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Cricket Books

Langeveldt

Soutie
archie mac said:
Have just reviewed Out of My Comfort Zone by Steve Waugh
click here

Would be great if others could review some cricket books, new or old :)
I'm reading "Hansie - sy Lewensverhaal" which is a really good book on the most controversial figure in South African cricket.. Shame it's only available in Afrikaans though, its a great look at both sides of our public opinion on the guy..

White Lightning by Allan Donald is a good read, about the bowler, his methods, dedication, and also a good section on when he was in the SA defence force during the apartheid era "cleaning" out townships.. Not your average cricket read but a very good one..

Also enjoyed anything by Marcus Berkmann, and Phill Tuffnell's A-Z of cricket is good fun too..
 

open365

International Vice-Captain
^I read rain men by Marcus Berkmann and thought it was fantastic,i'll tyr to write a review of soem books when i;ve got the time/
 

archie mac

International Coach
open365 said:
^I read rain men by Marcus Berkmann and thought it was fantastic,i'll tyr to write a review of soem books when i;ve got the time/
I have not read that one, so would be good to read a non bias review :)
 

andyc

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
archie mac said:
Have just reviewed Out of My Comfort Zone by Steve Waugh
click here

Would be great if others could review some cricket books, new or old :)
Good review there Archie, although I think 3 stars may have been a bit low. I was really impressed by the book, definetely one of the better cricket books I've read.
 

archie mac

International Coach
andyc said:
Good review there Archie, although I think 3 stars may have been a bit low. I was really impressed by the book, definetely one of the better cricket books I've read.
Yes 3 stars was a bit tough, but only having 5 stars to play with limits one a little. How many would you have given?
 

andyc

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
archie mac said:
Yes 3 stars was a bit tough, but only having 5 stars to play with limits one a little. How many would you have given?
4, definetely.
 

SJS

Hall of Fame Member
I find ratings are tough on a numerical scale.

Maybe we should qualify them something like

5 = Excellent = Just dont miss it !
4 = Good = Highly Recommended/Thoroughly Enjoyable
3 = Above average = Read it /Enjoyable in parts/Not a waste of time
4 = Below Average = Read it if you really have nothing else to do
5 = Poor = Sheer waste of time and money ! Watch a Chris Tavare innings instead :sleep:
 

archie mac

International Coach
SJS said:
I find ratings are tough on a numerical scale.

Maybe we should qualify them something like

5 = Excellent = Just dont miss it !
4 = Good = Highly Recommended/Thoroughly Enjoyable
3 = Above average = Read it /Enjoyable in parts/Not a waste of time
4 = Below Average = Read it if you really have nothing else to do
5 = Poor = Sheer waste of time and money ! Watch a Chris Tavare innings instead :sleep:
Would be confusing having two 4s and two 5s :wacko:

What about halfs? But yes not a bad idea:)
 

foxymfc

Cricket Spectator
I am reading Many a slip by Gideon Haigh.

It is a really good account of a club cricket season. I am sure that most club cricketers could relate to most of it.
 

SJS

Hall of Fame Member
SJS said:
I find ratings are tough on a numerical scale.

Maybe we should qualify them something like

5 = Excellent = Just dont miss it !
4 = Good = Highly Recommended/Thoroughly Enjoyable
3 = Above average = Read it /Enjoyable in parts/Not a waste of time
2 = Below Average = Read it if you really have nothing else to do
1 = Poor = Sheer waste of time and money ! Watch a Chris Tavare innings instead :sleep:
Rectified on STUPID error being pointed by kindly reader :)
 

crickhowell

U19 Vice-Captain
I've read a few John Arlott and Neville Cardus books, both amazing writers with great knowledge of cricket. If You can find books by either of them they are well worth the read. They also wrote a book together that I hope to read soon.
 

archie mac

International Coach
foxymfc said:
I am reading Many a slip by Gideon Haigh.

It is a really good account of a club cricket season. I am sure that most club cricketers could relate to most of it.
Yes a funny read :laugh: May just be the best cricket writer around at the moment:)

If you like that one, you may also enjoy Any Old Eleven by Jim Young and/or Confessions of a thirteenth man by John Harms.

Both have a link with Gideon Haigh the first he writes a forward for, and the 2nd he features in, as he is a mate of Harms:)
 

Lillian Thomson

Hall of Fame Member
I would recommend Gordon Greenidge's autobiography written in 1980.

A few things he said about the Windies 1975/76 tour of Australia:
He states that there is "no such thing as a good Australian umpire."
Absolutely slates Roy Fredericks and Clive Lloyd for not helping him when he was having a torrid time in the first couple of Tests.
He admitted he deserved to be left out of the side but slams the selection committee for promoting Bernard Julien to open.
He gives a fairly fruity opinion of Ian Chappell based on his actions when he was given not out after getting a thick edge to Michael Holding..........and much much more as they say.
He is also openly critical of the selectors who picked Ron Headley ahead of him for the 1973 Tour of England.

In fact he doesn't hold back on anything, and bear in mind that this book was written when he was still a young man and that many of the people he slated were still very much involved in West Indian cricket.
 

archie mac

International Coach
Lillian Thomson said:
I would recommend Gordon Greenidge's autobiography written in 1980.

A few things he said about the Windies 1975/76 tour of Australia:
He states that there is "no such thing as a good Australian umpire."
Absolutely slates Roy Fredericks and Clive Lloyd for not helping him when he was having a torrid time in the first couple of Tests.
He admitted he deserved to be left out of the side but slams the selection committee for promoting Bernard Julien to open.
He gives a fairly fruity opinion of Ian Chappell based on his actions when he was given not out after getting a thick edge to Michael Holding..........and much much more as they say.
He is also openly critical of the selectors who picked Ron Headley ahead of him for the 1973 Tour of England.

In fact he doesn't hold back on anything, and bear in mind that this book was written when he was still a young man and that many of the people he slated were still very much involved in West Indian cricket.
I have that one, but have not read it as yet, sounds a good read, will have to put it up my list :)
 

archie mac

International Coach
BoyBrumby said:
Top stuff, Arch. I'll have to treat myself to it. I'm a big fan of Frith.
Yes one of the best writers on the game. I hope I can meet him one day, though he will have writers cramp by the time he signs all of my books for me:laugh:
 

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