An old friend, 26 May 2008
While other traditions are undermined and cheapened all around us, Wisden never lets us down. My wife thinks I'm a sad git reading a thousand pages of cricket scorecards, but I don't care. You can lose yourself in Wisden for hours on end, from excellent leading articles, through endless stats and records, through obscure cards and obituaries to quirky little reports of cricket related oddities from around the world.

Never afraid to say it as it is, Wisden's journalistic standards remain very high and it is an annual joy to see the familiar yellow jacket arrive in the spring.

Pure heaven.

Buy this!, 11 Apr 2008
Is there anything left to say about Wisden? The 2008 issue has a new editor in Scyld Berry but apart from that, it's as you would expect.
The writers aren't slow in dishing out brickbats where due - the dreadful 2007 World Cup in particular, or praising things that work - the 2007 World Twenty 20.

The only abberation I have found is the missing attendance figure for the Friends Provident Trophy Final. What I've always found strange is that whilst gate figures are given for domestic Test Matches, One Day Internationals and Twenty20 Cup games, they're missing from all other matches. Why not publish attendances for all domestic matches and those abroad, where known? Are they really that embarrassing?

The 1680 pages should keep you busy until the 2009 edition is out.



As perennial as the spring, 07 Apr 2008
The daffodils are out, the smell of freshly cut grass (well when it stops snowing) and the annual appearance of the cricketers' bible heralds brighter days ahead. Have started to buy the large edition since 2006--it adds more scholary weight to this mighty tome in my opinion--and can't wait for Amazon to deliver me this years issue. An hour with Wisden is, for me, the perfect antidote to modern life. And for £30 its an absolute bargain for all the hours of pleasure it brings.

In what is widely considered the definitive work on the subject, The Art Of Captaincy, Mike Brearley, a psychoanalyst by trade these days--but most famously the England cricket captain behind that dramatic 1981 Ashes victory--delivers his thesis on what makes a leader, on and off the pitch. In his five-year Test career Brearley, a long-standing county captain but never much better than a relatively modestly talented cricketer himself, led England 31 times--winning 18, drawing 9, losing only 4--and explores the key elements of his theories via candid reflections on those experiences.

Willis, who was to bowl the next over, was indignant with Botham. His main concern was that I shouldn't let him bowl anymore ... When I arrived at slip, Botham was fuming too. Meanwhile Lever was disgruntled at being taken off ... and the umpires were threatening to report me [for allowing bouncers to be bowled at the tail-enders]. And we were in a winning position! To restore some sanity to the proceedings, I told Hendricks to get loose to bowl the next over.

A forthright, unapologetically intelligent analyst of the players he captained, and of his own influence, or lack of it, on those team's successes and failures, Brearley brings top-flight cricket to life in a way that speaks to both the cognoscenti and the novice.

With sections on team selection, the captain's role in the dressing room and on tour, as well as detailed consideration of tactics, Brearley's scope is impressively broad, but it is his ability to dissect that great intangible of sport--the personality of the individual--that stamps his theorising with the hallmark of greatness. He is particularly fascinating on the future England captains he led in 1981--Ian Botham ("powerful, inventive, sound...he became highly sensitive to criticism"), Bob Willis ("blinkered as a captain and had an abstracted air") and David Gower ("like Willis, he appeared to be bulldozed by Botham").

Out of print for far too long, the 1985 text has been constructively updated for the 2001 Ashes Series--including new photographs and Brearley's typically adept study of current England captain Nasser Hussain. This is a classic work: engrossing, informative, and as entertaining as it is intelligent. --Alex Hankin

An old friend, 26 May 2008
While other traditions are undermined and cheapened all around us, Wisden never lets us down. My wife thinks I'm a sad git reading a thousand pages of cricket scorecards, but I don't care. You can lose yourself in Wisden for hours on end, from excellent leading articles, through endless stats and records, through obscure cards and obituaries to quirky little reports of cricket related oddities from around the world.

Never afraid to say it as it is, Wisden's journalistic standards remain very high and it is an annual joy to see the familiar yellow jacket arrive in the spring.

Pure heaven.

Buy this!, 11 Apr 2008
Is there anything left to say about Wisden? The 2008 issue has a new editor in Scyld Berry but apart from that, it's as you would expect.
The writers aren't slow in dishing out brickbats where due - the dreadful 2007 World Cup in particular, or praising things that work - the 2007 World Twenty 20.

The only abberation I have found is the missing attendance figure for the Friends Provident Trophy Final. What I've always found strange is that whilst gate figures are given for domestic Test Matches, One Day Internationals and Twenty20 Cup games, they're missing from all other matches. Why not publish attendances for all domestic matches and those abroad, where known? Are they really that embarrassing?

The 1680 pages should keep you busy until the 2009 edition is out.



As perennial as the spring, 07 Apr 2008
The daffodils are out, the smell of freshly cut grass (well when it stops snowing) and the annual appearance of the cricketers' bible heralds brighter days ahead. Have started to buy the large edition since 2006--it adds more scholary weight to this mighty tome in my opinion--and can't wait for Amazon to deliver me this years issue. An hour with Wisden is, for me, the perfect antidote to modern life. And for £30 its an absolute bargain for all the hours of pleasure it brings.

Cricket fans only, 20 Apr 2008
I purchased this on the basis of many reviews which assert that it is useful for gaining insight into general leadership/man-management skills in all areas of life. Well let me assure you that this is simply not the case. This is definitely a book for cricket fans only and has no value outside that sphere. Even within cricket, which I'm not well up on, this seems a very outdated work with one foot, if not both, firmly planted in the gentleman amateur era. Remember that Brearley was playing in the sixties, seventies and very early eighties. Sportsmen have subsequently discovered some new-fangled thing called "sports psychology"...

Simply the best., 13 Jan 2006
This seminal work on captaincy has never been matched. Brearley's ideas on cricket captaincy show a huge understanding of the game and of the human mind.
Overall a must for any cricketer old enough to read with a desire to captain a cricket side at whatever level.

Excellent insight into the personal qualities of captaincy, 02 Aug 2001
When the Art of Captaincy first came out in 1985, memories of the swashbuckling capture of the Ashes in 1981 were still vivid in many people's minds. Although this is no longer the case, Brearley's work is equally applicable to the drive for success in any field and the man-management skills required of any successful leader.

Nonetheless cricket is its prime focus, and the characters of Brearley's age such as Botham, Willis and Gower still capture the imagination as brilliant competitors and, more importantly for Brearley, as leaders of the England side. Honest in his exposition of his contemporaries' flaws as captains, the author never belittles their integrity as individuals, helping his own objective analysis to be respected on its own merits. Whilst the revised edition pays no more than token regard to the current resurgence under Hussain and Fletcher, Brearley's expert psycho-analytical approach stands the test of time.

With helpful insight into man management of players and selectors alike, as well as a detailed background to the less glamorous administrative and logistical duties of a county captain, Brearley has much to offer to captains and players at all levels of the game.

The lucid and elegant prose makes for an extremely readable and readily digestible work, and the author's beguiling modesty and understated humanity widen its accessibility beyond the ordinary fanatic for our national game.

An old friend, 26 May 2008
While other traditions are undermined and cheapened all around us, Wisden never lets us down. My wife thinks I'm a sad git reading a thousand pages of cricket scorecards, but I don't care. You can lose yourself in Wisden for hours on end, from excellent leading articles, through endless stats and records, through obscure cards and obituaries to quirky little reports of cricket related oddities from around the world.

Never afraid to say it as it is, Wisden's journalistic standards remain very high and it is an annual joy to see the familiar yellow jacket arrive in the spring.

Pure heaven.

Buy this!, 11 Apr 2008
Is there anything left to say about Wisden? The 2008 issue has a new editor in Scyld Berry but apart from that, it's as you would expect.
The writers aren't slow in dishing out brickbats where due - the dreadful 2007 World Cup in particular, or praising things that work - the 2007 World Twenty 20.

The only abberation I have found is the missing attendance figure for the Friends Provident Trophy Final. What I've always found strange is that whilst gate figures are given for domestic Test Matches, One Day Internationals and Twenty20 Cup games, they're missing from all other matches. Why not publish attendances for all domestic matches and those abroad, where known? Are they really that embarrassing?

