Whether you’re a weekend cricketer or aspiring armchair expert, Cricket For Dummies helps you make sense of this fascinating sport. Not just a jargon busting guide to cricket’s laws, techniques and tactics, it also contains advice on kitting yourself out and provides lessons on playing the game and improving your batting, bowling and fielding skills. For the budding fan, there’s a guide to the greatest players, the memorable matches, and a tour through the cricketing scene – both domestic and international – giving you the knowledge you need to fully appreciate this special game. This book has been updated for the Ashes 2009, featuring revised information on new players, the Indian premier league, Stanford 20:20 and the latest coverage of past and future competitions. Julian Knight is a BBC journalist, writer, and cricket enthusiast. He is a former youth coach and captain, and has been a club cricketer for over 20 years. Consultant Editor Gary Palmer played first class cricket for ten years with Somerset before becoming a professional coach.

“I’m in the team – can you come and watch me play?” If you will be sitting by a cricket pitch this summer, mystified by the antics on the field in front of you, this is the book for you. Not only will it help to explain what is going on from the spectator’s viewpoint – it will also raise you several notches in your loved one’s esteem. After reading this book you will be able to talk knowledgeably about spin and swing bowling, off drives, knocking in, and know the difference between a googly and an off-break. You might even enjoy the matches much more as a result. Just as well because they can take up a whole day at junior level, or up to five days for a Test match. The author, a mother who has spent many seasons at her sons’ playing fields, provides a complete guide to the intricacies of cricket for all those supporters to whom predominantly male sports are a complete mystery. She also includes valuable advice on supporter etiquette and preparing cricket teas as well as dealing with the inevitable washing mountain. This book is for all bemused supporters, male and female, who loyally turn out to cheer in all weathers.

A complete guide to cricket for players and fans alike Whether you're a budding player or aspiring armchair expert, Cricket For Dummies helps you get to grips with this fascinating sport. Completely revised and updated for the first back-to-back Ashes series in 38 years, this hands-on guide gives you clear explanations of the cricket's laws, step-by-step explanations of techniques and tactics, and exciting coverage of the tournaments, global rivalries, and great players. Fully revised and updated to chronicle the rise of twenty20 cricket and the IPL, the implementation of DRS, and the changing face of the game Covers cricket basics—the pitch, the laws, the equipment and more Provides an in-depth look at cricket formats Offers a guide to building cricket skills—bowling, batting, and fielding Includes coverage of the best players and the biggest tournaments throughout the world Complete with Top Ten Lists of the greatest cricketers, the most memorable cricket matches, and the biggest controversies, Cricket For Dummies is your one-stop resource on this popular sport.

“I’m in the team – can you come and watch me play?” If you have a footballer in your life, but don’t understand the game at all, then this is the book for you. This is the first in our series of guides for bemused supporters. It’s aimed at people who go along to watch friends and family or to accompany their partners, but who have no real idea what is going on because they’ve never played the game themselves. After reading this book, you will know all about free kicks (direct and indirect), the difference between a goal kick and a corner kick and of course you will stun everyone with your knowledge of the infamous offside law and the way to beat the offside trap. You may even surprise family footballers by knowing more than them about the history of the game. We’ll guide you on choosing kit, keeping it clean and ensuring your favourite player (whatever their relationship is to you) turns up to play looking well prepared and feeling part of the team. We’ve also included the latest support etiquette guidance if you’re going along to matches for the first time. This book is for all bemused supporters, male and female, who loyally turn out to cheer in all weathers.

“I’m in the team – can you come and watch me play?” If you will be cheering on a rugby touch line this winter, mystified by the antics on the pitch, this is the book for you. Not only will it help to explain what is going on from the spectator’s viewpoint – it will also raise you several notches in your loved one’s esteem. After reading this book you will be able to talk knowledgeably about tries, conversions and scrums, and know the difference between a ruck and a maul. You might even enjoy the matches much more as a result. The author, a mother who has spent many seasons at her sons’ playing fields, provides a complete guide to the intricacies of rugby for all those supporters to whom predominantly male sports are a complete mystery. She also includes valuable advice on safety issues and dealing with injuries as well as the inevitable washing mountain. This book is for all bemused supporters, male and female, who loyally turn out to cheer in all weathers.

A classic reprint which no young cricketer should be without. Also a release for those who are cricket memorabilia fanatics.Here is the art of cricket by one of the greatest in the game, the acknowledged master. In this reprint of a classic, all of The Don?s essential instruction is provided in clear and concise detail in his delightful writing style. It includes the original stop-motion photographs which show the strokes and positions of Bradman?s own game. With his passion for the game, Don Bradman was keen to pass on his knowledge of cricket to the younger generation. How to Play Cricket includes instruction on batting, grip and the different strokes, bowling, fielding and running between wickets. This book is a look at classic cricket technique which includes the ?newly introduced? lbw rule.