John Edrich: An opener by chance – Almanack
"Few opening batsmen hit the ball as hard as Edrich"
"Few opening batsmen hit the ball as hard as Edrich"
“I went to say no which I appreciate wasn’t very mature.”
"It was the best county team I think I’ve ever seen"
"I think we just got sick of people not taking us seriously"
"When he was at his best, no one was more difficult to play under conditions favourable to batting"
"No other bowler has taken more than 17 wickets in a first-class match, let alone in a Test match"
“Saqlain wasn’t just an overseas player, he was a Surrey player”
"The round of friendlies this summer doesn't go far enough. We don't need friendlies"
"Your career is in your hands. At this moment in time, it is not"
“I would compare him to Jimmy Anderson of modern bowlers, but Peter would have been quicker and also more accurate"
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.