As famous for its complicated rules as it is for its contentious (and lengthy) matches, cricket is the quintessentially English sport. Or is it? From cricket in literature to sticky wickets, Cricketing Lives is a paean to the quirky characters and global phenomenon that are cricket. Cricket is defined by the characters who have played it, watched it, reported it, ruled upon it, ruined it, and rejoiced in it. Humorous and deeply affectionate, Cricketing Lives tells the story of the world’s greatest and most incomprehensible game through those who have shaped it, from the rustic contests of eighteenth-century England to the spectacle of the Indian Premier League. It’s about W. G. Grace and his eye to his wallet; the invincible Viv Richards; and Sarah Taylor, “the best wicketkeeper in the world.” Richard H. Thomas steers a course through the despair of war, tactical controversies, and internecine politics, to reveal how cricket has always warmed our hearts as nothing else can.

Freddie Flintoff and W.G. Grace: Together at last! W.G. Grace Ate My Pedalo is a spoof 1896 periodical from The Wisden Cricketer archives that looks at cricketing events of 2010 through a Victorian lens. Funny, irreverent and lavishly illustrated, the book draws inspiration from the exuberant sporting papers of the Victorian era to lampoon England cricketers new and old. From Queen Victoria's views on women's cricket to Freddie Flintoff's heroic defiance of the Temperance Movement, no figure - historical or contemporary - is safe. A comedy cricket book of wit, intelligence and cheek that will appeal to cricket fans of all ages, be they members of the MCC or the Barmy Army.