Chesterfield on the map and made local legends of all of those involved.

I would heartily recommend this book to all Chesterfield fans, as well as those who enjoy a good tale of underdogs mixing it with the big boys. 

Nice work, Matt. In football parlance, the boy done well! 

Book Review: Writers in Whites: how a group of literary cricketers changed English culture by Ollie Randall

This is far from being a conventional cricket read. A sentence I write as a compliment, because as a book it is thoroughly enjoyable. 

It is the untold story of cricket’s role in a slice of London’s literary world, from the 1880s to the 1960s. PG Wodehouse used his cricket-playing to launch his writing career, while JM Barrie modelled the pirates in Peter Pan after his cricket teammates. Indeed, Arthur Conan Doyle named Sherlock Holmes after a cricketer he’d played against and by one count 240 of 300 characters in his Sherlock Holmes stories are named after cricketers. This is echoed in modern writing, where Martin Edwards, one of the finest of modern crime writers and regular contributor to this blog, has frequently used the names of Derbyshire players in his own books.

The literary cricketers weathered scandals and ferocious culture wars, but they also wrote numerous memoirs describing their antics on and around the cricket field, even if their talents in whites varied from 'keen but distinctly average' (JM Barrie) to 'very good' (Doyle).

Along the way, various writers of renown formed and joined teams, including Edmund Blunden, EW Swanton, Neville Cardus and Michael Morpurgo. The book also covers the rise of the cricketer-turned writer, with the likes of Learie Constantine, Douglas Jardine and Richie Benaud.

It is thoroughly engaging from cover to cover and one can only marvel at the depth of research from Ollie Randall, gathering together so many disparate strands for the first time.

One of the joys of my own life in cricket has been the friends I have made along the way. In the case of these writers, the friendships influenced their writings and helped to shape the country's culture.

This is likely to be one of the books of the year, by the time 2026 comes to an end.

Writers in Whites: How a group of literary cricketers changed English culture is written by Ollie Randall and published by Fairfield Books

Book Review - Catching The Light: A New Anthology of Cricket Poetry

I have always enjoyed poetry - GOOD poetry - since my high school days. Studying the poets of The Great War, the Romantic poets and the Metaphysical has stuck with me to this day. Moving forward, I have appreciated the works of such diverse writers as Matt Mcginn, Pam Ayres  and Brian Bilston.

So to a great extent, receiving this book in the post was very much a case of preaching to the converted. Throw in the greatest of my sporting loves, cricket and it was sure to have something to appeal. 

There are some very good poems in this volume, which admirably collects together some of the finest of recent years. I have to admit to most enjoying a poem with an obvious rhythm and ideally rhyme, which some may consider the words of a philistine, but I am old enough now to know what I like and, indeed, like what I know. 

I especially liked The Game That's Never Done by Eleanor and Herbert Farjeon, while Luck Of The Toss - Rustic Cricket in Derbyshire by Alfred Cochrane was always going to appeal - and did.

But there is plenty here to capture the imagination, make you think and make you smile. 

I have to applaud the publishers of this volume, Fairfield Books. This may or may not be a big seller, but it is important that these poems are out there and gathered into one place. 

The format is excellent, the book compact and it is a very enjoyable read

Catching the Light: A New Anthology of Cricket Poetry is edited by Nicholas Hogg and Tim Beard and published by Fairfield Books 

Book Review: The Cricketers' Who's Who 2026

I have been a big fan of The Cricketers Who's Who since it was produced by Iain Sproat in 1980. 

Since then it has become as much a part of the start of summer as the smell of cut grass and linseed oil (as it used to be, back in the day!)

It is THE book to pack in your bag for a day at the cricket. The Playfair Cricket Annual will have its fans, of course, especially if space is at a premium around your sandwiches and sun cream. Yet the newer, expanded version of this annual is simply wonderful.

You get a nice foreword (this time written by writer and broadcaster Annie Chave), a look at each club, their winter signings, prospects and averages from all competitions the previous year. Then there are biographies and career statistics for all of the male players and the top tier women equivalents. 

It packs so much into the 672 pages, yet still manages to be very readable for those of us whose eyesight isn't as it once was. For this reader, that's the issue with the modern Wisdens, that there is simply so much cricket played these days that the font size has come down to something below my comfort level. I'm not yet at the magnifying sheet stage, but I am sure you take my point. 

Where else could you find out that Amrit Basra is fiercely competitive about Articulate, the board game (me too..!)? Or that Ben Aitchison's nickname is 'Biggen'? Or that Caleb Jewell has two 'sausage dogs', while Luis Reece loves a game of Mario Kart? 

You could talk to them, of course, but this is a book that shows the 'human' side of those who play the game at elite level. 

