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The Picador Book of Cricket
The definitive anthology of cricket writing A tribute to the finest writers on the game of cricket and an acknowledgement that the great days of cricket literature are behind us. There was a time when major English writers - P.G. Wodehouse, Arthur Conan Doyle, Alec Waugh - took time off to write about cricket, whereas the cricket book market today is dominated by ghosted autobiographies and statistical compendiums.
The Picador Book of Cricket celebrates the best writing on the game and includes many pieces that have been out of print, or difficult to get hold of, for years. Including Neville Cardus, C.L.R. James, John Arlott, V.S. Naipaul, C.B. Fry this anthology is a must for any cricket follower or anyone interested in sports writing elevated to high art.
The Picador Book of Cricket celebrates the best writing on the game and includes many pieces that have been out of print, or difficult to get hold of, for years. Including Neville Cardus, C.L.R. James, John Arlott, V.S. Naipaul, C.B. Fry this anthology is a must for any cricket follower or anyone interested in sports writing elevated to high art.
476 pages, Paperback
First published May 25, 2001
31 people are currently reading
481 people want to read
About the author
Ramachandra Guha
111 books1,610 followersRamachandra Guha was born in Dehradun in 1958, and educated in Delhi and Calcutta. He has taught at the University of Oslo, Stanford, and Yale, and at the Indian Institute of Science. He has been a Fellow of the Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin, and also served as the Indo-American Community Chair Visiting Professor at the University of California at Berkeley.
After a peripatetic academic career, with five jobs in ten years on three continents, Guha settled down to become a full-time writer based in Bangalore. His books cover a wide range of themes, including a global history of environmentalism, a biography of an anthropologist-activist, a social history of Indian cricket, and a social history of Himalayan peasants.
Guha’s books and essays have been translated into more than twenty languages. The prizes they have won include the U.K. Cricket Society’s Literary Award and the Leopold-Hidy Prize of the American Society of Environmental History.
After a peripatetic academic career, with five jobs in ten years on three continents, Guha settled down to become a full-time writer based in Bangalore. His books cover a wide range of themes, including a global history of environmentalism, a biography of an anthropologist-activist, a social history of Indian cricket, and a social history of Himalayan peasants.
Guha’s books and essays have been translated into more than twenty languages. The prizes they have won include the U.K. Cricket Society’s Literary Award and the Leopold-Hidy Prize of the American Society of Environmental History.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
March 14, 2025
This is an interesting collection of cricket stories compiled by an enthusiastic expert.
I first encountered Ramachandra Guha when I read his A Corner of a Foreign Field: The Indian History of a British Sport, a book which has influenced my life profoundly: leading me to R.K. Narayan, Indian history and India itself. A Corner of a Foreign Field, reviewed here, is an excellent chronicle demonstrating Guha’s command of the sport, English colonial administration and the implications of racial and ethnic diversity in his country - and how these elements interplay.
On this occasion Guha is the editor and as such acts as selector: he has looked over the rich treasury of cricket writing (as opposed to reporting) spanning the history of the game and made his choices, following several themes; early days, expansion of the game, different cultures and specific exciting matches. While he gives prominence to outstanding cricketers of the day, he does not neglect lesser known characters who adorned the game, like some New Zealand left–handers from earlier days: Ray Robinson’s Southern Southpaws (1956).
This essay is introduced with a short paragraph that makes the point that the limited occasions Australian and New Zealand have competed against each other, a state of affairs which largely continues to this day, ‘is a product exclusively of Australian arrogance’ (p169). In this ways Guha contextualises each selection and adds his opinion when he wishes. Apart from these interstices he includes none of his own writings, but does provide an illuminating Epilogue: An Addicts Guide, expanding upon the reasons for his selections.
It is a remarkably balanced selection of high quality, mainly from English and Australian writers, with fewer Indian pieces than I expected but containing contributions from West Indians CLR James, VS Naipaul and BC Pires. The best accounts come from stylists like Neville Cardus and John Arlott and in their different ways former cricketers who were actually journalists or columnists or who became same, like Jack Fingleton, unexpectedly generous to Don Bradman, Bill O’Reilly similarly and Richie Benaud.
Gideon Haigh delivers his usual hard–nosed views, while Ray Robinson remains the most charitable of scribes, with pieces on Keith Miller, Don Tallon and Hanif Mohammad.
***
Disclosure: since my growing disgust with the boorishness of the Australian men cricketers reached tipping point, during the Ponting and Clarke years, I have supported the Indian cricket team.
