Wisden Almanack: Stop the Seventy Tour: Cancel – or be damned
"Passions were inflamed, families were divided, friendships destroyed"
"Passions were inflamed, families were divided, friendships destroyed"
“I’ll never in my life make way for that bugger”
"At the crease he stood impassively, cap at a rakish angle, knees slightly bent, chewing compulsively"
"Not even the Australian selectors could have imagined the success that their rookie would enjoy"
"A natural sportsman of rare talent"
"The crowd were stunned into anxious silence"
“It’s just as well this is your last Test, as it’s the last time I’ll have to play under you”
“He showed, without words or facial hair, how cricket could make you happy”
"Concentration, discipline, commitment and athleticism were the abiding virtues of his game"
"Cricket for juniors has to be played all year round”
The latest issue of Wisden Cricket Monthly, guest-edited by Isa Guha, out May 5:
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.
Cricket’s past is steeped in a tradition of great writing and Wisden is making sure its future will be too. The Nightwatchman is a quarterly collection of essays and long-form articles which debuted in March 2013 and is available in book and e-book formats.
Every issue features an array of authors from around the world, writing beautifully and at length about the game and its myriad offshoots.