Which they all are, like you and me. Just ordinary people whose work we envy, admire and follow avidly. Some are more forthcoming with their likes, dislikes, interests and ambitions, but this is a book into which you can dip and find something every time.

I just wonder if Harry Came and Ben Aitchison know that they are part of a fantasy slip cordon of Sam Conners, alongside himself and...Tiger Woods!

Highly recommended

The Cricketers' Who's Who 2026 is published by Fairfield Books and is available from all good book shops

Book Review: Bedtime Tales For Cricket Tragics by Geoff Lemon and Adam Collins

This is an interesting little book, based on the popular The Final Word podcast.

It has a strong Australian bias, given both the authors are from that country, but there are some interesting tales within its 191 pages.

Some of them will be known to you, others less so. Bobby Peel allegedly urinating on the pitch is in here, so too the unrelated Charles Palmer taking advantage of a wet patch. The chapters are short and so it is a good book in which to dip when a few spare minutes become available. I enjoyed reading about the man who *could* have challenged Larwood, Laurie Nash, who sounds a character par excellence, as well as Jack Marsh, an indigenous player from the previous century.

There are tales from the UK, including Harold Heygate's one appearance for Sussex and Glamorgan's Frank Ryan, whose excesses with beer and women made Derbyshire's Bill Bestwick seem a paragon of virtue. He still managed over a thousand career wickets at 21. 

I especially enjoyed the chapter on 'Father' Marriott, whose eleven Test wickets cost only eight runs each and whose 711 first-class wickets exceeded his career runs by well over a hundred. A school teacher, he only played in the holidays, but after surviving both Ypres and the Somme, probably counted himself fortunate to play cricket at all. 

Stylistically, it is written as if listening to a podcast, but in this instance it perhaps adds to the charm. 

It is an entertaining and fairly inexpensive read. 

Bedtime Tales For Cricket Tragics is written by Geoff Lemon and Adam Collins and is published by Fairfield Books

Book Review: Something Changed by Ben Dobson

This is an interesting book, with it's central theme the rise of Ian Botham and Margaret Thatcher in 1981.

Politics aside - and as a child of mining communities, it is fair to assume that I have never been confused with a Thatcherite - the main issue with the book is that there are sizeable sections that have no real relevance to cricket. 

As a social history it is a decent read and took me back to the year which was my first summer north of the border, also a momentous one for Derbyshire, of course.

I think it could have done with a little more primary research, as the book deals with how other writers perceived the two very different  'giants' of the time. There was the opportunity, given the recency of events, to get the thoughts of contemporaries of both, which wasn't taken.

There were parallels, as the author points out, in the careers and fortunes of the two main protagonists, but I wouldn't recommend this one as a cricket book alone. The Ashes series has been covered by others many times and cricket fans would be better off with one of the many other volumes.

Yet as a social history of more recent times, it is a worthwhile read.

Something Changed: Beefy, Boadicea, Brixton, Bunting and How Cricket Helped Change The Nation is written by Ben Dobson and published by Pitch Publishing 

Book Review: Around the World in 40 Years by Andy Moles with Geoffrey Dean

I am very much of an age where I remember Andy Moles, the player.

While he never looked the fittest, he was among the most consistent and for a decade was an outstanding opening bat for Warwickshire. He averaged over 40 in that time and only Peter Bowler of Derbyshire and James Hildreth of Somerset managed to do that without any international recognition. 

His autobiography is a joy to read. Co-written with Geoffrey Dean of The Times, it is chock full of stories and anecdotes, most of them new to me. His career is an object lesson in never giving up hope. He didn't get into the first class game until he was 25, yet thereafter the runs flowed from his bat, until a snapped Achilles tendon ended his career prematurely at the age of 36. 

Subsequently, he travelled the world and became a leading coach in South Africa, Kenya, Scotland, England and New Zealand. His last coaching role was as director of cricket for Afghanistan where he coached for nearly six years. Then an MRSA infection in his toe led to the amputation of his lower left leg. The section on his experiences in Afghanistan is worth the purchase price alone.

I would have loved to see him as a coach in county  cricket, where I think he would have been a great success. There was a time time when I thought he would have been a very good option for Derbyshire, but it never came about. 

His insights on playing alongside Brian Lara and Alan Donald are fascinating, but so too are his accounts of that outstanding Warwickshire side, under Dermot Reeve. His thoughts on batting and on coaching players reinforce his reputation as a thinking man, someone who would undoubtedly improve you if you listened. He played under Bob Woolmer, of course, one of the great innovators in cricket coaching.