I first encountered Ramachandra Guha when I read his A Corner of a Foreign Field: The Indian History of a British Sport, a book which has influenced my life profoundly: leading me to R.K. Narayan, Indian history and India itself. A Corner of a Foreign Field, reviewed here, is an excellent chronicle demonstrating Guha’s command of the sport, English colonial administration and the implications of racial and ethnic diversity in his country - and how these elements interplay.
On this occasion Guha is the editor and as such acts as selector: he has looked over the rich treasury of cricket writing (as opposed to reporting) spanning the history of the game and made his choices, following several themes; early days, expansion of the game, different cultures and specific exciting matches. While he gives prominence to outstanding cricketers of the day, he does not neglect lesser known characters who adorned the game, like some New Zealand left–handers from earlier days: Ray Robinson’s Southern Southpaws (1956).
This essay is introduced with a short paragraph that makes the point that the limited occasions Australian and New Zealand have competed against each other, a state of affairs which largely continues to this day, ‘is a product exclusively of Australian arrogance’ (p169). In this ways Guha contextualises each selection and adds his opinion when he wishes. Apart from these interstices he includes none of his own writings, but does provide an illuminating Epilogue: An Addicts Guide, expanding upon the reasons for his selections.
It is a remarkably balanced selection of high quality, mainly from English and Australian writers, with fewer Indian pieces than I expected but containing contributions from West Indians CLR James, VS Naipaul and BC Pires. The best accounts come from stylists like Neville Cardus and John Arlott and in their different ways former cricketers who were actually journalists or columnists or who became same, like Jack Fingleton, unexpectedly generous to Don Bradman, Bill O’Reilly similarly and Richie Benaud.
Gideon Haigh delivers his usual hard–nosed views, while Ray Robinson remains the most charitable of scribes, with pieces on Keith Miller, Don Tallon and Hanif Mohammad.
***
Disclosure: since my growing disgust with the boorishness of the Australian men cricketers reached tipping point, during the Ponting and Clarke years, I have supported the Indian cricket team.
December 28, 2016
I did not want it to end. I had delayed it as much as possible, reading only article per day. But like all good things, it has to end. (Shit! One becomes too obsessed with cliches when you listen to Ravi Shastri from past three months.) The collection of the articles by great cricket writers like C.L.R. James, Neville Cardus, Jack Fingleton, John Arlott, V.S. Naipaul, Alan Ross, Ian Peebles and many more is absolutely a treat for me. I really wish writers nowadays should write like them rather than writing boring match reports (AB, do you hear me?) and getting back at someone (KP, Gibbs, Shoaib, duh!) The anthology is about the stories and interesting anecdotes revolving around cricket. Probably, this is the best cricket book I have ever read.
P.S. I haven't read Beyond the Boundary by C.L.R. James yet.
P.S. I haven't read Beyond the Boundary by C.L.R. James yet.
December 6, 2017
More than enjoying, had to snail through it for four months. Bad timing. This shouldn't have been picked among the first books to read on cricket. Many articles are scholarly.
The best thing about the entire collection was the author's note towards the end describing how he picked these articles, and more interestingly how he acquired (and later re-acquired!) these cricket books. Any book collector will enjoy this part.
10% of articles were highly interesting!
The best thing about the entire collection was the author's note towards the end describing how he picked these articles, and more interestingly how he acquired (and later re-acquired!) these cricket books. Any book collector will enjoy this part.
10% of articles were highly interesting!
August 17, 2025
Interesting and varied selection. But dated but many good reads
December 30, 2019
He who has the curiosity of knowing where the cricket started from and how the legends became legends and the stories of the nail biting finishes and the scintillating knocks played by some brilliant hands, this book is a gem of all books.
A must read book indeed, especially articles by Neville Cardus, Fingleton, Ralph Barker & C.L R James.
This book has made me believe that the undisputed best all rounder of world cricket is indeed "Sir Garfield Sobers". The more i read about him more i fell for his cricketing skills.
No one in this world can ignore the name of "Sir Donald Bradman"
A must read book indeed, especially articles by Neville Cardus, Fingleton, Ralph Barker & C.L R James.
This book has made me believe that the undisputed best all rounder of world cricket is indeed "Sir Garfield Sobers". The more i read about him more i fell for his cricketing skills.
No one in this world can ignore the name of "Sir Donald Bradman"
September 28, 2016
Simply the best Cricket anthology and possibly the best sports book that I have ever read. The Picador book of Cricket brings to life great cricketers, unknown but memorable characters, great matches and traces the evolution of the game through a great selection of writing. A must read for every die-hard Cricket fan
February 4, 2019
There were parts of the books that I enjoyed but overall it felt repetitive as the book progresses and it seemed like a drag towards the end. Maybe I was not in the right mood to enjoy this book.