The 1680 pages should keep you busy until the 2009 edition is out.



As perennial as the spring, 07 Apr 2008
The daffodils are out, the smell of freshly cut grass (well when it stops snowing) and the annual appearance of the cricketers' bible heralds brighter days ahead. Have started to buy the large edition since 2006--it adds more scholary weight to this mighty tome in my opinion--and can't wait for Amazon to deliver me this years issue. An hour with Wisden is, for me, the perfect antidote to modern life. And for £30 its an absolute bargain for all the hours of pleasure it brings.

Cricket fans only, 20 Apr 2008
I purchased this on the basis of many reviews which assert that it is useful for gaining insight into general leadership/man-management skills in all areas of life. Well let me assure you that this is simply not the case. This is definitely a book for cricket fans only and has no value outside that sphere. Even within cricket, which I'm not well up on, this seems a very outdated work with one foot, if not both, firmly planted in the gentleman amateur era. Remember that Brearley was playing in the sixties, seventies and very early eighties. Sportsmen have subsequently discovered some new-fangled thing called "sports psychology"...

Simply the best., 13 Jan 2006
This seminal work on captaincy has never been matched. Brearley's ideas on cricket captaincy show a huge understanding of the game and of the human mind.
Overall a must for any cricketer old enough to read with a desire to captain a cricket side at whatever level.

Excellent insight into the personal qualities of captaincy, 02 Aug 2001
When the Art of Captaincy first came out in 1985, memories of the swashbuckling capture of the Ashes in 1981 were still vivid in many people's minds. Although this is no longer the case, Brearley's work is equally applicable to the drive for success in any field and the man-management skills required of any successful leader.

Nonetheless cricket is its prime focus, and the characters of Brearley's age such as Botham, Willis and Gower still capture the imagination as brilliant competitors and, more importantly for Brearley, as leaders of the England side. Honest in his exposition of his contemporaries' flaws as captains, the author never belittles their integrity as individuals, helping his own objective analysis to be respected on its own merits. Whilst the revised edition pays no more than token regard to the current resurgence under Hussain and Fletcher, Brearley's expert psycho-analytical approach stands the test of time.

With helpful insight into man management of players and selectors alike, as well as a detailed background to the less glamorous administrative and logistical duties of a county captain, Brearley has much to offer to captains and players at all levels of the game.

The lucid and elegant prose makes for an extremely readable and readily digestible work, and the author's beguiling modesty and understated humanity widen its accessibility beyond the ordinary fanatic for our national game.

Great cricket reference, 15 Jul 2006
The Cricketers' Who's Who 2006

Very good small format softcover book with 780 pages ( Booksize 16mo = SextoDecimo = 17 X 12 cm ).
Each player and umpire is listed with a small B&W portrait photo and his qualifications and statistics. An invaluable reference book for every cricket fan!

I just wanted to see 5 extra pages with photos of the world's best ever cricketers as Brain Lara isn't listed and he should belong in a cricketers book even if it only lists first-class county UK cricket players...

The 2006 edition will have a questionaire on One-Day-International games ( ODI )...

Philip Corneille - BELGIUM

The perfect companion for watching cricket everywhere., 23 Sep 2001
This is a marvellous book which you can dip in to in between overs either watching at the ground or on tv.It answers all the questions stats freaks could ever want and resolves the disputes you have with your dad over who scored what when and where.Especially different is the section at the back on the stats of the tv and radio commentators which highlights that some of them such as David Lloyd had surprisingly poor careers and yet they happily criticise geniuses such as Graeme Hick.All in all a must have book for all cricket nuts like me.

An old friend, 26 May 2008
While other traditions are undermined and cheapened all around us, Wisden never lets us down. My wife thinks I'm a sad git reading a thousand pages of cricket scorecards, but I don't care. You can lose yourself in Wisden for hours on end, from excellent leading articles, through endless stats and records, through obscure cards and obituaries to quirky little reports of cricket related oddities from around the world.

Never afraid to say it as it is, Wisden's journalistic standards remain very high and it is an annual joy to see the familiar yellow jacket arrive in the spring.

Pure heaven.

Buy this!, 11 Apr 2008
Is there anything left to say about Wisden? The 2008 issue has a new editor in Scyld Berry but apart from that, it's as you would expect.
The writers aren't slow in dishing out brickbats where due - the dreadful 2007 World Cup in particular, or praising things that work - the 2007 World Twenty 20.

The only abberation I have found is the missing attendance figure for the Friends Provident Trophy Final. What I've always found strange is that whilst gate figures are given for domestic Test Matches, One Day Internationals and Twenty20 Cup games, they're missing from all other matches. Why not publish attendances for all domestic matches and those abroad, where known? Are they really that embarrassing?

The 1680 pages should keep you busy until the 2009 edition is out.



As perennial as the spring, 07 Apr 2008
The daffodils are out, the smell of freshly cut grass (well when it stops snowing) and the annual appearance of the cricketers' bible heralds brighter days ahead. Have started to buy the large edition since 2006--it adds more scholary weight to this mighty tome in my opinion--and can't wait for Amazon to deliver me this years issue. An hour with Wisden is, for me, the perfect antidote to modern life. And for £30 its an absolute bargain for all the hours of pleasure it brings.

Cricket fans only, 20 Apr 2008
I purchased this on the basis of many reviews which assert that it is useful for gaining insight into general leadership/man-management skills in all areas of life. Well let me assure you that this is simply not the case. This is definitely a book for cricket fans only and has no value outside that sphere. Even within cricket, which I'm not well up on, this seems a very outdated work with one foot, if not both, firmly planted in the gentleman amateur era. Remember that Brearley was playing in the sixties, seventies and very early eighties. Sportsmen have subsequently discovered some new-fangled thing called "sports psychology"...

Simply the best., 13 Jan 2006
This seminal work on captaincy has never been matched. Brearley's ideas on cricket captaincy show a huge understanding of the game and of the human mind.
Overall a must for any cricketer old enough to read with a desire to captain a cricket side at whatever level.

Excellent insight into the personal qualities of captaincy, 02 Aug 2001
When the Art of Captaincy first came out in 1985, memories of the swashbuckling capture of the Ashes in 1981 were still vivid in many people's minds. Although this is no longer the case, Brearley's work is equally applicable to the drive for success in any field and the man-management skills required of any successful leader.

Nonetheless cricket is its prime focus, and the characters of Brearley's age such as Botham, Willis and Gower still capture the imagination as brilliant competitors and, more importantly for Brearley, as leaders of the England side. Honest in his exposition of his contemporaries' flaws as captains, the author never belittles their integrity as individuals, helping his own objective analysis to be respected on its own merits. Whilst the revised edition pays no more than token regard to the current resurgence under Hussain and Fletcher, Brearley's expert psycho-analytical approach stands the test of time.

With helpful insight into man management of players and selectors alike, as well as a detailed background to the less glamorous administrative and logistical duties of a county captain, Brearley has much to offer to captains and players at all levels of the game.

The lucid and elegant prose makes for an extremely readable and readily digestible work, and the author's beguiling modesty and understated humanity widen its accessibility beyond the ordinary fanatic for our national game.

Great cricket reference, 15 Jul 2006
The Cricketers' Who's Who 2006

Very good small format softcover book with 780 pages ( Booksize 16mo = SextoDecimo = 17 X 12 cm ).
Each player and umpire is listed with a small B&W portrait photo and his qualifications and statistics. An invaluable reference book for every cricket fan!

I just wanted to see 5 extra pages with photos of the world's best ever cricketers as Brain Lara isn't listed and he should belong in a cricketers book even if it only lists first-class county UK cricket players...

The 2006 edition will have a questionaire on One-Day-International games ( ODI )...