Like a few books of late, it isn't the easiest of reads, especially when one gets to the point at which he lost a leg. But it is one that will be enjoyed by all cricket fans, especially those from the West Midlands. 

I enjoyed his honesty in this book and it is further proof that some of the best cricket books are not necessarily about the biggest names.

Highly recommended

Around The World in 40 Years is written by Andy Moles with Geoffrey Dean

Book Review: The Cricket Captains of England by Vic Marks

Writing a companion volume, or follow-up to a wordsmith so outstanding as Alan Gibson would have been a daunting prospect for any writer. 

As I wrote in the review of that book, Gibson's way with words and floral prose set him in the highest echelons of cricket writing. 

Yet if any modern writer were to take on that mantle, Vic Marks was best suited for the job. He had played under four of the captains discussed here, which gave him a stronger insight into the way that they worked than even Gibson had. He has also been in the press box for the rest and so is admirably qualified for the job. 

His own assertion that, after following Richards and Botham in the batting order at Somerset he was now doing the same for their literary equivalent is indicative to the style, wisdom and generosity that he brings to this book. 

As in the original, not all of those who reached the highest cricket playing position in the country were worthy of the role, but the likes of Mike Brearley, Andrew Strauss and Ben Stokes have been worthy successors to Jardine and Hutton of previous eras. 

This is a wonderfully engaging read, perceptive and full of stories that in many cases I hadn't heard before. That in itself is a feat, as cricket literature has a habit of regurgitating and in some cases reattributing stories across the years. 

Besides looking very good on your book shelves, with similar covers, The Cricket Captains of England will be books that you will pick up and read a section again and again, the truest indicator of a fine book.

Once again, top marks to Fairfield Books for bringing the original book up to date. Especially with an author whose talents are worthy of the job.

Sequels can often be a letdown. 

This one most certainly isn't. Top marks to all concerned.

The Cricket Captains of England 1979-2025 is written by Vic Marks and published by Fairfield Books

Book Review: Cricket's Black Dog: The Story of Depression Among Cricketers by Andrew Murtagh

I am of an age where I remember Andrew (or Andy as he was then known) Murtagh playing cricket. He wasn't a regular for Hampshire, but he was often enough in their teams for a young cricket fan like me to take note and file away the name for future reference..

Uncle of the long-serving Middlesex opening bowler, Tim, he was released by Hampshire in 1978, subsequently becoming a school teacher, then well-regarded writer and cricket historian. 

I had no idea when I watched him - why would I, any more than anyone else - that he was facing mental health challenges, that continued through his retirement. 

This book, like Luke Sutton's Back From The Edge which he often refers to, despite somewhat surprisingly admitting he had never heard of the former county stalwart, is not an easy read. How can it be, when it documents the challenges he has faced, his times in The Priory, the torment faced on at times a daily basis? 

There are studies of well-known former players who faced similar challenges throughout their careers, far too many taking their own lives when they could no longer cope with their life without the game. There is an especially good in-depth look at Wally Hammond, a troubled soul and largely unpopular man, despite being one of the greatest players to play the game. He seemed to change in personality after the tour of the Caribbean in 1925-6 and there appears little doubt that the treatment he received for syphilis at the time was a contributory factor. 

It is not new territory of course, the subject area covered admirably by David Frith in By His Own Hand, while David Foot revealed the real reason for Hammond's ill-health in his superb Wally Hammond: The Reasons Why.

The author doesn't come up with the answer to his central question - is cricket to blame, or are cricketers more susceptible to clinical depression? Perhaps input from clinical psychologists may have got him closer, or perhaps there is no one answer to the question. 

People's lives, circumstances and environments are all different and perhaps it is an unfortunate melting pot of these that causes someone, every now and again, to become the latest sad statistic.

What it should do, however, is again make supporters, especially those happy to anonymise their unpleasant output on social media, to be more aware of what they say. You never know the challenges faced by those that we watch, admire and hero worship, but a greater appreciation that they are no different to so many others would do no one any harm. 

This is certainly a book that is well worth reading.

Cricket's Black Dog: The Story of Depression Among Cricketers is written by Andrew Murtagh and published by Pitch Publishing

Book Review: Ten Drunks and a Parson: The Life and Times of Ted Peate by Ian Lockwood

I'm always a sucker for books on Golden Age and Victorian cricket and the people who played it. So when Ian Lockwood's book on Yorkshire spinner Ted Peate came in the post, it had a good chance of meeting with my approval.

It does not disappoint.

Admirably researched, it tells the tale of a man who emerged from the ninteenth century phenomenon of 'clown cricket' to become the country's pre-eminent left arm spinner - indeed, one described by WG Grace as the best in the world. He played in the first Test match, took over a thousand wickets in his ten first-class summers, yet was sacked by Yorkshire at the age of 35, dead ten years later.