July 26, 2017
The Picador Book of Cricket - this is Ramchandra Guha's utterly successful ploy of advertising text highlighters. It is so beautifully informative that you would feel like adorning the complete book in fluorescent shades.
Basically, the book is divided into parts. The first part describes Greatest Cricketers to have been on the ground of cricket trying to make full use of the most important 22 yards of their lives. The author has very neutrally provided a selection of fabulous, scintillating accounts of biggest cricketers given by biggest writers of the time. Some of the writers featured in the book include Neville Cardus, known as Don Bradman of Cricket writing, C.L.R. James, the West Indian Anglicised man who I would call Garry Sobers of cricket writing for his all-round knowledge and ability in cricket, politics, education, and various unrelated fields, A.A. Thomson, John Arlott, Ray Robinson, Jack Fingleton to name a few. I do believe that the author's compilation was nearly perfect, however, exclusion of a few cricketers such as Wasim Akram, Muralidharan, Zaheer Abbas, even Ranjitsinhji of Nawanagar was difficult to swallow, especially in face of seeing Waqar Younis being included in the list of Greatest Cricketers. But I presume the author also concentrated on diction, style and grandiosity of writing of different authors and not just on the character sketches of cricketers.
The second part is concerned with the heroes who didn't make it as big as did the likes of Jack Hobbs or Sir Donald Bradman or Victor Trumper. However, their contribution to the growth and development of cricket as a game could never be discounted. People such as Emmott Robinson, Mulagh of the Aboriginal Australians provide two such examples.
The third part is a more generalised opinion of various authors regarding different aspects of cricket such as the opening batsmen, the fastest bowlers, the cover point fielding position and umpires to name a few. The quality of description and dry wit used in the articles is something to marvel at. This part also focuses on juxtapositions - especially the article titled, "The Lessons of Garfield Sobers" by J.B. Priestley. It is a very important and relatable article wherein the author proves how the Britain could learn so much about graver topics than cricket by just reading the demeanour and attitude of Sir Garfield Sobers. There are many such chapters, such as Neville Cardus' beautiful tribute to the perils of being an umpire makes you think how demanding and unrewarding a job umpiring is. He quite rightly states thus about umpires:
"The umpire at cricket is like the geyser in the bathroom: we cannot do without it, yet we notice it only when it is out of order."
Such uses of similes are a norm in this amazing compilation of masterful articles.
Last but not the least, I'd love to appreciate the author's epilogue, which is generally skipped by people and then regretted about just as the after-credit scene in Avengers movie is. The author lists his 50 favourite cricket books, which he thinks every cricket fan must read.
This book also has an added advantage of being a perfect guide of an aspiring cricket writer - it teaches him how and where to use witty remarks, where to showcase the technical details, how to furnish them so that a layman could grasp it. The first part coaches a person to learn about character sketches and their contents, the second part speaks the same of using a character to give a few anecdotal instances which keep the reader's interest intact, the third part teaches the reader (aspiring writer) to learn how to generalise and pick a relatively innocuous and disregarded cricket topic such as high-altitude catches, colloquially called Ballooners, and write something of value from it.
All in all, it is a complete book about cricket and is a must-read for any cricket connoissuer.
Basically, the book is divided into parts. The first part describes Greatest Cricketers to have been on the ground of cricket trying to make full use of the most important 22 yards of their lives. The author has very neutrally provided a selection of fabulous, scintillating accounts of biggest cricketers given by biggest writers of the time. Some of the writers featured in the book include Neville Cardus, known as Don Bradman of Cricket writing, C.L.R. James, the West Indian Anglicised man who I would call Garry Sobers of cricket writing for his all-round knowledge and ability in cricket, politics, education, and various unrelated fields, A.A. Thomson, John Arlott, Ray Robinson, Jack Fingleton to name a few. I do believe that the author's compilation was nearly perfect, however, exclusion of a few cricketers such as Wasim Akram, Muralidharan, Zaheer Abbas, even Ranjitsinhji of Nawanagar was difficult to swallow, especially in face of seeing Waqar Younis being included in the list of Greatest Cricketers. But I presume the author also concentrated on diction, style and grandiosity of writing of different authors and not just on the character sketches of cricketers.
The second part is concerned with the heroes who didn't make it as big as did the likes of Jack Hobbs or Sir Donald Bradman or Victor Trumper. However, their contribution to the growth and development of cricket as a game could never be discounted. People such as Emmott Robinson, Mulagh of the Aboriginal Australians provide two such examples.
