South Africa has produced more great cricket all-rounders than any other country. A century ago there was Jimmy Sinclair, the first man from any country to score a century and take six wickets in an innings in a Test match; and Aubrey Faulkner, still the only man with a Test batting average over 40 and a bowling average under 30. In the 1950s and 1960s, there was Trevor Goddard, opening batsman and the most economical bowler in Test history. And then came the brilliant era of Eddie Barlow, Tiger Lance, Mike Procter and Clive Rice (as well as Tony Greig and Basil D'Oliveira, South Africans who played for England). A great tradition was established for the modern era: Brian McMillan, Shaun Pollock, Lance Klusener and, perhaps the greatest of them all after Sir Garfield Sobers, Jacques Kallis. These are the 13 men who were worth two players in one, capable of winning a place as batsmen or bowlers, adored by the fans, and capable of changing a game with either skill. Now their careers and exploits are examined for the first time in one book - as are those of four players who, but for apartheid, might have been acknowledged as their equals: Taliep Salie, Gesant "Tiny" Abed, Cecil "Cec" Abrahams and Sulaiman "Dik" Abed.

Charles Burgess Fry, known as C. B. Fry was an English polymath; an outstanding sportsman, politician, diplomat, academic, teacher, writer, editor and publisher, who is best remembered for his career as a cricketer. Fry's achievements on the sporting field included representing England at both cricket and football, an F.A. Cup Final appearance for Southampton F.C. and equalling the then world record for the long jump. But he was much more than a sportsman. He won a major scholarship to Oxford, where his friends numbered Max Beerbohm, Hilaire Belloc, and F.E. Smith. He wrote several books, including an autobiography and a novel, and he was one of the most successful journalists of his day. He was a friend of many prominent Labour and Liberal politicians, but flirted with Fascism, meeting Hitler in 1934. He tried out for Hollywood, represented India at the League of Nations, and stood for Parliament three times. 'A most incredible man . . . the most variously gifted Englishman of any age . . . the pre-eminent all-rounder, not merely of his own age but, so far as is measurable, of all English history.' John Arlott; 'This is a well-researched, well-rounded picture of one of England's great sporting heroes.' - Jeremy Paxman, Mail on Sunday; 'He has written what should come to be regarded as one of the very best sporting biographies. I could not put it down.' - Michael Kennedy, Sunday Telegraph; 'This is a book that rises to its subject's level in fascination, entertainment and brilliance.' - Tim Rice, Literary Review

Kersi Meher-Homji profiles all-rounders in Tests and one-day internationals. From George Gliffen and 'Nugget' Miller to 'Freddie' Flintoff and Andrew Symonds the book is an interesting mix of characters and super performers, adept in batting, bowling, fielding and wicket keeping.

On July 3, 1958, Arthur Milton and MJK Smith opened the batting for England in the third Test against New Zealand at Headingley. Coincidentally, Milton was the last Englishman to play football and cricket for England and Smith the last Englishman to play rugby and cricket for England. However, both before and after that Test in 1958, there have been a number of sportsmen and sportswomen who have represented their country in more than one sport. In this book are listed biographical details of 172 sportsmen and sportswomen, including some of whom are disabled, who have excelled at more than one sport. Some, such as CB Fry and Denis Compton, will be well-known; others, such as Aramugam Vijiaratnam, who represented Singapore in four sports and Ken Hough, who played three different sports for three different countries may be less well-known. But everyone listed has excelled at more than one sport and this book serves to recognize their achievements.

What is it like to follow the sun as a T20 gun for hire? Dan Christian is one of the world's most sought after cricketers, not only a star for the Sydney Sixers but having been part of teams in premier leagues from India and Pakistan to South Africa and the Caribbean. In The All-Rounder, he takes us on a globe-trotting tour from Karachi to Cardiff, from the billion-dollar Indian Premier League, where he played for Virat Kohli's Royal Challengers Bangalore, to the inaugural season of England's new franchise competition The Hundred, where he led Manchester Originals. It was a never-ending summer like no other, shadowed by COVID-19, encased in bio-secure bubbles, in which Dan also reflected on his indigenous heritage and grappled with imminent fatherhood, all the while concentrating on a fast-evolving, high-stakes game in which you're a champion one day, a chump the next.