CRICKET BOOKS

Cricket is coming. After the long hiatus that followed the end of the 2018 county cricket season, it’s not long before Yorkshire County Cricket Club begin at Weetwood against Leeds Bradford MCCU.

For those of us who pine for the return of domestic cricket, there are staging posts along the way.

Fixtures out? Tick. New signings announced? Tick.

Watching bulletins from Yorkshire’s pre-season tour to South Africa is to appreciate that a massive year for Yorkshire cricket is almost upon us. From the County Championship to the ICC World Cup and Ashes Test, there’s undoubtedly something for everyone.

Yearbook yardstick

To whet the appetite, there is a superbly compiled hardback cricket book unveiled annually that looks both back and forwards.

Now reaching its 121st edition, the Yorkshire County Cricket Club Yearbook has blasted to its century and shows no signs of stopping. For the Yorkshire cricket fan, it is a feast of reports, scorecards, articles and photography.

The 2019 Yearbook, priced £14.99, is officially out on 2 April 2019 but Yorkshire members can see a copy at the Yorkshire CCC AGM this Saturday 23 March.

What’s inside?

• Full review of the 2018 season
• Extensive Championship and one-day match reports and scorecards
• Match Factfiles
• Yorkshire Seconds and Academy review and scorecards
• Yorkshire Diamonds women’s cricket team review and averages
• Farewell to Jack Brooks, Liam Plunkett, Andrew Hodd and Alex Lees – feature
• Obituaries section, including BBC ball-by-ball commentator, Dave Callaghan
• Cricket after the First World War – Feature
• Fifty Years Ago – Feature
• Yorkshire President’s Gold Award winners – Feature
• Wandering around former county grounds – Feature
• Geoff Cope nominated as Yorkshire President – Feature
• All Club and Player Records updated
• Full fixtures for 2019 

Yorkshire CCC Yearbook Editor David Warner had this to say:

“The Yearbook tries to keep apace of all modern trends in the game but it is also mindful of Yorkshire’s history as is reflected in the 2019 edition with articles by Tony Bradbury on how the County fared both 100 and 50 years ago. The summer of 1919 was the first after the First World War and Yorkshire finished top of the Championship table. Fifty years later, they were blunt in the Championship but sharp in the Gillette.”

He added: “This coming season is one of massive importance for Emerald Headingley both at county and international level but only time will tell if the surge of optimism throughout the Club proves to be justified.”

The 121st edition of the Yorkshire County Cricket Club’s Yearbook is available for £14.99 from Great Northern Books.

It’s a faithful companion to thumb through; a compendium of all the matches and another sign that much more cricket is just around the corner.

I’m delighted that my Scarborough Cricket Festival book called Last of the Summer Wickets is now available to pre-order via Great Northern Books.

It will be out in June 2019 but there’s an opportunity to buy a limited-edition, hardback copy, if you’d like to treat yourself or gift a book.

Pre-order now, and as well as a signed copy, your chosen name will be included in the back of the printed book.

The Scarborough Cricket Festival has made for a compelling subject. We are firmly in an age where T20 dominates the cricket agenda and yet there is an enormously popular cricket tradition that endures on the Yorkshire coast dating back to 1876.

I spent the best part of a week in the town around the 2018 Scarborough Cricket Festival talking to fans, players and those who have been coming to Scarborough to watch county cricket for decades.

What’s included?

It is written in the style of my first book, All Wickets Great and Small, with travel writing at its core so expect as much about the quality of the fish and chips and the conversations I have as the action over the three and a bit days.

I want you to feel the sand between your toes and be transported back to the wooden benches of the Popular Bank and the roar that ignites to spur Yorkshire on.

While not a history book, it has lots of stories of historical matches included. It would be hard not to look back at some of the famous matches, players and performances that form much of the magic at North Marine Road.

Apart from my observations during the Scarborough Cricket Festival itself, I’ve interviewed many to tease out the stories, including…

Geoffrey Boycott re-lives his final Yorkshire match at Scarborough, Darren Lehmann is full of tales about his exploits on and off the field and Jason Gillespie speaks of what Scarborough Cricket Festival means to him.

From B&Bs to chippies who rely on the cricket to the perspective of Jim, Chief Executive of Scarborough Borough Council and the business of doing business; from the tales that flow from ardent Yorkshire fans to the personal accounts of life in the press box with Chris Waters and David Hopps, this is a must-read… but then I would say that!

PRE-ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY!

To pre-order a hardback copy of my Scarborough Cricket Festival book, visit the Great Northern Books page. You’ll be one of a select few to have your name in the book itself and will be sent a signed copy on its publication.

If you want to gift it to someone else, the publisher will send out a pdf certificate to print and give as a present.

JOIN THE NEWSLETTER LIST

If you want to hear about what it’s been like to research and write this book, be the first to see the new cover reveal, see exclusive photography and stories before anyone else – sign up!

**This is separate to Cricket Yorkshire’s regular list. It is only relating to the Scarborough Cricket festival book – but I have lots of content and it will be plenty of fun!

LIMITED EDITION HARDBACK

– Bookplate signed by the author

– The name of your choice printed in the list of supporters at the back of the book. (Don’t forget to include the name in the ‘dedications’ note box at checkout)

– Advance orders will receive a confirmation certificate – ideal for gifting

Publication June 2019

FREE UK DELIVERY

£17.99 including UK delivery.

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