The third part is a more generalised opinion of various authors regarding different aspects of cricket such as the opening batsmen, the fastest bowlers, the cover point fielding position and umpires to name a few. The quality of description and dry wit used in the articles is something to marvel at. This part also focuses on juxtapositions - especially the article titled, "The Lessons of Garfield Sobers" by J.B. Priestley. It is a very important and relatable article wherein the author proves how the Britain could learn so much about graver topics than cricket by just reading the demeanour and attitude of Sir Garfield Sobers. There are many such chapters, such as Neville Cardus' beautiful tribute to the perils of being an umpire makes you think how demanding and unrewarding a job umpiring is. He quite rightly states thus about umpires:
"The umpire at cricket is like the geyser in the bathroom: we cannot do without it, yet we notice it only when it is out of order."
Such uses of similes are a norm in this amazing compilation of masterful articles.
Last but not the least, I'd love to appreciate the author's epilogue, which is generally skipped by people and then regretted about just as the after-credit scene in Avengers movie is. The author lists his 50 favourite cricket books, which he thinks every cricket fan must read.
This book also has an added advantage of being a perfect guide of an aspiring cricket writer - it teaches him how and where to use witty remarks, where to showcase the technical details, how to furnish them so that a layman could grasp it. The first part coaches a person to learn about character sketches and their contents, the second part speaks the same of using a character to give a few anecdotal instances which keep the reader's interest intact, the third part teaches the reader (aspiring writer) to learn how to generalise and pick a relatively innocuous and disregarded cricket topic such as high-altitude catches, colloquially called Ballooners, and write something of value from it.
All in all, it is a complete book about cricket and is a must-read for any cricket connoissuer.
March 15, 2025
This morning I finished the last essay sitting next to quay and have been left in a slightly melancholy mood now it's done.
Cricket is the only sport that reading about moves me emotionally. Like baseball it is a team sport in which players are evaluated, and can decide a game, entirely on their own. I think though the fact that cricket player performs their acts over such a long period of time makes it to me such a declaration of character when they succeed. A batsmen or bowler is so exposed and their failures and success so public that I find it psychologically really compelling. I love how in an unlikely run chase your excitement can build over the course of a day as you start to believe that victory might actually happen, dropping into to Test Match special for updates, knowing that the whole thing could come crashing down in the space of a couple of minutes. I love the rhythm of the game, roughly a ball every 20 seconds and the aesthetics of beautifully played shot.
Many of the essays in this book capture my feelings expressed above much more poetically and powerfully than I ever could. Some of the match descriptions are so vivid that I could almost watch them in my minds eye. Many of the great names from cricketing history recur again and again throughout the book that it felt that the went from strangers to old friends. I definitely will be dipping into this book again and again in the years to come.
Cricket is the only sport that reading about moves me emotionally. Like baseball it is a team sport in which players are evaluated, and can decide a game, entirely on their own. I think though the fact that cricket player performs their acts over such a long period of time makes it to me such a declaration of character when they succeed. A batsmen or bowler is so exposed and their failures and success so public that I find it psychologically really compelling. I love how in an unlikely run chase your excitement can build over the course of a day as you start to believe that victory might actually happen, dropping into to Test Match special for updates, knowing that the whole thing could come crashing down in the space of a couple of minutes. I love the rhythm of the game, roughly a ball every 20 seconds and the aesthetics of beautifully played shot.
Many of the essays in this book capture my feelings expressed above much more poetically and powerfully than I ever could. Some of the match descriptions are so vivid that I could almost watch them in my minds eye. Many of the great names from cricketing history recur again and again throughout the book that it felt that the went from strangers to old friends. I definitely will be dipping into this book again and again in the years to come.
February 27, 2022
Perfect companion for many a Sunday afternoons.
This book lets you experience what cricket writing and journalism used to be before the Internet era. Journalists were more concerned about the prose, than about bringing you the next "sensational scoop". Writing had a quality in it that could bring joy, passion, relaxation or even healing, depending on what one was looking for. Rich in cricket history, the writers leave us with vivid retelling of great characters, great victories and glorious defeats the game has seen, that any cricket lover would enjoy. Ramachandra Guha has curated this collection from a lifetime of reading and writing cricket that we need to be thankful for.
Although first published in 2001, and I read it about 21 years later, I am glad to call this timeless classic collection one of my favourites.