Peate's problem, as the author explains in detail, was that he liked a drink. His many admirers wanted to buy him one and he found it hard to say no. Yet in that he was no different to most of his teammates. The book's title comes from how Lord Hawke was supposed to have described the under-performing Yorkshire side when he took charge in 1883. It was he who sacked Peate, yet it seems he was by no means the biggest problem in the side.

Peate's almost meteoric rise to fame and his slow fall to penury and premature death are very well captured by the author, whose research is as impressive as his writing. The book beautifully captures the age and the role of cricket, as well as painting vivid portraits of the incredible characters within it.

Peate was the first of a long line of outstanding left arm spinners in Yorkshire and can count himself unlucky that, although he lived a far from blameless life, he was the example that was made to 'encourage' the others. Bobby Peel, who replaced him in the Yorkshire side, gave far greater problems yet was tolerated for much longer by the man who released his predecessor. 

So why was he sacked, missing out on a benefit that would have made his retirement secure, even for a man not known for fiscal propriety? Perhaps Lord Hawke wanted an example made, his decision made easier by the presence of the younger Peel, a better bat and his supposed equal with the ball. That the latter was given far greater leeway adds fuel to that argument, but it did little for Peate and his wellbeing.

His remaining life was one of declining health and eyesight, still playing with success in club cricket, despite a widening girth, but aware that his plan for after the game, a sports shop in Leeds, was failing, with declining profits after his retirement. He died of pneumonia, a few days after being soaked on a trip to the theatre, in March 1900.

He lies in an unmarked grave in Yeadon cemetery, to the left of the runway at Leeds-Bradford airport. He is not alone in his last resting place being unmarked, as Derbyshire greats George Davidson and Bill Bestwick, among others, lie similarly unrecognised.

There's a worthy job to be done there, for all three. 

Speaking of worthy jobs, Ian Lockwood has done a fine one here, in a book that I heartily recommend. Likewise, Pitch Publishing have delivered another worthy title to their outstanding catalogue.

Ten Drunks and a Parson: The Life and Times of Ted Peate is written by Ian Lockwood and published by Pitch Publishing 

Book Review: Sticky Dogs and Stardust: When The Legends Played The Leagues - Second Innings by Scott Oliver

Many years ago, when I first came to Scotland, I played for a few years in the then Scottish Counties cricket competition.

I played alongside a couple of professional cricketers. One of them had been a peripheral player at county level but was an excellent coach and improved my game considerably. The other was an Australian of some reputation, a wonderful player who seemed to score heavily every week, but had no idea how to explain to others what they needed to do to improve. Both were very good professionals, but experiences of other sides were varied, with their recruits lacking in one way or another, on or off the pitch.

Scott Oliver has followed his original book of the same title with another of similar quality. It is a rollicking read, choc-full of wonderful stories, players who left a lasting impression with their feats on the pitch and their 'talents' off it. Opening with Jesse Ryder, you get a very early idea of how the book is going to go and it is  hugely entertaining from cover to cover. I especially enjoyed the recounting of the Adrian Shankar tale, a player who was signed by Worcestershire on the back of his self-penned Walter Mitty-style press pieces, suggesting a player 'in the mould of Virat Kohli'..

As was the case with the first book, I was left in awe at the depth of research undertaken by the author, the number of people he has spoken to and the tales that he has unearthed. While it cannot be denied that any volume one will always contain the best subjects, this 'second innings' loses little in comparison. How could it, with the likes of Rohan Kanhai, Steve Smith, Chris Cairns, Abdul Qadir, Dennis Lillee and Joel Garner within its pages? 

I have no idea how blokes who worked in offices and factories all week prepared to face Michael Holding and Andy Roberts, or figured out the variations of Muttiah Muralidaran (as spelled here). But the stories of how they did so make this a book that should be in the bag of everyone heading to cricket matches this summer.

There will be lunch intervals and of course periods of rain. This book and its predecessor will be your best friends at that point. 

Every cricket fan needs these on their bookshelf. It is as simple as that. 

Sticky Dogs and Stardust: When The Legends Played The Leagues - Second Innings is written by Scott Oliver  and published by Fairfield Books

Book Review: Deadly - Derek Underwood, The Life of an English International Cricketer by Mark Peel

A combination of one of the more reliable cricket writers and a cricketer who rarely let anyone down was always likely to produce a worthy tome.

So it follows that Mark Peel's biography of Derek Underwood is an outstanding read.

