The rollercoaster career of Tony Lock, extending over twenty-five years, is the saga of a resilient cricketer who triumphed over adversity. He was an inspirational figure in Surrey's seven consecutive championship wins in the 1950s when he forged a feared spin partnership with Jim Laker for both club and country. Controversy stalked Lock as a bowler during his destructive rule with Surrey and England but the return to the orthodox style of his youth brought renewed acclaim. He rejoiced in another role as captain in reviving the fortunes of Leicestershire and Western Australia, where he led the state to victory in the Sheffield Shield. Tony Lock was, for a legion of admirers, an incorrigible showman, with boundless enthusiasm for the game. It was said of him, for instance, that when he appealed at the Oval, someone else was given out at Lord's. Tony Lock: Aggressive Master of Spin is an engrossing study that reveals the paradox of a volatile and vulnerable man, but an astonishingly durable cricketer; his memory will endure.

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.

The criminal history of Australia from bushrangers who robbed, raped and murdered their way across the Outback in the late 18th and 19th centuries to today's breed of celebrity villain, from Ned Kelly and Jack the Rammer to Mark Brandon 'Chopper' Read and Alan Bond.

The Oval in Kennington, south London – with its instantly recognisable gasholders – is one of sport's most iconic and popular venues. It has played host to an array of blue-ribbon sporting events over the years, including the FA Cup final and rugby's first varsity match. But it is as an iconic cricket venue that it is so widely known and loved. Since opening in 1845, The Oval has been the home of Surrey County Cricket Club, and these days it traditionally hosts the final Test match of the English season. It was one of the first grounds to stage a Test match (second only to Melbourne's MCG), when it hosted England–Australia in 1880, and its place in sporting history continues as 2017 sees the 100th Test match at the venue. The modern-day history of cricket can be told purely by referencing events that have taken place at The Oval or players that called the ground home. Wisden at The Oval takes the reader through that rich history, delving into the Almanack's archive, and arguing that more memorable events and moments have happened at The Oval than any other ground in the world. It will showcase the remarkable matches and series: from that first Test match in England and the subsequent birth of the Ashes, to the first ever official County Championship (won by Surrey), the first ever One Day World Cup in 1975, The Oval's key role in the birth of Twenty20 in 2003, and the biggest series of modern times with the 2005 Ashes and three subsequent Ashes victories in the following decade. It will celebrate the outstanding players and performances, including: Jack Hobbs, who played home games and his final Test at The Oval; Len Hutton's astounding 364* in 1938; Don Bradman's final innings; the iconic performances of Surrey's Jim Laker; Fred Trueman becoming the first player to take 300 Test wickets; the era-defining West Indians of the 70s and 80s who called it a home from home; and all the greats of the game through to today.