Philip Corneille - BELGIUM

The perfect companion for watching cricket everywhere., 23 Sep 2001
This is a marvellous book which you can dip in to in between overs either watching at the ground or on tv.It answers all the questions stats freaks could ever want and resolves the disputes you have with your dad over who scored what when and where.Especially different is the section at the back on the stats of the tv and radio commentators which highlights that some of them such as David Lloyd had surprisingly poor careers and yet they happily criticise geniuses such as Graeme Hick.All in all a must have book for all cricket nuts like me.

A detailed and invaluable pocket guide - ideal for any cricket fan, 30 Apr 2008
The "Playfair Cricket Annual" has an excellent reputation as the essential pocket guide for any follower of the game. Now in its 61st edition, it contains everything a cricket enthusiast should need to know, with a wealth of statistics on all the players and teams playing in England in 2008, on both the county and international levels.

As always, it has been fully revised for the 2008 season, with a new preface by BBC Test Match Special scorer and statistician Bill Frindall. Other informative articles include a brief analysis of the Duckworth-Lewis scoring system, used for resetting targets in rain-affected one-day matches; and an explanation of Kolpak registrations for overseas players - currently a controversial issue in the county game. However, the real role of this book is as a statistical reference, and in this respect it does not disappoint.

The first half of the book is a register of all players currently contracted to the 18 English county teams, providing vital statistics - such as height, career history, batting and bowling styles, highest scores and best bowling performances in both first-class and limited overs cricket - for every one. A further section lists career bowling and batting averages for all contracted first-class players, making this a comprehensive yet accessible ready-reference. The reader will also find records for every county and international team, and for every form of the game played in England (including Test Matches and ODIs, but also the County Championship, Friends Provident Trophy, Pro40 League and Twenty20 Cup).

Nearer the back are provided complete scorecards for every Test Match that took place in 2007, as well as a list of all English domestic and international fixtures for the 2008 summer. Finally there is a fielding chart illustrating the names of all the most common positions - ideal for new fans of the game.

All in all, the "Playfair Cricket Annual" is an affordable and invaluable guide. The information given is presented very densely, and in most cases the book's clear structure makes it easy to locate whichever statistics are required - although the small type may be a problem for those who are harder of sight. In addition, at only 320 pages it is relatively compact and lightweight, and its pocket-sized format means that this is an excellent companion for taking to matches.

An old friend, 26 May 2008
While other traditions are undermined and cheapened all around us, Wisden never lets us down. My wife thinks I'm a sad git reading a thousand pages of cricket scorecards, but I don't care. You can lose yourself in Wisden for hours on end, from excellent leading articles, through endless stats and records, through obscure cards and obituaries to quirky little reports of cricket related oddities from around the world.

Never afraid to say it as it is, Wisden's journalistic standards remain very high and it is an annual joy to see the familiar yellow jacket arrive in the spring.

Pure heaven.

Buy this!, 11 Apr 2008
Is there anything left to say about Wisden? The 2008 issue has a new editor in Scyld Berry but apart from that, it's as you would expect.
The writers aren't slow in dishing out brickbats where due - the dreadful 2007 World Cup in particular, or praising things that work - the 2007 World Twenty 20.

The only abberation I have found is the missing attendance figure for the Friends Provident Trophy Final. What I've always found strange is that whilst gate figures are given for domestic Test Matches, One Day Internationals and Twenty20 Cup games, they're missing from all other matches. Why not publish attendances for all domestic matches and those abroad, where known? Are they really that embarrassing?

The 1680 pages should keep you busy until the 2009 edition is out.



As perennial as the spring, 07 Apr 2008
The daffodils are out, the smell of freshly cut grass (well when it stops snowing) and the annual appearance of the cricketers' bible heralds brighter days ahead. Have started to buy the large edition since 2006--it adds more scholary weight to this mighty tome in my opinion--and can't wait for Amazon to deliver me this years issue. An hour with Wisden is, for me, the perfect antidote to modern life. And for £30 its an absolute bargain for all the hours of pleasure it brings.

Cricket fans only, 20 Apr 2008
I purchased this on the basis of many reviews which assert that it is useful for gaining insight into general leadership/man-management skills in all areas of life. Well let me assure you that this is simply not the case. This is definitely a book for cricket fans only and has no value outside that sphere. Even within cricket, which I'm not well up on, this seems a very outdated work with one foot, if not both, firmly planted in the gentleman amateur era. Remember that Brearley was playing in the sixties, seventies and very early eighties. Sportsmen have subsequently discovered some new-fangled thing called "sports psychology"...

Simply the best., 13 Jan 2006
This seminal work on captaincy has never been matched. Brearley's ideas on cricket captaincy show a huge understanding of the game and of the human mind.
Overall a must for any cricketer old enough to read with a desire to captain a cricket side at whatever level.

Excellent insight into the personal qualities of captaincy, 02 Aug 2001
When the Art of Captaincy first came out in 1985, memories of the swashbuckling capture of the Ashes in 1981 were still vivid in many people's minds. Although this is no longer the case, Brearley's work is equally applicable to the drive for success in any field and the man-management skills required of any successful leader.

Nonetheless cricket is its prime focus, and the characters of Brearley's age such as Botham, Willis and Gower still capture the imagination as brilliant competitors and, more importantly for Brearley, as leaders of the England side. Honest in his exposition of his contemporaries' flaws as captains, the author never belittles their integrity as individuals, helping his own objective analysis to be respected on its own merits. Whilst the revised edition pays no more than token regard to the current resurgence under Hussain and Fletcher, Brearley's expert psycho-analytical approach stands the test of time.

With helpful insight into man management of players and selectors alike, as well as a detailed background to the less glamorous administrative and logistical duties of a county captain, Brearley has much to offer to captains and players at all levels of the game.

The lucid and elegant prose makes for an extremely readable and readily digestible work, and the author's beguiling modesty and understated humanity widen its accessibility beyond the ordinary fanatic for our national game.

Great cricket reference, 15 Jul 2006
The Cricketers' Who's Who 2006

Very good small format softcover book with 780 pages ( Booksize 16mo = SextoDecimo = 17 X 12 cm ).
Each player and umpire is listed with a small B&W portrait photo and his qualifications and statistics. An invaluable reference book for every cricket fan!

I just wanted to see 5 extra pages with photos of the world's best ever cricketers as Brain Lara isn't listed and he should belong in a cricketers book even if it only lists first-class county UK cricket players...

The 2006 edition will have a questionaire on One-Day-International games ( ODI )...

Philip Corneille - BELGIUM

The perfect companion for watching cricket everywhere., 23 Sep 2001
This is a marvellous book which you can dip in to in between overs either watching at the ground or on tv.It answers all the questions stats freaks could ever want and resolves the disputes you have with your dad over who scored what when and where.Especially different is the section at the back on the stats of the tv and radio commentators which highlights that some of them such as David Lloyd had surprisingly poor careers and yet they happily criticise geniuses such as Graeme Hick.All in all a must have book for all cricket nuts like me.

A detailed and invaluable pocket guide - ideal for any cricket fan, 30 Apr 2008
The "Playfair Cricket Annual" has an excellent reputation as the essential pocket guide for any follower of the game. Now in its 61st edition, it contains everything a cricket enthusiast should need to know, with a wealth of statistics on all the players and teams playing in England in 2008, on both the county and international levels.

As always, it has been fully revised for the 2008 season, with a new preface by BBC Test Match Special scorer and statistician Bill Frindall. Other informative articles include a brief analysis of the Duckworth-Lewis scoring system, used for resetting targets in rain-affected one-day matches; and an explanation of Kolpak registrations for overseas players - currently a controversial issue in the county game. However, the real role of this book is as a statistical reference, and in this respect it does not disappoint.

The first half of the book is a register of all players currently contracted to the 18 English county teams, providing vital statistics - such as height, career history, batting and bowling styles, highest scores and best bowling performances in both first-class and limited overs cricket - for every one. A further section lists career bowling and batting averages for all contracted first-class players, making this a comprehensive yet accessible ready-reference. The reader will also find records for every county and international team, and for every form of the game played in England (including Test Matches and ODIs, but also the County Championship, Friends Provident Trophy, Pro40 League and Twenty20 Cup).

Nearer the back are provided complete scorecards for every Test Match that took place in 2007, as well as a list of all English domestic and international fixtures for the 2008 summer. Finally there is a fielding chart illustrating the names of all the most common positions - ideal for new fans of the game.

