Ashes anxiety?...
A bit of bother “Down Under?”…
Constantly fantasising about cricket?...
Then here’s Doctor Grace’s casebook…
Are you like me?
Troubled by events ‘Down Under’?...
Worried about the old ‘Bodyline’?...
Tense?
Nervous?
Headache?...
Can’t sleep?
Regularly need to get up in the middle of the night to listen to Test Match Special?...
Then Doctor Blogbrary has a remedy; he has consulted with his old pal Dr. Grace and he recommends a good dose of Ashes cricket books to ease your pain…
Specifically, try a little tincture of Harold Larwood, or a beef broth of Botham....if that doesn’t work, just glug down some Fiery Fred. Once you’re on the mend, you could even treat yourself to a little fatty batter?...
Just to stick to good, plain English fare…
What can those Aussie flying doctors offer in return? Priscilla the Queen of the Desert? Pah!
If you still can’t sleep, though, do as I do and draw up your own imaginary Ashes ‘dream team’ (in batting order, naturally)
“ENGLAND’S FINEST” –MY HEROES XI
Dame Judi Dench
Geoffrey “Boycott” Chaucer
Mr Len Goodman
Queen Boudicca
Sergeant Wilson (Captain)
Georgina, Duchess of Devonshire
JRR Tolkien
Mr Alan Knott (wk)
Phillip (“Wayne”) Larkin
Delia (“MJK”) Smith
“Field Marshal” Monty Panesar
“ANTIPODEAN STROLLERS” ~ AN AUSSIE XI
Jason
Kylie
“Alligator” Irwin
Mr R Harris
Mr N Kelly
Mr C James (wk)
Mr C R Horwood (retired hurt)
Ms Dannii Minogue (Captain)
“Dame” Edna"
Mr Blue Kangaroo
Mr P Andre
Well, dear reader, although I am constrained by the strict limits of impartiality & confidentiality , I think I know who I favour..."For England, Kent County Cricket Club, Freddie, and Saint George”…Let battle commence!
And, if all else fails, and we’re facing a particularly ‘sticky wicket’, then just click HERE
As ever, your comments, cricket-themed remedies, or team selections are always welcome, via the comments box down under.
TTFN
As ever, your comments, cricket-themed remedies, or team selections are always welcome, via the comments box down under.
TTFN
20 comments:
I'm sorry to say that cricket bores me stupid. All that strolling around and taking time out for tea and cucumber sandwiches. If only they hurried it up a bit, it would all be over in half the time.
Give me a sport with a bit more sweat and energy involved - tennis, athletics, volley ball. Anything but cricket!
Apologies, Blogbrary!
I feel better already! After Day 1 it seemed a long - dark winter ahead - but I now have the warmth of a world of reading to keep my spirits glowing! Excellent stuff!
Glad to have been of bibiographical service!
And, trust me, all shall be well, I remain supremely confident of ultimate victory.
TTFN
Alas, I know nothing about cricket. The appeal always escaped me.
"The appeal always escapes you?"...
How's that?
Yo Blogbarian!
Don't forget about Wisden, the 'Bible of Cricket', with its distinctive yellow cover and 1000+ pages of information (definitely one to 'dip into'). I wonder if Bexley has a copy of all 147 Almanacks...?
Dear correspondent
Thank you for your recent posting. Yes, we do have a good selection of Wisdens (from 1948 onwards) in our reference library in Bexleyheath…A wonderful resource!
PS ~ this is the first time I have been addressed as ‘Yo, Blogbrarian’ and I confess I was somewhat startled by it…However, I am now coming to terms withthis new nomenclature, and will endeavour to keep more up with the times and be a `groovy hep-cat` in future.
PPS ~ can any other correspondents recommend other books to enlighten those readers yet to discover the joy of willow on leather? Your suggestions are always welcome.
TTFN
You wanted some books to try?
There’s - Caught - the full story of cricket's match-fixing scandal /Simon Wilde.
KP cricket genius? : the biography of Kevin Pietersen - Veysey, Wayne
You want the pin-up glamour boys biogs – the people non-cricketers would have heard of – and then things on the business side – scandal etc. maybe? Try. Rogues, rotters, rascals and cheats
Howzat?
Actually I 've always fancied the idea of cricket on the village green, warm sunny days and cricket teas.......
517 for 1 - what a way to wake up. Andrew Strauss has obviously been reading Mike Brearley's The art of captaincy (or listening to Geoffrey...)
Hmmmm, not sure what to recommend here…
Well, I’ve seen a rather racy-looking novel called `24 for 3` by Jennie Walker (who, I suspect, might possibly be a LADY authoress writing about cricket…whatever next!)
Or, for a more thorough understanding of our bucolic summer game, you could take a look at `A Last English Summer`, by Duncan Hamilton (who, I suspect, is not a lady…)
Hope that’s of help? Many thanks,
TTFN
In reply to Janice's comment:
Does she REALLY consider Mike brearly to be a more tactically astute cricket captain than Danii Minogue?...
This "cricket" of which you speak, I don't really know too much about it, but I think our council filters would not like the phrase "the joy of willow on leather". Clearly a decadent Southern interpretation of the hard-slogging matches played by grittier Northern folk.
Cricket is the best sport in the world! It given us some of the great characters; Sir Ian Botham,Sir Geoffrey, "Freddies" Trueman and Flintoff, TMS. Great language- silly point, corridor of uncertainty, playing through the V, bowling in good areas etc. What about sledging? There must be a book about TMS or Crickets funniest sledges?
Again, "corridor of uncertainty" is a phrase to which our stern Northern filters may object. Not to mention leg before wicket - and as for bowling a maiden over...!
Again, thank you for all your comments…
Ever anxious to please, I think I have some more book suggestions in reply…
Re Test Match Special…Try ‘From Arlott to Aggers:40 years of TMS’ or ‘Inside the Box’ by TMS producer Peter Baxter…For humour, then Brian Johnston’s ‘Wit of Cricket’ would hit the spot?
And lastly…Wow, this sounds good – from the introduction to Duncan Hamilton’s ‘A Last English Summer’ – he describes his grand-dad’s profound influence on his young life: “ He gave me a love of cricket and of libraries”.
Now, what more could a young fellow want in life?...
I'd like to recommend 'Beyond a Boundary' by CLR James; not only a book about cricket, but an insight into the history and politics of the West Indies, written an author who witnessed the development of cricket in the Caribbean and the burgeoning respect which West Indian cricketers attracted.
Thanks, Janis ~ that’s a good point, and a great book. (I don’t think we’ve got one in stock at present, but we’ll see if we can get a copy)…It reminds us why cricket is much, much more than a game…
Following Mr Pontings outburst at the 4th Ashes test at the MCG, I find it quite difficult not to draw comparisons between this and the Mike Gatting /Shakoor Rana incident at Faislabad in 1987. This was one of the most controversial affairs in the history of cricket. Is there an objective book available written about this or the ill fated tour? Incidentally Mike Gatting skippered the last successful England team to win the Ashes in Australia before the current teams brilliant achievement.
Dear anonymous ~
Thanks for this…Books about Mike Gatting?...`Fatty Batter’, perhaps?
He has written an autobiography, `Leading from the Front’ although it’s out of print now…I don’t think there’s a book published about the Faisalabad incident, though…too controversial?
Anyway, Happy New year to you, and Mr Ponting…
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