There was nothing flashy about the former Kent and England man. He went about his work with a familiar, trudging gait and was close to being a captain's dream. On any pitch offering help - and there were plenty in the 1960s, as tired old outgrounds were starting to slip below an acceptable standard - he was, as his nickname suggested, 'Deadly'. When conditions were less in his favour, his innate accuracy enabled him to slow down the scoring rate, giving little away to the greats of the game, many of who were playing county cricket at the time.

In that attitude he should have been a Derbyshire player and it was interesting to read that, when his involvement in World Series Cricket saw him initially sacked by Kent, he was approached by then Derbyshire captain, Eddie Barlow about a move to the County Ground.

It never happened, of course and Underwood remained a man of Kent until the end of his playing career. 

What a career it was. Almost 2,500 wickets at a shade over 20, with 297 at 25 in international cricket. The astonishing thing is that he was not always an automatic pick for his country. He wasn't strictly speaking a spin bowler and there were no real similarities between him and Norman Gifford, a fine but lesser bowler who was sometimes preferred. 

Critics said he bowled too quickly and was afraid to give the ball air, which was valid on a perfect pitch. Yet it also meant he was hard to get away and he could be relied upon to keep one end quiet, at least. 

His 7-50 against Australia on a rain-affected pitch at The Oval in 1968 earned England a draw in the series and set him off on an international career that saw him respected around the world. 

He appears to have been an admirable man too and those consulted in the excellent research for this book all bear testimony to a life well-lived. His friendly persona made him a popular host on cricket tours in later years and his passing last year was mourned throughout the game. 

This is an outstanding read, the latest in a long line from the publisher. My only grouse is that a career so spectacular was worthy of a statistical breakdown at the end. That apart, it is a book well worth the time and follows in a rich sequence of excellent volumes from the author. 

Recommended. 

Deadly: Derek Underwood, the Life of an English International Cricketer is written by Mark Peel and published by Pitch Publishing

Book Review: A Cricket Man: The Life and Loves of Steve Perryman

I have to be honest, when I first opened the package that had been delivered from Pitch Publishing, I thought I had been sent a book on football to review. 

With apologies, the first thought when I saw the name 'Steve Perryman' was of the former Tottenham midfield player, one who I enjoyed watching in my salad days.

Then I remembered the 'other' man of the same name and I started to read a book that is unusual, but all the more enjoyable because of that. 

The name may not be familiar with some people today, Perryman was a journeyman seam bowler for Warwickshire at a time when they had a good, but it is fair to say declining team. His tales of his playing days are enjoyable and they really bring home the challenges faced by professional cricketers. The end of his career, brought about by a combination of injury and poor coaching, is one that is experienced by too many and it certainly rung true to me about similar issues faced by Derbyshire players in my time as a supporter. 

Where the book really comes into its own is in his tales of the coaching techniques of the various coaches that he worked with. Bob Woolmer seemed to be a real thinker, a trend-setter, ahead of the game in discussing playing matches by the session. If you win more than you lose, you will do well. If you can't win the session, make sure you don't lose it and battle. John Inverarity is another who seems to have been a coach people wanted to work for, while others seem not to have been so advanced in their interpersonal skills. The tales are fascinating and having taken on board the best of these people, Perryman became a very well-regarded bowling coach, responsible for the development of Chris Woakes, among many others.

The other side of this book is the personal tragedy and how he came to terms with the loss of a beloved wife, then found love again in adversity. 

I really wasn't sure about the book when I started it, but it has been nicely put together, entertainingly written and Perryman comes across as a man I would really enjoy a beer with. Not least because we share very similar ideas on the way ahead for county cricket and the point at which it went wrong. He is a diehard Birmingham City supporter, but hey, we all have our crosses to bear...

It is not without error - I am not convinced Arthur Jepson  'is the only man to keep wicket for Nottinghamshire and goal for Lincoln City', because 'Jeppo' was a very good seam bowler who was also a near neighbour of ours in his later years. Yet this is a minor point and does not detract in any way from a book that should be essential for any fan of Warwickshire.

Or indeed for anyone who is keen to get their teeth into a very enjoyable book. 

Recommended.

A Cricket Man: The Life and Love of Steve Perryman'  is written by Steve Perryman, with Brian Halford.

Book Review: Faces on a Wall: An English County's Curious Collection of Captains by Andrew Radd

Over the course of my life, I must have read thousands of cricket books. I have a decent library of my own, but if I sat down and thought about it, my favourite ones cover the unsung heroes, people who in some cases have disappeared into the mists of time and are not household names. 

So it is with much of Andrew Radd's fascinating book on the many and varied characters who have captained Northamptonshire since 1878. 