All in all, the "Playfair Cricket Annual" is an affordable and invaluable guide. The information given is presented very densely, and in most cases the book's clear structure makes it easy to locate whichever statistics are required - although the small type may be a problem for those who are harder of sight. In addition, at only 320 pages it is relatively compact and lightweight, and its pocket-sized format means that this is an excellent companion for taking to matches.

Terrific, 10 Sep 2007
Well written, an infomation goldmine and almost impossible to put down.

Despite it's appearance it is not a heavy read and well worth keeping as the 'loo book'.

If you like your cricket this is all you need.

awesome, 02 Apr 2007
there's no finer book about cricket. great writing by the finest journalists, athers on warne, parkie on truman plus brilliant, brilliant insights from engel, barnes et al. the sort of book you'd have to pack as your desert island choice. plenty of stats, much humour, quintessentially english - wisden is the purest distillation of cricket. a work of genius.

Wisden Bowls Everyone Over Once Again, 29 Mar 2007
This is the second year that Wisden as been published in the large format, and this like last years addition is absolutely great. It is far easier to read and collectible than the normal-sized Wisden. This Wisden also features full coverage of the Ashes late last year-early this year, along with England's surprising one-day series truimph in Oz. This is a well and truelly great edition, a must for all cricket fans.

Amazon.co.uk are doing an incredible job by selling this at a bargain price and should be congratulated. Superb!

Cricket is England's greatest accomplishment, 28 Mar 2007
I know that cricket is not considered to be the trendyist of past-times but as a born and bred Englishman I must say that there is something uniquely English about cricket. This book is just great and I sat for hours reading it in the pub with a lovely pint of stout.

An old friend, 26 May 2008
While other traditions are undermined and cheapened all around us, Wisden never lets us down. My wife thinks I'm a sad git reading a thousand pages of cricket scorecards, but I don't care. You can lose yourself in Wisden for hours on end, from excellent leading articles, through endless stats and records, through obscure cards and obituaries to quirky little reports of cricket related oddities from around the world.

Never afraid to say it as it is, Wisden's journalistic standards remain very high and it is an annual joy to see the familiar yellow jacket arrive in the spring.

Pure heaven.

Buy this!, 11 Apr 2008
Is there anything left to say about Wisden? The 2008 issue has a new editor in Scyld Berry but apart from that, it's as you would expect.
The writers aren't slow in dishing out brickbats where due - the dreadful 2007 World Cup in particular, or praising things that work - the 2007 World Twenty 20.

The only abberation I have found is the missing attendance figure for the Friends Provident Trophy Final. What I've always found strange is that whilst gate figures are given for domestic Test Matches, One Day Internationals and Twenty20 Cup games, they're missing from all other matches. Why not publish attendances for all domestic matches and those abroad, where known? Are they really that embarrassing?

The 1680 pages should keep you busy until the 2009 edition is out.



As perennial as the spring, 07 Apr 2008
The daffodils are out, the smell of freshly cut grass (well when it stops snowing) and the annual appearance of the cricketers' bible heralds brighter days ahead. Have started to buy the large edition since 2006--it adds more scholary weight to this mighty tome in my opinion--and can't wait for Amazon to deliver me this years issue. An hour with Wisden is, for me, the perfect antidote to modern life. And for £30 its an absolute bargain for all the hours of pleasure it brings.

Cricket fans only, 20 Apr 2008
I purchased this on the basis of many reviews which assert that it is useful for gaining insight into general leadership/man-management skills in all areas of life. Well let me assure you that this is simply not the case. This is definitely a book for cricket fans only and has no value outside that sphere. Even within cricket, which I'm not well up on, this seems a very outdated work with one foot, if not both, firmly planted in the gentleman amateur era. Remember that Brearley was playing in the sixties, seventies and very early eighties. Sportsmen have subsequently discovered some new-fangled thing called "sports psychology"...

Simply the best., 13 Jan 2006
This seminal work on captaincy has never been matched. Brearley's ideas on cricket captaincy show a huge understanding of the game and of the human mind.
Overall a must for any cricketer old enough to read with a desire to captain a cricket side at whatever level.

Excellent insight into the personal qualities of captaincy, 02 Aug 2001
When the Art of Captaincy first came out in 1985, memories of the swashbuckling capture of the Ashes in 1981 were still vivid in many people's minds. Although this is no longer the case, Brearley's work is equally applicable to the drive for success in any field and the man-management skills required of any successful leader.

Nonetheless cricket is its prime focus, and the characters of Brearley's age such as Botham, Willis and Gower still capture the imagination as brilliant competitors and, more importantly for Brearley, as leaders of the England side. Honest in his exposition of his contemporaries' flaws as captains, the author never belittles their integrity as individuals, helping his own objective analysis to be respected on its own merits. Whilst the revised edition pays no more than token regard to the current resurgence under Hussain and Fletcher, Brearley's expert psycho-analytical approach stands the test of time.

With helpful insight into man management of players and selectors alike, as well as a detailed background to the less glamorous administrative and logistical duties of a county captain, Brearley has much to offer to captains and players at all levels of the game.

The lucid and elegant prose makes for an extremely readable and readily digestible work, and the author's beguiling modesty and understated humanity widen its accessibility beyond the ordinary fanatic for our national game.

Great cricket reference, 15 Jul 2006
The Cricketers' Who's Who 2006

Very good small format softcover book with 780 pages ( Booksize 16mo = SextoDecimo = 17 X 12 cm ).
Each player and umpire is listed with a small B&W portrait photo and his qualifications and statistics. An invaluable reference book for every cricket fan!

I just wanted to see 5 extra pages with photos of the world's best ever cricketers as Brain Lara isn't listed and he should belong in a cricketers book even if it only lists first-class county UK cricket players...

The 2006 edition will have a questionaire on One-Day-International games ( ODI )...

Philip Corneille - BELGIUM

The perfect companion for watching cricket everywhere., 23 Sep 2001
This is a marvellous book which you can dip in to in between overs either watching at the ground or on tv.It answers all the questions stats freaks could ever want and resolves the disputes you have with your dad over who scored what when and where.Especially different is the section at the back on the stats of the tv and radio commentators which highlights that some of them such as David Lloyd had surprisingly poor careers and yet they happily criticise geniuses such as Graeme Hick.All in all a must have book for all cricket nuts like me.

A detailed and invaluable pocket guide - ideal for any cricket fan, 30 Apr 2008
The "Playfair Cricket Annual" has an excellent reputation as the essential pocket guide for any follower of the game. Now in its 61st edition, it contains everything a cricket enthusiast should need to know, with a wealth of statistics on all the players and teams playing in England in 2008, on both the county and international levels.

As always, it has been fully revised for the 2008 season, with a new preface by BBC Test Match Special scorer and statistician Bill Frindall. Other informative articles include a brief analysis of the Duckworth-Lewis scoring system, used for resetting targets in rain-affected one-day matches; and an explanation of Kolpak registrations for overseas players - currently a controversial issue in the county game. However, the real role of this book is as a statistical reference, and in this respect it does not disappoint.

The first half of the book is a register of all players currently contracted to the 18 English county teams, providing vital statistics - such as height, career history, batting and bowling styles, highest scores and best bowling performances in both first-class and limited overs cricket - for every one. A further section lists career bowling and batting averages for all contracted first-class players, making this a comprehensive yet accessible ready-reference. The reader will also find records for every county and international team, and for every form of the game played in England (including Test Matches and ODIs, but also the County Championship, Friends Provident Trophy, Pro40 League and Twenty20 Cup).

Nearer the back are provided complete scorecards for every Test Match that took place in 2007, as well as a list of all English domestic and international fixtures for the 2008 summer. Finally there is a fielding chart illustrating the names of all the most common positions - ideal for new fans of the game.

All in all, the "Playfair Cricket Annual" is an affordable and invaluable guide. The information given is presented very densely, and in most cases the book's clear structure makes it easy to locate whichever statistics are required - although the small type may be a problem for those who are harder of sight. In addition, at only 320 pages it is relatively compact and lightweight, and its pocket-sized format means that this is an excellent companion for taking to matches.

