David Frith

A sombre topic to be sure but David Frith is an engaging author who respectively covers the lives and deaths of cricketers, umpires and writers since the early days of the game. "By his own hand" is an update of Frith's earlier book "Silence of the heart" and besides adding some new names to the roll of cricketing suicides, Frith speaks from the heart about his own battles with demons.

very well-researched account of this great test series. Very readable, unusual information ["Those who watched and Waited" ; "what became of them"], excellent selection of phots. Probably deserves more stars than I've given it.

A romp through some of the fastest bowlers of all time, "The Fast Men" doesn't give us any great insights into what makes a great fast bowler (besides bowling fast) but does remind us that players dating from the nineteenth century could still bowl quicker than batsmen would like and adds to the respect I have for batsmen of yore who faced 150+Km/hr thunderballs without helmets or other protective gear.

Long and detailed i confess i got bogged down somewhat in the middle but nontheless surely the most comprehensive account of cricket's most notorious series that threatened diplomatic relations between the imperial nation and its dominion. Led by the haughty Jardine England set about trying to neuter Bradman to regain the Ashes using leg theory with fast bowler Douglas Jardine. England won by 4 1 and the Australians are still whining nearly 90 years later. The MCC left in a difficult show more position eventually agreed to its being outlawed. show less