I hadn't heard of many of the earlier ones, which made this book all the more enjoyable. There are a number of impressive names, including 'Tubby' Vials, Rawlins Hawtin and 'Punch' Raven. My knowledge kicked in around the time of Vallance Jupp and subsequently Freddie Brown, cricketers and characters both.

Like Derbyshire, Northamptonshire have seldom ascended the peaks of county cricket and for many years they were seen as the ultimate in perennial underdogs. Yet that changes nothing in so far as their contribution to the county game is concerned. Many outstanding players have played for them, and, as this book shows, a good few have been captain.

Dennis Brookes was an outstanding player for them either side of the Second World War and would have been an England regular had he played for a different county. Raman Subba Row became a respected administrator of the game, Keith Andrew was perhaps the best wicket keeper In the country through the 1950s and early 1960s, as well as being one of its great characters. 

Then there was Jim Watts, the very astute captain who led the county to one day silverware, Allan Lamb, Rob Bailey, Matthew Hayden.. the list goes on. 

A lot of work has gone into gathering together the information that makes this such an informative and enjoyable read. I respect that, because not all of that information would have been readily available in the public domain.

The book looks at the challenges faced by all of those captains as the game changed and it was no longer a necessity that an amateur should be in charge. 

While it is essential reading for any Northamptonshire fan, I can only say that any cricket fan will get to the end of this book and probably want to revisit it almost immediately. 

A very good read and again, massive respect to Pitch Publishing for ensuring this saw the light of day.

Faces On A Wall: an English County's Curious Collection of Captains is written by Andrew Radd

Book Review: Getting Out by Jonathan Campion

Before reading this book, I had no idea that cricket was played in Ukraine. 

Yet by 2020 there were 2,000 Ukrainians playing regular cricket, much of it down to a South African named Kobus Olivier, who had travelled the world as player and coach before settling in the Ukraine in 2018. 

An opening bat not quite good enough to do it for a living, he had fielded as 12th man for Western Province, Derbyshire and Kent in the 1980s before becoming a teacher.

Ending up in Ukraine, he encouraged private schools in Kyiv to put cricket on the curriculum and it took off, in a manner that reminded me of my introducing cricket to a state school in Scotlsnd in the 1980s - batting in the centre circle of football pitches.

This is a complete history of cricket in the country. With eyewitness accounts of the start of the war with Russia, the book manages at the same time to be heartening and sad. There are many light-hearted stories, including the team where no one in it wanted to bat or bowl, yet the final chapter, a guard of honour of sports people who have died in the ongoing conflict, shows the sad reality of life in that country.

A recognised national team from it may never take the field, but they were taken to the brink by individuals whose love of the game took it into new areas. 

You might not look at this book as your first choice of cricket reading. But you will be very pleased if you do. 

I finished it feeling inspired and motivated. That is quite an achievement, for any book and any author. 

Jonathan Campion has done a sterling job here and again Pitch Publishing are to be applauded for getting this book into print. 

Getting Out: The Ukrainian Cricket Team's Last Stand on the Front Lines of War is written by Jonathan Campion and published by Pitch Publishing

Book Review: Gilly - The Turbulent Life of Roy Gilchrist by Mark Peel

When I saw that a biography of Roy Gilchrist was among Pitch Publishing's output for this Spring, I was excited.

I had heard a lot about the West Indian fast bowler over the years. Most of it, to be fair, erred on the side of 'nasty and unpleasant', while some offered balance and said that he was 'a nice guy when you got to know him and probably when he was on your side.'

Which is pretty much what comes out of this excellent biography by Mark Peel, an established cricket writer of some reputation.

Gilchrist appears to have gone through much of his life with a chip on his shoulder and a dislike of authority. There was a short fuse, that manifested itself on many occasions, not just on the cricket field.

It is hard to feel a great deal of sympathy for a bowler whose response to a batsman hitting him for four would frequently, all too frequently, be a beamer. That he never did anyone serious damage with such a delivery, bowled  at the pace that he did for many years, was a minor miracle. That he felt the need to do it against amateur cricketers in the Northern Leagues for many years was disappointing. 

The truth of the matter is that Gilchrist, had he focused on his devastating yorker, which got him most of his wickets, perhaps interspersed with an occasional bouncer, might have been a more effective player and more likeable to boot.

His devastating fallout with the then West Indian captain, Gerry Alexander, saw a premature end to his international career, which might otherwise have seen him regarded as one of the greats. As it was, he had to resign himself to a couple of tours, one of them to England in 1957, when some very good batters found him uncomfortably fast.

That some league cricketers managed to score runs against him spoke volumes for their techniques, as well as their bravery. There are countless tales of broken bones, cracked skulls and bruised thighs, not to mention numerous clashes with opponents, captains and many in positions of authority.