Terrific, 10 Sep 2007
Well written, an infomation goldmine and almost impossible to put down.

Despite it's appearance it is not a heavy read and well worth keeping as the 'loo book'.

If you like your cricket this is all you need.

awesome, 02 Apr 2007
there's no finer book about cricket. great writing by the finest journalists, athers on warne, parkie on truman plus brilliant, brilliant insights from engel, barnes et al. the sort of book you'd have to pack as your desert island choice. plenty of stats, much humour, quintessentially english - wisden is the purest distillation of cricket. a work of genius.

Wisden Bowls Everyone Over Once Again, 29 Mar 2007
This is the second year that Wisden as been published in the large format, and this like last years addition is absolutely great. It is far easier to read and collectible than the normal-sized Wisden. This Wisden also features full coverage of the Ashes late last year-early this year, along with England's surprising one-day series truimph in Oz. This is a well and truelly great edition, a must for all cricket fans.

Amazon.co.uk are doing an incredible job by selling this at a bargain price and should be congratulated. Superb!

Cricket is England's greatest accomplishment, 28 Mar 2007
I know that cricket is not considered to be the trendyist of past-times but as a born and bred Englishman I must say that there is something uniquely English about cricket. This book is just great and I sat for hours reading it in the pub with a lovely pint of stout.

Greatest, greatest, greatest, 13 Apr 2006
For me, the title says it all. Sachin is simply the world's greatest batsman, and a personal hero for me and many hundreds of millions of fellow Indian cricket fans. As a cricketer he has no equal, but just as attractive for me is the shy demeanour, boyish smile, and small but perfectly formed athletes body. I would gladly sacrifice all of my wordly possessions for a chance to meet him in the flesh, but until then I will just have to make do with this wonderful book and its full colour photos. Luckily for me it isn't too heavy to hold with just one hand.

The Indian legend, 04 Mar 2006
Sachin: is a very interesting and informative autiobigraphy about the the world greatest batman, who is the next Bradman, the Australian legend. An interesting account is provided into his early childhood and his early days into how he achieved his status as the world greatest batman. I found the book fascinating to read and would truly recommend it to anyone who has an interest in cricket like myself.

Very informative, 02 Jul 2003
I usually dont read sports biographies because thye can be really boring but this book is very interesting and is full of interesting statistics. It covers everything from Tendulkar's debut in 1989 right up to England's most recent tour of India. Its a very good read...

Very informative, 02 Jul 2003
I usually dont read sports biographies because thye can be really boring but this book is very interesting and is full of interesting statistics. It covers everything from Tendulkar's debut in 1989 right up to England's most recent tour of India. Its a very good read...

An old friend, 26 May 2008
While other traditions are undermined and cheapened all around us, Wisden never lets us down. My wife thinks I'm a sad git reading a thousand pages of cricket scorecards, but I don't care. You can lose yourself in Wisden for hours on end, from excellent leading articles, through endless stats and records, through obscure cards and obituaries to quirky little reports of cricket related oddities from around the world.

Never afraid to say it as it is, Wisden's journalistic standards remain very high and it is an annual joy to see the familiar yellow jacket arrive in the spring.

Pure heaven.

Buy this!, 11 Apr 2008
Is there anything left to say about Wisden? The 2008 issue has a new editor in Scyld Berry but apart from that, it's as you would expect.
The writers aren't slow in dishing out brickbats where due - the dreadful 2007 World Cup in particular, or praising things that work - the 2007 World Twenty 20.

The only abberation I have found is the missing attendance figure for the Friends Provident Trophy Final. What I've always found strange is that whilst gate figures are given for domestic Test Matches, One Day Internationals and Twenty20 Cup games, they're missing from all other matches. Why not publish attendances for all domestic matches and those abroad, where known? Are they really that embarrassing?

The 1680 pages should keep you busy until the 2009 edition is out.



As perennial as the spring, 07 Apr 2008
The daffodils are out, the smell of freshly cut grass (well when it stops snowing) and the annual appearance of the cricketers' bible heralds brighter days ahead. Have started to buy the large edition since 2006--it adds more scholary weight to this mighty tome in my opinion--and can't wait for Amazon to deliver me this years issue. An hour with Wisden is, for me, the perfect antidote to modern life. And for £30 its an absolute bargain for all the hours of pleasure it brings.

Cricket fans only, 20 Apr 2008
I purchased this on the basis of many reviews which assert that it is useful for gaining insight into general leadership/man-management skills in all areas of life. Well let me assure you that this is simply not the case. This is definitely a book for cricket fans only and has no value outside that sphere. Even within cricket, which I'm not well up on, this seems a very outdated work with one foot, if not both, firmly planted in the gentleman amateur era. Remember that Brearley was playing in the sixties, seventies and very early eighties. Sportsmen have subsequently discovered some new-fangled thing called "sports psychology"...

Simply the best., 13 Jan 2006
This seminal work on captaincy has never been matched. Brearley's ideas on cricket captaincy show a huge understanding of the game and of the human mind.
Overall a must for any cricketer old enough to read with a desire to captain a cricket side at whatever level.

Excellent insight into the personal qualities of captaincy, 02 Aug 2001
When the Art of Captaincy first came out in 1985, memories of the swashbuckling capture of the Ashes in 1981 were still vivid in many people's minds. Although this is no longer the case, Brearley's work is equally applicable to the drive for success in any field and the man-management skills required of any successful leader.

Nonetheless cricket is its prime focus, and the characters of Brearley's age such as Botham, Willis and Gower still capture the imagination as brilliant competitors and, more importantly for Brearley, as leaders of the England side. Honest in his exposition of his contemporaries' flaws as captains, the author never belittles their integrity as individuals, helping his own objective analysis to be respected on its own merits. Whilst the revised edition pays no more than token regard to the current resurgence under Hussain and Fletcher, Brearley's expert psycho-analytical approach stands the test of time.

With helpful insight into man management of players and selectors alike, as well as a detailed background to the less glamorous administrative and logistical duties of a county captain, Brearley has much to offer to captains and players at all levels of the game.

The lucid and elegant prose makes for an extremely readable and readily digestible work, and the author's beguiling modesty and understated humanity widen its accessibility beyond the ordinary fanatic for our national game.

Great cricket reference, 15 Jul 2006
The Cricketers' Who's Who 2006

Very good small format softcover book with 780 pages ( Booksize 16mo = SextoDecimo = 17 X 12 cm ).
Each player and umpire is listed with a small B&W portrait photo and his qualifications and statistics. An invaluable reference book for every cricket fan!

I just wanted to see 5 extra pages with photos of the world's best ever cricketers as Brain Lara isn't listed and he should belong in a cricketers book even if it only lists first-class county UK cricket players...

The 2006 edition will have a questionaire on One-Day-International games ( ODI )...

Philip Corneille - BELGIUM

The perfect companion for watching cricket everywhere., 23 Sep 2001
This is a marvellous book which you can dip in to in between overs either watching at the ground or on tv.It answers all the questions stats freaks could ever want and resolves the disputes you have with your dad over who scored what when and where.Especially different is the section at the back on the stats of the tv and radio commentators which highlights that some of them such as David Lloyd had surprisingly poor careers and yet they happily criticise geniuses such as Graeme Hick.All in all a must have book for all cricket nuts like me.

A detailed and invaluable pocket guide - ideal for any cricket fan, 30 Apr 2008
The "Playfair Cricket Annual" has an excellent reputation as the essential pocket guide for any follower of the game. Now in its 61st edition, it contains everything a cricket enthusiast should need to know, with a wealth of statistics on all the players and teams playing in England in 2008, on both the county and international levels.

As always, it has been fully revised for the 2008 season, with a new preface by BBC Test Match Special scorer and statistician Bill Frindall. Other informative articles include a brief analysis of the Duckworth-Lewis scoring system, used for resetting targets in rain-affected one-day matches; and an explanation of Kolpak registrations for overseas players - currently a controversial issue in the county game. However, the real role of this book is as a statistical reference, and in this respect it does not disappoint.

