Rich in history and tradition, cricket is both quintessentially English and expansively international, a game that has evolved and changed dramatically in recent times. This book presents a global view of cricket's complicated development, its controversies and iconic personalities, providing a rich insight into a unique sporting and cultural heritage.

Cricket: a chronology; Introduction Anthony Bateman and Jeffrey Hill; 1. Cricket pastoral and Englishness Anthony Bateman; 2. Cricket in the eighteenth century Rob Light; 3. Cricket and corruption David Frith; 4. Broadcasting and cricket in England Jack Williams; 5. Bodyline, Jardine and masculinity Patrick F. McDevitt; 6. Don Bradman: just a boy from Bowral Tom Heenan and David Dunstan; 7. The Packer cricket war Richard Cashman; 8. New Zealand cricket and the colonial relationship Greg Ryan; 9. C. L. R. James and cricket Kenneth Surin; 10. Reading Brian Lara and the traditions of Caribbean cricket poetry Claire Westall; 11. The detachment of West Indies cricket from the nationalist scaffold Hilary McD. Beckles; 12. The Indian Premier League and world cricket Boria Majumdar; 13. Hero, celebrity and icon: Sachin Tendulkar and Indian public culture Prashant Kidambi; 14. Conflicting loyalties: nationalism and religion in India-Pakistan cricket relations Mihir Bose; 15. Cricket and representations of beauty: Newlands cricket ground and the roots of apartheid in South African cricket Andre Odendaal; 16. Writing the modern game Rob Steen; 17. Cricket and international politics Stephen Wagg and Jon Gemmell; Further reading.

'Written by the best intellects working on the subject, the Cambridge Companion takes cricket analysis to another level.' Ravi Shastri, former India captain and commentator'Well researched and argued, this is a must read for any cricket enthusiast.' Geoff Marsh, former Australian international and coach'This is a welcome addition to the existing corpus of literature on cricket. It fills some very important gaps and is eminently readable.' Jagmohan Dalmiya, former President of the International Cricket Council'... the really serious cricket fan will be bowled over by this book (sorry!) while casual readers will almost certainly find at least a few chapters on their specific interests really compelling.' The Bookbag'Some of the essays in this volume take the breath away ... a groundbreaking and exciting volume ... a joyful and profound contribution to cricketing literature.' The Telegraph'This book, a collection of essays united by little more than skilful writing and authority, accomplishes a dual task: it makes the familiar unfamiliar and vice-versa ... Reading the essays in any order is a rewarding experience.' ESPNCricInfo.com'... will interest the serious student of the game ... well researched and intelligently written.' Sixtyplussurfers (sixtyplusurfers.co.uk)'An important addition to the small but scholarly body of work that has enriched cricket writing ... the anthology helps unmask the myriad aspects of cricket, which, to quote a cliche, is more than a game.' The Telegraph (India)'Most revealing about the history of cricket.' The Times Literary Supplement'[A] rewarding read and a valuable snapshot view of world cricket.' Australian Book Review'Cerebral, deep and insightful.' All Out Cricket'Impressively, the collection regularly delves into the sport's copious and diverse literature. ... undoubtedly contributes to this social heritage. ... written mainly by academics but is devoid of language that leaves you reaching for the dictionary and is priced so that it can be read outside of the university library.' The Morning Star'... manages to be both a serious academic contribution to the literature of the subject and an entertaining read - even for those who ... are not close followers of the game.' The Independent'This Companion is to be welcomed because it provides a succession of informed insights into the current state of play ... it is clear that sports historians in general and cricket historians in particular will find much that is interesting here and much to make them think.' Sport in History'Impressively, the collection regularly delves into the sport's copious and diverse literature.' Jon Gemmell, Cricket Web (www.cricketweb.net)