It is impossible to read this book with too much sympathy for Gilchrist. His temper was too quick, his attitude too questionable and his patience too short for that. Neither then nor now can his 'branding' his then wife with an iron during a row be excused, nor is it easy to feel sympathy for someone who showed little remorse for the damage that he inflicted on the cricket field.

Bowling bouncers at teenagers in friendly matches, as well as fast yorkers in charity games was not the sign of a competitive edge. Rather that of a bully and high level of petulance.

His end came after his return to Jamaica, when cricket could no longer provide a source of regular income. He was a man who perennially struggled with money and it went through his fingers too quickly, even - perhaps especially - in his salad days.

Yet there were those who claimed he was misunderstood, a gentle soul and a good teammate. I suspect the opinion of those who played with and against him was never indifferent, Gilchrist perhaps the epitome of a 'Marmite' cricketer.

We will not see his like again and that can only be a good thing. That he filled cricket grounds on the basis of his reputation is undeniable. Yet some time before the end of the book, the numerous  transgressions had tipped the scales of this reader to have little sympathy for a man who clearly had very little to give himself, at least until his more mellow, illness- ravaged decline.

This book is another terrific read, one that I got through in just a couple of days. It deserves to be successful and I suspect that it will be.

Yet again, Pitch Publishing have done an excellent job

Gilly: The Turbulent Life of Roy Gilchrist is written by Mark Peel and published by Pitch Publishing

Book Review: How To Be A Cricket Fan: A Life in Fifty Artefacts by Matthew Appleby

The first cricket book that I have read in 2023 is by the experienced writer, Matthew Appleby. This is his seventh book and he is on sure ground with this biography, of his late father, Edgar.

In fact it is part biography, partly autobiographical and shows how the author grew up with a father who was cricket-mad, a serious collector of its memorabilia and literature, as well as a keen player, until age took its toll.

Each chapter focuses on a particular collectible and it is an engaging read. The book shows how the memorabilia and cricket collecting market has grown dramatically over his lifetime, the prices paid by his father seemingly good value in the modern era.

There are plenty of amusing anecdotes, as his father goes from cricket obsessive to being a renowned speaker and statistician of the game, getting to know many of those who played it and coming across as both a great character and a serious trencherman.

For many years he and his wife ran a bookshop in Keswick, as well as a market stall in the town. By the time I got to the end of the book, my overriding feeling was that I wished I had known this a few years ago, and I would have undoubtedly enjoyed a trip to the Lakes and some cricket purchases to complete the trip.

It is an enjoyable book and once again Pitch Publishing are to be commended for their willingness to publish a wide range of sporting books. Not necessarily those that guarantee huge sales, but ones where the tale deserves the telling. It will be of particular interest to the serious collector, although I have no means of verifying the values quoted for some of the items mentioned. 

I regard myself as a cricket fan and collector - certainly of Derbyshire-related material, but came to the conclusion that I am very much dipping a toe into the market, in comparison to Appleby senior.

I hope that the book does well. It is not without error, but I haven't read another like it and for that reason alone it made for a good read.

How To Be A Cricket Fan: a life in 50 artefacts is written by Matthew Appleby and published by Pitch Publishing, priced £18.99

Book Review: Not Out At Close Of Play - Dennis Amiss with James Graham-Brown

It took several years of hard work for Dennis Amiss to cement a place in the Warwickshire side, yet he ended his career with 102 centuries and 212 fifties.

It took him many years to be seen as an international player, yet he ended his Test career with an average of 46, having played some memorable knocks along the way. The highlight was his mammoth, unbeaten 262 against the West Indies at Kingston, yet there was another double hundred against the keenest, nastiest attack in the world game to savour too. The latter came after he had been written off as someone who 'couldn't play fast bowling', rather making a mockery of the statement.

Like any other sportsman there were periods of famine, of course, but Amiss had enough high points to be regarded as one of England's finest post-war batsmen. Certainly, to his great pride, he ended his international career with a higher average than Colin Cowdrey or Tom Graveney, something which most would savour as an accomplishment.

This book was due for publication last year but Covid-19 saw it deferred to this one. I am grateful to The History Press for sending me a copy, as I love their cricket output and the subject's story was long overdue, despite an autobiography in the 1970s.

He was a player I enjoyed watching in my youth and what shines through from this excellent book, well-written by former Kent and Derbyshire all-rounder James Graham-Brown, is his innate modesty and humility. It wasn't easy to become a county player, nor to make it in Test cricket. Although he hinted at talent in his middle order days, it was only when he moved to open the innings that his career kicked into overdrive.