The first half of the book is a register of all players currently contracted to the 18 English county teams, providing vital statistics - such as height, career history, batting and bowling styles, highest scores and best bowling performances in both first-class and limited overs cricket - for every one. A further section lists career bowling and batting averages for all contracted first-class players, making this a comprehensive yet accessible ready-reference. The reader will also find records for every county and international team, and for every form of the game played in England (including Test Matches and ODIs, but also the County Championship, Friends Provident Trophy, Pro40 League and Twenty20 Cup).

Nearer the back are provided complete scorecards for every Test Match that took place in 2007, as well as a list of all English domestic and international fixtures for the 2008 summer. Finally there is a fielding chart illustrating the names of all the most common positions - ideal for new fans of the game.

All in all, the "Playfair Cricket Annual" is an affordable and invaluable guide. The information given is presented very densely, and in most cases the book's clear structure makes it easy to locate whichever statistics are required - although the small type may be a problem for those who are harder of sight. In addition, at only 320 pages it is relatively compact and lightweight, and its pocket-sized format means that this is an excellent companion for taking to matches.

Terrific, 10 Sep 2007
Well written, an infomation goldmine and almost impossible to put down.

Despite it's appearance it is not a heavy read and well worth keeping as the 'loo book'.

If you like your cricket this is all you need.

awesome, 02 Apr 2007
there's no finer book about cricket. great writing by the finest journalists, athers on warne, parkie on truman plus brilliant, brilliant insights from engel, barnes et al. the sort of book you'd have to pack as your desert island choice. plenty of stats, much humour, quintessentially english - wisden is the purest distillation of cricket. a work of genius.

Wisden Bowls Everyone Over Once Again, 29 Mar 2007
This is the second year that Wisden as been published in the large format, and this like last years addition is absolutely great. It is far easier to read and collectible than the normal-sized Wisden. This Wisden also features full coverage of the Ashes late last year-early this year, along with England's surprising one-day series truimph in Oz. This is a well and truelly great edition, a must for all cricket fans.

Amazon.co.uk are doing an incredible job by selling this at a bargain price and should be congratulated. Superb!

Cricket is England's greatest accomplishment, 28 Mar 2007
I know that cricket is not considered to be the trendyist of past-times but as a born and bred Englishman I must say that there is something uniquely English about cricket. This book is just great and I sat for hours reading it in the pub with a lovely pint of stout.

Greatest, greatest, greatest, 13 Apr 2006
For me, the title says it all. Sachin is simply the world's greatest batsman, and a personal hero for me and many hundreds of millions of fellow Indian cricket fans. As a cricketer he has no equal, but just as attractive for me is the shy demeanour, boyish smile, and small but perfectly formed athletes body. I would gladly sacrifice all of my wordly possessions for a chance to meet him in the flesh, but until then I will just have to make do with this wonderful book and its full colour photos. Luckily for me it isn't too heavy to hold with just one hand.

The Indian legend, 04 Mar 2006
Sachin: is a very interesting and informative autiobigraphy about the the world greatest batman, who is the next Bradman, the Australian legend. An interesting account is provided into his early childhood and his early days into how he achieved his status as the world greatest batman. I found the book fascinating to read and would truly recommend it to anyone who has an interest in cricket like myself.

Very informative, 02 Jul 2003
I usually dont read sports biographies because thye can be really boring but this book is very interesting and is full of interesting statistics. It covers everything from Tendulkar's debut in 1989 right up to England's most recent tour of India. Its a very good read...

Very informative, 02 Jul 2003
I usually dont read sports biographies because thye can be really boring but this book is very interesting and is full of interesting statistics. It covers everything from Tendulkar's debut in 1989 right up to England's most recent tour of India. Its a very good read...

Surprisingly readable, 04 Dec 2006
I like to think of myself as pretty knowledgeable about all things cricket, but when a friend gave me this I found all sorts of gaps (thanks for filling them in Wisden)! It would be a great gift for the cricket lover as it combines Wisden's authority with Patrick Eager's great photos.
A 'zooter,' what the hell's a zooter?

An old friend, 26 May 2008
While other traditions are undermined and cheapened all around us, Wisden never lets us down. My wife thinks I'm a sad git reading a thousand pages of cricket scorecards, but I don't care. You can lose yourself in Wisden for hours on end, from excellent leading articles, through endless stats and records, through obscure cards and obituaries to quirky little reports of cricket related oddities from around the world.

Never afraid to say it as it is, Wisden's journalistic standards remain very high and it is an annual joy to see the familiar yellow jacket arrive in the spring.

Pure heaven.

Buy this!, 11 Apr 2008
Is there anything left to say about Wisden? The 2008 issue has a new editor in Scyld Berry but apart from that, it's as you would expect.
The writers aren't slow in dishing out brickbats where due - the dreadful 2007 World Cup in particular, or praising things that work - the 2007 World Twenty 20.

The only abberation I have found is the missing attendance figure for the Friends Provident Trophy Final. What I've always found strange is that whilst gate figures are given for domestic Test Matches, One Day Internationals and Twenty20 Cup games, they're missing from all other matches. Why not publish attendances for all domestic matches and those abroad, where known? Are they really that embarrassing?

The 1680 pages should keep you busy until the 2009 edition is out.



As perennial as the spring, 07 Apr 2008
The daffodils are out, the smell of freshly cut grass (well when it stops snowing) and the annual appearance of the cricketers' bible heralds brighter days ahead. Have started to buy the large edition since 2006--it adds more scholary weight to this mighty tome in my opinion--and can't wait for Amazon to deliver me this years issue. An hour with Wisden is, for me, the perfect antidote to modern life. And for £30 its an absolute bargain for all the hours of pleasure it brings.

Cricket fans only, 20 Apr 2008
I purchased this on the basis of many reviews which assert that it is useful for gaining insight into general leadership/man-management skills in all areas of life. Well let me assure you that this is simply not the case. This is definitely a book for cricket fans only and has no value outside that sphere. Even within cricket, which I'm not well up on, this seems a very outdated work with one foot, if not both, firmly planted in the gentleman amateur era. Remember that Brearley was playing in the sixties, seventies and very early eighties. Sportsmen have subsequently discovered some new-fangled thing called "sports psychology"...

Simply the best., 13 Jan 2006
This seminal work on captaincy has never been matched. Brearley's ideas on cricket captaincy show a huge understanding of the game and of the human mind.
Overall a must for any cricketer old enough to read with a desire to captain a cricket side at whatever level.

Excellent insight into the personal qualities of captaincy, 02 Aug 2001
When the Art of Captaincy first came out in 1985, memories of the swashbuckling capture of the Ashes in 1981 were still vivid in many people's minds. Although this is no longer the case, Brearley's work is equally applicable to the drive for success in any field and the man-management skills required of any successful leader.

Nonetheless cricket is its prime focus, and the characters of Brearley's age such as Botham, Willis and Gower still capture the imagination as brilliant competitors and, more importantly for Brearley, as leaders of the England side. Honest in his exposition of his contemporaries' flaws as captains, the author never belittles their integrity as individuals, helping his own objective analysis to be respected on its own merits. Whilst the revised edition pays no more than token regard to the current resurgence under Hussain and Fletcher, Brearley's expert psycho-analytical approach stands the test of time.

With helpful insight into man management of players and selectors alike, as well as a detailed background to the less glamorous administrative and logistical duties of a county captain, Brearley has much to offer to captains and players at all levels of the game.

The lucid and elegant prose makes for an extremely readable and readily digestible work, and the author's beguiling modesty and understated humanity widen its accessibility beyond the ordinary fanatic for our national game.

Great cricket reference, 15 Jul 2006
The Cricketers' Who's Who 2006

Very good small format softcover book with 780 pages ( Booksize 16mo = SextoDecimo = 17 X 12 cm ).
Each player and umpire is listed with a small B&W portrait photo and his qualifications and statistics. An invaluable reference book for every cricket fan!

I just wanted to see 5 extra pages with photos of the world's best ever cricketers as Brain Lara isn't listed and he should belong in a cricketers book even if it only lists first-class county UK cricket players...

