Booth, Lawrence – The Bell Bookshop

Wisden cricketers’ almanack 2025

Emma — Thu, 24 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0000

*Standard hardback edition*

The most famous sports book in the world, Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack has been published every year since 1864.

Home to some of the finest sports writing of the year, in this edition: Gideon Haigh reflects on the latest Australia v India series, Scyld Berry pays tribute to James Anderson, following his retirement, and Derek Underwood and Graham Thorpe are remembered by Mike Brearley and Alec Stewart – their former Test captains and friends. Wisden also considers cricket’s deepening reliance on artificial intelligence, and whether the game can ever thrive in the USA.

As usual, Wisden includes the thought-provoking Notes by the Editor, the Cricketers of the Year awards, and the authoritative obituaries. There are reports and scorecards for every Test, together with forthright opinion, compelling features and comprehensive records.

“There can’t really be any doubt about the cricket book of the year, any year: it’s obviously Wisden.” Andrew Baker, The Daily Telegraph

@WisdenAlmanack

Bazball

Emma — Thu, 04 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

For 145 years, Test cricket had been played mainly in one way, but the old ways weren’t working. After one win in 17 by the start of the summer of 2022, England needed something new.

Then came ‘Bazball’, driven by new head coach Brendon (‘Baz’) McCullum and captain Ben Stokes. They embarked on a brand of Test cricket that breathed life into an ailing format, breaking records as they began by winning 11 out 13 games. The once rudderless and ridiculed England Test team soon became cricket’s most talked-about phenomenon.

Told via a mixture of interviews with the protagonists and ringside reporting, Bazball is an unmissable read, marking one of the most thrilling revolutions in any sport. Updated to include England’s challenging tour of India, this new edition looks ahead to the next era of Bazball.

Wisden cricketers’ almanack 2024

Emma — Thu, 18 Apr 2024 00:00:00 +0000

*Standard hardback edition*

The most famous sports book in the world, Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack has been published every year since 1864.

Highlights from this year’s edition include Gideon Haigh on the men’s Ashes, former England captain Mike Brearley on the captaincy of Ben Stokes, Jonathan Liew on the departure of Stuart Broad, Michael Collins on English cricket’s equity problem, as well as articles by Ebony Rainford-Brent, Emma John, Harry Pearson, Sir Hilary Beckles and many more of the world’s best sportswriters.

As usual, Wisden includes the thought-provoking Notes by the Editor, the famous Cricketers of the Year awards, and the authoritative obituaries. And, as ever, there are reports and scorecards for every Test, together with forthright opinion, compelling features and comprehensive records.

“There can’t really be any doubt about the cricket book of the year, any year: it’s obviously Wisden.” Andrew Baker in The Daily Telegraph

@WisdenAlmanack

Bazball

Emma — Thu, 26 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0000

A TIMES, GUARDIAN, TELEGRAPH AND WATERSTONES BEST SPORT BOOK OF THE YEAR‘Gripping’ Roger Alton, Sunday TimesThe inside story of how England transformed the way Test cricket is played.After one win in 17 by the start of the summer of 2022, England needed something new. For 145 years, Test cricket was played mainly in one way: batters laid a foundation before daring to attack – and, even then, only if circumstances were favourable. Bowlers tried to bowl maidens, calculating that they would eventually force an error. But the old ways weren’t working.Then came ‘Bazball’, driven by new head coach in Brendon (‘Baz’) McCullum and captain Ben Stokes. What followed was one of the most thrilling revolutions in any sport, as a rudderless and ridiculed England Test team became – almost overnight – cricket’s most talked-about phenomenon. They embarked on a brand of Test cricket that breathed life into an ailing format, breaking records as they went on to win 11 out 13 Tests before taking on world champions Australia in a dramatic Ashes contest that ended 2-2.Lawrence Booth and Nick Hoult, two of the game’s most respected writers, had a ringside seat for all the action. Their book will reveal how Bazball swept the England dressing room and transformed the team’s fortunes. Told via a mixture of interviews with the protagonists and insights gathered by the authors during their own close-up reporting, Bazball is an unmissable read. As Rob Key said after he appointed McCullum: ‘Buckle up and get ready for the ride.’