Maybe the nerves kicked in as he waited his turn to bat in a strong Warwickshire side, but moving to open alongside the burly John Jameson served the player and his county well. Perhaps an understatement, when one considers a career total in excess of 43,000 runs. 

The psychological side of cricket is nicely explored in this book. The transition of levels was not easy and like many others before and since he gave his wicket away too easily in his youth. When it clicked, he became a run machine, yet constantly worked at his technique to counter fresh challenges. 

He played in the Packer World Series against the greatest and fastest in the world, becoming a pioneer in the use of helmets in the process. He also went to South Africa on a 'rebel' tour, but again the rationale for doing so is clearly explained. The money on offer was too good to turn down and anyone with a family to support would likely have done the same.

Post-career Amiss has given many years of service to his beloved Warwickshire in off-field roles, including a long spell as Chief Executive Officer. He has served them admirably and is rightly revered as a county legend. He oversaw a period of county domination under Dermot Reeve, and covers subsequent drug scandals without ducking them. His insight into the signing of Brian Lara is fascinating, the signature on paper a day before he plundered England for 375 runs in Antigua. 

Amiss comes across as thoughtful, knowledgeable and witty, with a self-deprecating and dry sense of humour which makes reading it a joy. I especially loved the story of Indian spin legends Bedi, Prasanna and Venkat bowling to him on the edge of the square on the tour of that country in 1972-73, just to give him some practice. Not something one would see today! 

I would recommend this without question. It even comes with a foreword by Sir Geoffrey Boycott, a sign of respect if there ever was one.

Not Out At Close Of Play: A Life in Cricket by Dennis Amiss with James Graham-Brown is published by The History Press and available from all good book shops. 

Book Review: The Life Of A Sports Agent - The Middleman by Luke Sutton

Agents eh? The ruination of sport and the root cause of many of its issues. They make loads of money, rip off their clients, don't really do that much and are perceived as 'sharks' by perhaps too many people for comfort.

And yet.. like any other profession there are a minority who tarnish the good name of plenty of others, working quietly and professionally under the radar. Like Luke Sutton, the former Derbyshire cricketer and captain. 

Regular readers will recall my review of his fairly harrowing first book, which dealt with his ultimately successful battles with his addictions. Many were oblivious to this in his playing days, just as there will be plenty who are unaware of the range of work involved in being a successful agent.

I am grateful to Luke for sending a copy of his excellent book to me ahead of its publication date at the end of this month. It is a really good read, full of relatable stories and names that will aid understanding of the work that agents do.

What impressed me most, as in his first book, is his honesty. He doesn't claim to have got everything right, freely admitting to mistakes along the way, but that is only natural. We are all human after all, but the detailed 'case studies' of his relationship with four very different clients are fascinating.

There are cricketers James Taylor and Jimmy Anderson, Olympic gymnast and social media star Nile Wilson and Olympic hockey gold medallist and now multi-faceted personality Samantha Quek, all profiled in detail alongside others, who flit in and out of the pages.

Each has enjoyed their time in the limelight but have faced challenges away from it. Taylor's heart condition that caused his premature retirement is well-documented, but hearing it from a man who first helped support him and then find a new career is fascinating. Equally so that of Wilson, who had it all yet could quite easily have lost it, but for support from his family and an agent who had 'been there' himself. Meanwhile Quek emerges as a shrewd and talented young woman, savvy enough to reject lucrative modelling offers so as not to distract from what she was really about, an articulate, personable and knowledgeable commentator on a range of sports, who was helped by an honest agent to escape the restrictive 'bubble' of hockey.

Luke's honesty and support will have been appreciated by all of them. It is not about signing lucrative deal after deal, it is being there for them in the bad times, advising them correctly on the many offers that come their way, being organised, understanding the media and working with them. Indeed, what impressed me was how his clients were encouraged to develop their interactions and profiles on social media and use it properly. 

'The highs are beautiful, but the lows can be very dark' he writes. By the end of the book I was left with the feeling that were I sufficiently famous I could work with someone like Luke. Friendly, accessible, supportive and seemingly calm under pressure, he has established a strong roster of clients and understandably so. 

The book is a must read for anyone thinking of such a career, but also for those who enjoy a different angle on sports, celebrity and the challenges faced by those perceived to have it all. 

Cricket fans will find much to enjoy, as the likes of Peter Moores, Haseeb Hamid, Tom Moores and plenty of others flit through the pages. Yet the real fascination for me was in seeing how Quek and Wilson, successful in niche sports, were helped to become broader and successful personalities outside of the sports that made their name. 

It deserves to do well and I would heartily recommend it to be added to your festive wish list. 

The Life Of A Sports Agent: The Middleman is written by Luke Sutton and published by White Owl, priced £12.99.

Available from all good book shops.