The 2006 edition will have a questionaire on One-Day-International games ( ODI )...

Philip Corneille - BELGIUM

The perfect companion for watching cricket everywhere., 23 Sep 2001
This is a marvellous book which you can dip in to in between overs either watching at the ground or on tv.It answers all the questions stats freaks could ever want and resolves the disputes you have with your dad over who scored what when and where.Especially different is the section at the back on the stats of the tv and radio commentators which highlights that some of them such as David Lloyd had surprisingly poor careers and yet they happily criticise geniuses such as Graeme Hick.All in all a must have book for all cricket nuts like me.

A detailed and invaluable pocket guide - ideal for any cricket fan, 30 Apr 2008
The "Playfair Cricket Annual" has an excellent reputation as the essential pocket guide for any follower of the game. Now in its 61st edition, it contains everything a cricket enthusiast should need to know, with a wealth of statistics on all the players and teams playing in England in 2008, on both the county and international levels.

As always, it has been fully revised for the 2008 season, with a new preface by BBC Test Match Special scorer and statistician Bill Frindall. Other informative articles include a brief analysis of the Duckworth-Lewis scoring system, used for resetting targets in rain-affected one-day matches; and an explanation of Kolpak registrations for overseas players - currently a controversial issue in the county game. However, the real role of this book is as a statistical reference, and in this respect it does not disappoint.

The first half of the book is a register of all players currently contracted to the 18 English county teams, providing vital statistics - such as height, career history, batting and bowling styles, highest scores and best bowling performances in both first-class and limited overs cricket - for every one. A further section lists career bowling and batting averages for all contracted first-class players, making this a comprehensive yet accessible ready-reference. The reader will also find records for every county and international team, and for every form of the game played in England (including Test Matches and ODIs, but also the County Championship, Friends Provident Trophy, Pro40 League and Twenty20 Cup).

Nearer the back are provided complete scorecards for every Test Match that took place in 2007, as well as a list of all English domestic and international fixtures for the 2008 summer. Finally there is a fielding chart illustrating the names of all the most common positions - ideal for new fans of the game.

All in all, the "Playfair Cricket Annual" is an affordable and invaluable guide. The information given is presented very densely, and in most cases the book's clear structure makes it easy to locate whichever statistics are required - although the small type may be a problem for those who are harder of sight. In addition, at only 320 pages it is relatively compact and lightweight, and its pocket-sized format means that this is an excellent companion for taking to matches.

Terrific, 10 Sep 2007
Well written, an infomation goldmine and almost impossible to put down.

Despite it's appearance it is not a heavy read and well worth keeping as the 'loo book'.

If you like your cricket this is all you need.

awesome, 02 Apr 2007
there's no finer book about cricket. great writing by the finest journalists, athers on warne, parkie on truman plus brilliant, brilliant insights from engel, barnes et al. the sort of book you'd have to pack as your desert island choice. plenty of stats, much humour, quintessentially english - wisden is the purest distillation of cricket. a work of genius.

Wisden Bowls Everyone Over Once Again, 29 Mar 2007
This is the second year that Wisden as been published in the large format, and this like last years addition is absolutely great. It is far easier to read and collectible than the normal-sized Wisden. This Wisden also features full coverage of the Ashes late last year-early this year, along with England's surprising one-day series truimph in Oz. This is a well and truelly great edition, a must for all cricket fans.

Amazon.co.uk are doing an incredible job by selling this at a bargain price and should be congratulated. Superb!

Cricket is England's greatest accomplishment, 28 Mar 2007
I know that cricket is not considered to be the trendyist of past-times but as a born and bred Englishman I must say that there is something uniquely English about cricket. This book is just great and I sat for hours reading it in the pub with a lovely pint of stout.

Greatest, greatest, greatest, 13 Apr 2006
For me, the title says it all. Sachin is simply the world's greatest batsman, and a personal hero for me and many hundreds of millions of fellow Indian cricket fans. As a cricketer he has no equal, but just as attractive for me is the shy demeanour, boyish smile, and small but perfectly formed athletes body. I would gladly sacrifice all of my wordly possessions for a chance to meet him in the flesh, but until then I will just have to make do with this wonderful book and its full colour photos. Luckily for me it isn't too heavy to hold with just one hand.

The Indian legend, 04 Mar 2006
Sachin: is a very interesting and informative autiobigraphy about the the world greatest batman, who is the next Bradman, the Australian legend. An interesting account is provided into his early childhood and his early days into how he achieved his status as the world greatest batman. I found the book fascinating to read and would truly recommend it to anyone who has an interest in cricket like myself.

Very informative, 02 Jul 2003
I usually dont read sports biographies because thye can be really boring but this book is very interesting and is full of interesting statistics. It covers everything from Tendulkar's debut in 1989 right up to England's most recent tour of India. Its a very good read...

Very informative, 02 Jul 2003
I usually dont read sports biographies because thye can be really boring but this book is very interesting and is full of interesting statistics. It covers everything from Tendulkar's debut in 1989 right up to England's most recent tour of India. Its a very good read...

Surprisingly readable, 04 Dec 2006
I like to think of myself as pretty knowledgeable about all things cricket, but when a friend gave me this I found all sorts of gaps (thanks for filling them in Wisden)! It would be a great gift for the cricket lover as it combines Wisden's authority with Patrick Eager's great photos.
A 'zooter,' what the hell's a zooter?

Good review, 21 Apr 2006
As a wisden collector this is a very good book to have. This is especially a good book to have because it reviews the winning ashes series from last year

An old friend, 26 May 2008
While other traditions are undermined and cheapened all around us, Wisden never lets us down. My wife thinks I'm a sad git reading a thousand pages of cricket scorecards, but I don't care. You can lose yourself in Wisden for hours on end, from excellent leading articles, through endless stats and records, through obscure cards and obituaries to quirky little reports of cricket related oddities from around the world.

Never afraid to say it as it is, Wisden's journalistic standards remain very high and it is an annual joy to see the familiar yellow jacket arrive in the spring.

Pure heaven.

Buy this!, 11 Apr 2008
Is there anything left to say about Wisden? The 2008 issue has a new editor in Scyld Berry but apart from that, it's as you would expect.
The writers aren't slow in dishing out brickbats where due - the dreadful 2007 World Cup in particular, or praising things that work - the 2007 World Twenty 20.

The only abberation I have found is the missing attendance figure for the Friends Provident Trophy Final. What I've always found strange is that whilst gate figures are given for domestic Test Matches, One Day Internationals and Twenty20 Cup games, they're missing from all other matches. Why not publish attendances for all domestic matches and those abroad, where known? Are they really that embarrassing?

The 1680 pages should keep you busy until the 2009 edition is out.



As perennial as the spring, 07 Apr 2008
The daffodils are out, the smell of freshly cut grass (well when it stops snowing) and the annual appearance of the cricketers' bible heralds brighter days ahead. Have started to buy the large edition since 2006--it adds more scholary weight to this mighty tome in my opinion--and can't wait for Amazon to deliver me this years issue. An hour with Wisden is, for me, the perfect antidote to modern life. And for £30 its an absolute bargain for all the hours of pleasure it brings.

Cricket fans only, 20 Apr 2008
I purchased this on the basis of many reviews which assert that it is useful for gaining insight into general leadership/man-management skills in all areas of life. Well let me assure you that this is simply not the case. This is definitely a book for cricket fans only and has no value outside that sphere. Even within cricket, which I'm not well up on, this seems a very outdated work with one foot, if not both, firmly planted in the gentleman amateur era. Remember that Brearley was playing in the sixties, seventies and very early eighties. Sportsmen have subsequently discovered some new-fangled thing called "sports psychology"...

Simply the best., 13 Jan 2006
This seminal work on captaincy has never been matched. Brearley's ideas on cricket captaincy show a huge understanding of the game and of the human mind.
Overall a must for any cricketer old enough to read with a desire to captain a cricket side at whatever level.

