Sport - Cricket

This book shows how and why cricket developed in NZ and how its character changed across time, its relation to diverse patterns of European settlement, its relationship to social class, the school system, and the relationship with Australian cricket. Greg shows how the cricketing experience here was quite different from that of other colonies. First published 2004.

Howzat! presents the best of Paddles

One of cricket's free spirits, Nathan Astle became a lively allrounder at Test and one-day level without losing his breezy confidence. He began at Canterbury as a no-account batsman and the most parismonious of medium-paced bowlers, but his batting developed quickly. After becoming a free-scoring one-day player Astle was turned by the national coach Glenn Turner into a first-rate Test top-order batsman, with consecutive hundreds in West Indies in 1995-96. He ripped up the record books with his 222 against England, at Christchurch i... read more

Two events, continents apart and spread over three days, merged into a moment of profound drama which has echoed through time on New Zealand. They were a cricket Test in South Africa and the railway disaster at Tangiwai, which claimed the life of the fiancee of a New Zealand player. The rip tide of emotion that was unleashed gave rise to a legend, now preserved for posterity by a skilled writer who has meticulously recreated the drama.

"The Know the Game Skills" series is the perfect introduction to a sport for every budding player. Each book aims to teach young players the basic skills they need to start enjoying their sport - by giving plenty of simple practice drills and showing how the star players do it. "Cricket: Batting" aims to teach the basic skills needed to become successful with the bat. It teaches young players how to: control the bat; face a bowler; play various shots; read a bowler; understand the field; and run between the wickets. Clearly illustr... read more

Profiles 100 of New Zealand's finest cricketers, from 1886 to 2008, with the accent on more recent players. The first player profiled is Leonard Cuff, a New Zealand captain and opening batsman in the 19th century. Cuff won fame as the founder of the Olympic movement in Australasia, but was also an important player in New Zealand's early cricket history. From Cuff, to modern greats such as Stephen Fleming, Daniel Vettori, Brendon McCulllum and Shane Bond, Cricket Portraits takes readers on an enjoyable journey through New Zealand cr... read more

Batting, bowling and betting...Wright pulls no punches. Former New Zealand test cricket opener John Wright was appointed coach of the Indian cricket team in 2000. Against all predictions Wright - the first foreigner ever appointed to the position - held that position almost unchallenged throughout four successful, but often-turbulent years. In that time Wright was privy to the inner workings of Indian cricket and in this book he offers unique perspectives on the game that captivates a nation of one billion people. Throughout his... read more

They are the masters of deception, the jokers in the pack; illusionists conjuring wickets out of thin air with nothing more than an ambled approach and a wonky grip. Not for them the brutish physicality of the pace bowler nor the reactive slogging of the batsman. Theirs is a more cerebral art. They stand alone in a team sport. They are Twirlymen. Having himself failed through a combination of injury and indolence to become a leg-spinner of renown Amol Rajan pays homage to that most eccentric of all sporting heroes – the spin... read more

'Freddie' Flintoff is perhaps the best-known cricketer in the world. Widely considered the greatest English all-rounder since Ian Botham, Flintoff is currently the most effective fast-bowler in the England side, and can also totally dominate with the bat -- bars at cricket grounds immediately empty the moment he approaches the wicket. It was victory in the 2005 Ashes series that cemented Flintoff's place at the nation's heart, with his stunning performances helping ensure the Ashes were regained for the first time in eighteen years... read more

The creator of Peter Pan, J.M. Barrie, was a hugely enthusiastic cricketer of very little talent. That didn't stop him from leading perhaps the most extraordinary amateur cricket team ever to have taken the field. Some of the twentieth century's most famous writers including A. A. Milne, P. G. Wodehouse and Jerome K. Jerome, regularly turned out for Barrie's team between 1890 and 1913. This very Edwardian vision of village cricket was only brought to an end by the First World War. Those years of golden summers were recounted in Bar... read more

"Coaching Youth Cricket" features explanations, photos, and illustrations depicting the various drills and skills of cricket, including fielding, bowling, and batting. Also included are chapters devoted to helping coaches communicate with players, understanding rules and equipment, keeping practices fun and motivating, ensuring safety, and teaching cricket skills. Written by renowned cricket expert Ian Pont, "Coaching Youth Cricket" will enable coaches at all levels to fulfill their responsibility to nurture and develop young crick... read more

Described as the greatest character (and possibly the richest) in NZ Cricket history, Tom Lowry remains a seminal figure in the development of our national summer sport. This, big raw-boned cricketer was our first test captain, led the first two touring teams to England and managed the third. Before representing NZ he captained Cambridge University, played for Somerset and toured his home country with an MCC side. Outside cricket he became an airforce pilot at the end of WW1, ran one of the best sheep stations and horse studs in Ne... read more

By the turn of the 21st century the baggy green had become a national icon - a symbol of Australian sporting excellence and a highly sought-after item of memorabilia. This book charts the evolution of the baggy green with reflections from many past and present test players, and inside information from the world's leading auction houses.

Almost 2500 men have appeared in Test cricket, from the inaugural Test played in March 1877 to today. To reduce this task to the best 100 is an imposing task, but it is also one that is guaranteed to provoke debate among those with an eye for the game's history and its greatest players. In "The 100 Greatest Cricketers", experienced sportswriter and publisher Geoff Armstrong has compared eras, analysed career records, sifted through fact and fiction - and enjoyed much discussion and debate with colleagues and friends - to ... read more

Covers international as well as domestic cricket including State Championship, State Shield, State Twenty20, State League, Hawke Cup and age-group cricket. This almanac also includes a records section and a collection of the season's happenings.

Dan Vettori took over from Stephen Fleming as New Zealand's one-day captain at the start of the 2007-08 season. It is hard to believe, though, that the 28-year-old has been on the international scene now for 11 seasons. The youngest man to play Test cricket for New Zealand, at the age of 18, he sits beside Richard Hadlee and Chris Cairns as New Zealanders to take 200 Test wickets and score 2000 runs.

"Cricket: Steps to Success" contains progressive instruction for comprehensive coverage of individual skills, techniques and the fundamentals of team play. With "Cricket: Steps to Success", the reader will learn the proper techniques of batting, bowling, fielding and wicket-keeping. Through clear, detailed instruction, full-colour photos and illustrations and 71 of the game's best drills, players will develop each skill and identify and correct common flaws in technique, assess their abilities and gauge progress. Once the fundament... read more

The 64th edition of the New Zealand Cricket Almanack records all the details of another busy year of cricket at all levels. The Black Caps began their build-up for the World Cup with a one-day tri-series in Sri Lanka in August and followed this with a one-day series in Bangladesh in October. They returned to the subcontinent in November for tests and one-dayers against India and then hosted Pakistan for two tests, six one-day internationals and three Twenty20 internationals. New Zealand then returned to India for the World Cup in F... read more