Wisden cricketers’ almanack 2023

Emma — Thu, 20 Apr 2023 00:00:00 +0000

It is a book of three parts: comment; record; and delightful minutiae, which always brings the most cheer. – Mike Atherton, The TimesThe publication of Wisden is cricket’s equivalent of the state opening of Parliament. It’s another great edition. – Oborne and Heller on Cricket podcastThe pages are stacked full of information, quirks and great analysis of the game, as well as being a wonderful record. – Alison Mitchell, BBC World Service Stumped*Standard hardback edition*The 160th edition of the most famous sports book in the world – published every year since 1864 – contains some of the world’s finest sports writing. It reflects on the extraordinary life of Shane Warne, who died far too early in 2022, and looks back at another legendary bowler, S. F. Barnes, on the 150th anniversary of his birth. Wisden also reports on England’s triumph at the T20 World Cup, to go alongside their 2019 ODI success, and on their Test team’s thrilling rejuvenation under Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes.Writers include Lawrence Booth, Gideon Haigh, James Holland, Jonathan Liew, Emma John, David Frith, Simon Wilde, Jon Hotten, Robert Winder, Tanya Aldred and Neil Harvey, the last survivor from Australia’s famous 1948 Ashes tour of England. As usual, Wisden includes the eagerly awaited Notes by the Editor, the Cricketers of the Year awards, and the obituaries. And, as ever, there are reports and scorecards for every Test, together with forthright opinion, compelling features and comprehensive records.”There can’t really be any doubt about the cricket book of the year, any year: it’s obviously Wisden” Andrew Baker in The Daily Telegraph @WisdenAlmanack

Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack 2022

Emma — Thu, 21 Apr 2022 00:00:00 +0000

*Standard hardback edition*The 159th edition of the most famous sports book in the world – published every year since 1864 – contains some of the world’s finest sports writing, and reflects on a year when Azeem Rafiq forced the sport to examine, more painfully than ever, its attitude to racism. The launch of The Hundred gave a huge boost to the women’s game while raising many questions about the men’s. Then, in the last two months of the year, Australia’s men won the World T20 and retained the Ashes.Writers include Lawrence Booth, Stephen Fry, Mike Atherton, Gideon Haigh, Henry Blofeld, Vic Marks, Tanya Aldred, Andy Bull, Tim de Lisle, Emma John and Scyld Berry. As usual, Wisden includes the eagerly awaited Notes by the Editor, the Cricketers of the Year awards, and the famous obituaries. And, as ever, there are reports and scorecards for every Test, together with forthright opinion, compelling features and comprehensive records.”There can’t really be any doubt about the cricket book of the year, any year: it’s obviously Wisden” Andrew Baker in The Daily Telegraph @WisdenAlmanack

Wisden cricketers’ almanack 2021

Emma — Thu, 08 Apr 2021 00:00:00 +0000

*Standard hardback edition*The 158th edition of the most famous sports book in the world – published every year since 1864 – contains some of the world’s finest sports writing, and reflects on an unprecedented year dominated by the Covid-19 pandemic. Writers include Lawrence Booth, Sir Garfield Sobers, Ebony Rainford-Brent, Gideon Haigh, Andy Zaltzman, Tom Holland, Duncan Hamilton, Robert Winder, Matthew Engel, Scyld Berry, Derek Pringle, Jack Leach and James Anderson. As usual, Wisden includes the eagerly awaited Notes by the Editor, the Cricketers of the Year awards, and the famous obituaries. And, as ever, there are reports and scorecards for every Test, together with forthright opinion, compelling features and comprehensive records.”There can’t really be any doubt about the cricket book of the year, any year: it’s obviously Wisden” Andrew Baker in The Daily Telegraph @WisdenAlmanack