Excellent insight into the personal qualities of captaincy, 02 Aug 2001
When the Art of Captaincy first came out in 1985, memories of the swashbuckling capture of the Ashes in 1981 were still vivid in many people's minds. Although this is no longer the case, Brearley's work is equally applicable to the drive for success in any field and the man-management skills required of any successful leader.

Nonetheless cricket is its prime focus, and the characters of Brearley's age such as Botham, Willis and Gower still capture the imagination as brilliant competitors and, more importantly for Brearley, as leaders of the England side. Honest in his exposition of his contemporaries' flaws as captains, the author never belittles their integrity as individuals, helping his own objective analysis to be respected on its own merits. Whilst the revised edition pays no more than token regard to the current resurgence under Hussain and Fletcher, Brearley's expert psycho-analytical approach stands the test of time.

With helpful insight into man management of players and selectors alike, as well as a detailed background to the less glamorous administrative and logistical duties of a county captain, Brearley has much to offer to captains and players at all levels of the game.

The lucid and elegant prose makes for an extremely readable and readily digestible work, and the author's beguiling modesty and understated humanity widen its accessibility beyond the ordinary fanatic for our national game.

Great cricket reference, 15 Jul 2006
The Cricketers' Who's Who 2006

Very good small format softcover book with 780 pages ( Booksize 16mo = SextoDecimo = 17 X 12 cm ).
Each player and umpire is listed with a small B&W portrait photo and his qualifications and statistics. An invaluable reference book for every cricket fan!

I just wanted to see 5 extra pages with photos of the world's best ever cricketers as Brain Lara isn't listed and he should belong in a cricketers book even if it only lists first-class county UK cricket players...

The 2006 edition will have a questionaire on One-Day-International games ( ODI )...

Philip Corneille - BELGIUM

The perfect companion for watching cricket everywhere., 23 Sep 2001
This is a marvellous book which you can dip in to in between overs either watching at the ground or on tv.It answers all the questions stats freaks could ever want and resolves the disputes you have with your dad over who scored what when and where.Especially different is the section at the back on the stats of the tv and radio commentators which highlights that some of them such as David Lloyd had surprisingly poor careers and yet they happily criticise geniuses such as Graeme Hick.All in all a must have book for all cricket nuts like me.

A detailed and invaluable pocket guide - ideal for any cricket fan, 30 Apr 2008
The "Playfair Cricket Annual" has an excellent reputation as the essential pocket guide for any follower of the game. Now in its 61st edition, it contains everything a cricket enthusiast should need to know, with a wealth of statistics on all the players and teams playing in England in 2008, on both the county and international levels.

As always, it has been fully revised for the 2008 season, with a new preface by BBC Test Match Special scorer and statistician Bill Frindall. Other informative articles include a brief analysis of the Duckworth-Lewis scoring system, used for resetting targets in rain-affected one-day matches; and an explanation of Kolpak registrations for overseas players - currently a controversial issue in the county game. However, the real role of this book is as a statistical reference, and in this respect it does not disappoint.

The first half of the book is a register of all players currently contracted to the 18 English county teams, providing vital statistics - such as height, career history, batting and bowling styles, highest scores and best bowling performances in both first-class and limited overs cricket - for every one. A further section lists career bowling and batting averages for all contracted first-class players, making this a comprehensive yet accessible ready-reference. The reader will also find records for every county and international team, and for every form of the game played in England (including Test Matches and ODIs, but also the County Championship, Friends Provident Trophy, Pro40 League and Twenty20 Cup).

Nearer the back are provided complete scorecards for every Test Match that took place in 2007, as well as a list of all English domestic and international fixtures for the 2008 summer. Finally there is a fielding chart illustrating the names of all the most common positions - ideal for new fans of the game.

All in all, the "Playfair Cricket Annual" is an affordable and invaluable guide. The information given is presented very densely, and in most cases the book's clear structure makes it easy to locate whichever statistics are required - although the small type may be a problem for those who are harder of sight. In addition, at only 320 pages it is relatively compact and lightweight, and its pocket-sized format means that this is an excellent companion for taking to matches.

Terrific, 10 Sep 2007
Well written, an infomation goldmine and almost impossible to put down.

Despite it's appearance it is not a heavy read and well worth keeping as the 'loo book'.

If you like your cricket this is all you need.

awesome, 02 Apr 2007
there's no finer book about cricket. great writing by the finest journalists, athers on warne, parkie on truman plus brilliant, brilliant insights from engel, barnes et al. the sort of book you'd have to pack as your desert island choice. plenty of stats, much humour, quintessentially english - wisden is the purest distillation of cricket. a work of genius.

Wisden Bowls Everyone Over Once Again, 29 Mar 2007
This is the second year that Wisden as been published in the large format, and this like last years addition is absolutely great. It is far easier to read and collectible than the normal-sized Wisden. This Wisden also features full coverage of the Ashes late last year-early this year, along with England's surprising one-day series truimph in Oz. This is a well and truelly great edition, a must for all cricket fans.

Amazon.co.uk are doing an incredible job by selling this at a bargain price and should be congratulated. Superb!

Cricket is England's greatest accomplishment, 28 Mar 2007
I know that cricket is not considered to be the trendyist of past-times but as a born and bred Englishman I must say that there is something uniquely English about cricket. This book is just great and I sat for hours reading it in the pub with a lovely pint of stout.

Greatest, greatest, greatest, 13 Apr 2006
For me, the title says it all. Sachin is simply the world's greatest batsman, and a personal hero for me and many hundreds of millions of fellow Indian cricket fans. As a cricketer he has no equal, but just as attractive for me is the shy demeanour, boyish smile, and small but perfectly formed athletes body. I would gladly sacrifice all of my wordly possessions for a chance to meet him in the flesh, but until then I will just have to make do with this wonderful book and its full colour photos. Luckily for me it isn't too heavy to hold with just one hand.

The Indian legend, 04 Mar 2006
Sachin: is a very interesting and informative autiobigraphy about the the world greatest batman, who is the next Bradman, the Australian legend. An interesting account is provided into his early childhood and his early days into how he achieved his status as the world greatest batman. I found the book fascinating to read and would truly recommend it to anyone who has an interest in cricket like myself.

Very informative, 02 Jul 2003
I usually dont read sports biographies because thye can be really boring but this book is very interesting and is full of interesting statistics. It covers everything from Tendulkar's debut in 1989 right up to England's most recent tour of India. Its a very good read...

Very informative, 02 Jul 2003
I usually dont read sports biographies because thye can be really boring but this book is very interesting and is full of interesting statistics. It covers everything from Tendulkar's debut in 1989 right up to England's most recent tour of India. Its a very good read...

Surprisingly readable, 04 Dec 2006
I like to think of myself as pretty knowledgeable about all things cricket, but when a friend gave me this I found all sorts of gaps (thanks for filling them in Wisden)! It would be a great gift for the cricket lover as it combines Wisden's authority with Patrick Eager's great photos.
A 'zooter,' what the hell's a zooter?

Good review, 21 Apr 2006
As a wisden collector this is a very good book to have. This is especially a good book to have because it reviews the winning ashes series from last year

An old friend, 26 May 2008
While other traditions are undermined and cheapened all around us, Wisden never lets us down. My wife thinks I'm a sad git reading a thousand pages of cricket scorecards, but I don't care. You can lose yourself in Wisden for hours on end, from excellent leading articles, through endless stats and records, through obscure cards and obituaries to quirky little reports of cricket related oddities from around the world.

Never afraid to say it as it is, Wisden's journalistic standards remain very high and it is an annual joy to see the familiar yellow jacket arrive in the spring.

Pure heaven.

Buy this!, 11 Apr 2008
Is there anything left to say about Wisden? The 2008 issue has a new editor in Scyld Berry but apart from that, it's as you would expect.
The writers aren't slow in dishing out brickbats where due - the dreadful 2007 World Cup in particular, or praising things that work - the 2007 World Twenty 20.

The only abberation I have found is the missing attendance figure for the Friends Provident Trophy Final. What I've always found strange is that whilst gate figures are given for domestic Test Matches, One Day Internationals and Twenty20 Cup games, they're missing from all other matches. Why not publish attendances for all domestic matches and those abroad, where known? Are they really that embarrass