The Reduced History of Cricket: The Story of the Noble Game of Bat and Ball Squeezed Into 100 Runs
A lot of leather has "plunk-plicked" against willow since cricket was first played on the village greens of Olde England, but this doughty little book heroically manages to capture the true essence of the noble ball game in just 100 run-grabbing moments (plus a few extras for overthrows). This is the story of cricket as it has never been told before: a well tossed-up compilation of surreal match reports, spoof correspondence and quirky cartoons. From a Great Victorian refusing to walk (even though his bails have been knocked off by the bowler) to modern-day sledgers playing pyjama cricket under floodlights, the game's towering achievements, hilarious happenings and ludicrous coincidences are entertainingly recalled.