This book lets you experience what cricket writing and journalism used to be before the Internet era. Journalists were more concerned about the prose, than about bringing you the next "sensational scoop". Writing had a quality in it that could bring joy, passion, relaxation or even healing, depending on what one was looking for. Rich in cricket history, the writers leave us with vivid retelling of great characters, great victories and glorious defeats the game has seen, that any cricket lover would enjoy. Ramachandra Guha has curated this collection from a lifetime of reading and writing cricket that we need to be thankful for.
Although first published in 2001, and I read it about 21 years later, I am glad to call this timeless classic collection one of my favourites.
October 22, 2018
This epic will take you back to those golden days of cricket when it's popularity had just kicked off. You will hear lot of unfamiliar names which were at the pinnacle of the sport in their era. A must read if you are more interested in the history of cricket, it's origin, it's spearheads. A must read by the historian Ramachandra Guha.
June 25, 2018
Perhaps my most prized collection that contains some rare essays that one won't easily find in the public domain. The essay on Ian Botham's whirlwind first-class hundred at Indore by Scyld Berry is the best of the lot.
January 6, 2022
Did not complete it. It was too "scholarly" for me. I haven't read any cricket book as boring as this one. Any edition of a good contemporary cricket magazine such as the cricket monthly or the night watchman will have a richer collection.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 4, 2022
As a cricket enthusiast, I enjoyed reading this book very much. It is so calming to read such powerful prose. Mr. Guha has compiled the writings of the finest of cricket authors into one big book. Current sports related biographies and autobiographies come no where near this collection.
January 17, 2019
A fantastic anthology that covers not only the greatest of the cricketers but the best of cricket writers as well. It is a treasure trove of cricket history.
October 25, 2020
Quirky, interesting read
An interesting read of different writers through the history of cricket. Some of the writing was poetry other mere prose.
An interesting read of different writers through the history of cricket. Some of the writing was poetry other mere prose.
September 14, 2025
Good. A nice collection of stories on the game, but nothing particularly jumped out
April 15, 2020
This book has resurrected the great tradition of cricket history – a tradition dying among the young addicted to 20-20 (baseball with a cricket bat).
There are so many stories here that recall forgotten heroes. As an Australian I was bought up on the legend of Bradman, and yet with ferocious prowess Walter Hammond scored 905 in the British tour of Australia in 1928-9, yet this hardly counts as Bradman would soon eclipse him.
Or the Black Bradman?
Sadly, that is often the lot of our sporting greats, eclipsed by new record breakers. I too was excited by Hayden’s 380, and felt shattered as Lara broke it a few weeks later. We are all guilty of parochialism ( I probably because I knew Matthews mother).
This is why this book will sit on the shelf of a cricket lover. Tendulkar and Dhoni are great because they have stood on the shoulders of giants.
We need to remember the past heroes who have informed our present gods of the turf.
There are so many stories here that recall forgotten heroes. As an Australian I was bought up on the legend of Bradman, and yet with ferocious prowess Walter Hammond scored 905 in the British tour of Australia in 1928-9, yet this hardly counts as Bradman would soon eclipse him.
Or the Black Bradman?
Sadly, that is often the lot of our sporting greats, eclipsed by new record breakers. I too was excited by Hayden’s 380, and felt shattered as Lara broke it a few weeks later. We are all guilty of parochialism ( I probably because I knew Matthews mother).
This is why this book will sit on the shelf of a cricket lover. Tendulkar and Dhoni are great because they have stood on the shoulders of giants.
We need to remember the past heroes who have informed our present gods of the turf.
May 13, 2012
Ramachandra Guha has bought together the best some of the best writings of cricket authors, who introduce us to legends forgotten becuase of the curtain of time between them and us.
A must read for anybody interested in knowing these past masters and their glories.....plus the writing itself is fantastic.
A must read for anybody interested in knowing these past masters and their glories.....plus the writing itself is fantastic.
March 16, 2015
Good book. Felt some of the essays weren't all that great, but a good book featuring essays by some of the greats like CLR James, Neville Cardus, Arlott. Deals with a range of issues. Cricket fans will enjoy it
July 16, 2009
Good fun for any fan of the game, especially those who take an interest in the history of it. Makes you wish the daily articles in the sports section were as life-like today as they were back then.
November 4, 2019
Ramachandra Guha does a mesmerizing work with this compelling edition of cricketing chronicles. An indispensible read for any cricket afficionado
September 19, 2015
A very good collection of essays and writings on Cricket. Only thing is it is more than obsessed with pre 1950s excepting Gary Sobers....
September 27, 2015
A collection of the best essays on cricket. I wish there were more essays included on modern cricketers so that it would be easier to relate.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews