News
Pat Rodgers and Peter Lloyd on the Golden Age of Cricket
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You can hear Pat Rodgers and Peter Lloyd discussing their recent work on Bert Folkard with Tom Ford on the Golden Age of Cricket podcast here.
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New from Geoff Armstrong: A Thing of Beauty
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Geoff Armstrong has written and published a new, two-volume history tracing the establishment and development of the Sydney Cricket Ground from 1851 to 1898. A Thing of Beauty is available from Stoke Hill Press here. Geoff explains:
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"It was all of seven years ago when I was invited to be involved in a mission to document the early history of the Sydney Cricket Ground. The ambition, I was informed, was not for a book about athletic feats and thrilling matches, but rather to recall the extraordinary work of the men who built the ground, the decisions they made and the people who were with them and against them.
"Initially, my task was to be the publisher, but eventually the role of author fell to me too. It was emphasised that no detail was to be considered too small, which meant the project was a mammoth one that has ended in two hardback volumes, released on 1 December 2025. A Thing of Beauty: The Founding of the Sydney Cricket Ground tells the tale from 1851 to 1890 and then from 1891 to 1898. It became something of a labour of love, as I sought to do justice to a small group of men who turned a field described by NSW and Australian batsman Alec Bannerman in 1877 as ‘primitive’ into — to quote Sir Donald Bradman — the ‘best cricket ground in the world’. The story is fascinating, full of wonderful characters, bitter conflicts and, from a researcher’s perspective, so many surprises. This is a story of sport, but not just about sport. The Cricket Ground evolved quickly from 1876 to 1898, and so too did the city of Sydney and the soon to be Commonwealth of Australia.
"When I started, I did not realise how few sporting fields existed in Sydney in the 1870s. Almost from day one, the Cricket Ground was the only major enclosed ground in the colony. The earliest games in Sydney were played at Hyde Park and the Domain, but this became unfeasible when local citizens objected to losing the little open ground they had. How Sydney became a sporting city when there were so few places to play is a miracle in itself. This monopoly gave the men who ran the ground enormous clout in Sydney’s sporting community, but also a huge responsibility and much to lose if they did not get it right. There is no question they rose to the challenge. Philip Sheridan, the Managing Trustee, is the central hero of the story, a giant yet under-appreciated figure in the history of sporting administration in Australia.
"The playing field was originally built in 1851 by soldiers on land 5km from Sydney Cove that was a mix of sandhills and swamp. It was hardly Lord’s or the MCG when the foundation Trustees were appointed 25 years later. One of the Trustees’ first acts was to establish a Ground Committee, which alongside Sheridan would devote countless hours to building the venue while the other Trustees largely took a back seat. Soon, they were at odds with the NSW Cricket Association, who believed the ground should have been theirs. Other sports wanted a say, as did politicians and bureaucrats. Relationships with cricketers from Victoria and England occasionally stretched near breaking point. Grandstands were built that have stood the test of time. By the late 1890s, it was accepted that Sydney had two landmarks that were the finest of their kind in the world. One was the natural beauty of Sydney Harbour. The other was the Sydney Cricket Ground.​"
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Coming soon from Red Rose Books: Billy Makin, Puzzles Aplenty
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Billy Makin, born in Bolton, Lancashire, lived most of his life in Sydney where he experienced triumph and failure. He was a brilliant student, a long-serving public servant, and an accomplished cricketer. His sudden rise, during which he played cricket twice for New South Wales, was followed by a dramatic loss in form and a troubled marriage. Makin’s long life was filled with “puzzles aplenty” which Pat Rodgers and James Rodgers have attempted to solve or explain in their new book, Billy Makin, Puzzles Aplenty.
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It's available from Red Rose Books from 12 December 2025, in a limited edition of 15 hardbacks (at £26) or in a soft cover edition (at £11).
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Coming in February 2026: something new from Peter Lloyd and Pat Rodgers
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Coming in February 2026 is a new book from Peter Lloyd and Pat Rodgers, Blue Caps to New Zealand: the New South Wales tour of 1923-24. The book explores the New South Wales team's visit in February and March 1924. The book includes forewords from Michael Punch (whose father Austin was one of the tourists) and Martin Snedden (whose grandfather Nessie captained Auckland against NSW). Hardcover copies of the book will be signed by the authors and the foreword writers. Here's a taste - Michael Punch's foreword.
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I’m delighted to have been asked to provide a family recollection, more than one hundred years after my father, Austin Punch, visited New Zealand as a member of the 1923–24 New South Wales cricket touring party to New Zealand. Reflecting on this episode in my father’s career and remembering his all-round cricketing talents in general brings me much happiness. Austin Punch played Club and State cricket from the age of 16 years until he retired at 39, soon after which he married his sweetheart, and my mother, Sylvia. The next fifty-two years of his life were focused primarily on raising a family and enjoying all that those moments entailed. He was especially keen on singing and roping us in around the piano which Mum played with much gusto. We were a closely knit lot as can be seen in this photo and the one over, from Dad’s photo album, a cherished heirloom. However, it was only in my father’s later years that my three brothers and I really appreciated all that he had achieved over his many years on the cricket field. In our research we found numerous North Sydney Cricket Club annual reports covering his 23-year grade playing career. In his first year at the club as a third-grader at the tender age of 16, he took 63 wickets, a feat which still remains a club record. As he rapidly rose in the ranks, his talent matched his growing maturity. By the time of retirement, he had amassed 9,075 first grade runs, a record total yet to be surpassed. In the process, he topped the Sydney’s first grade aggregate table on three occasions between 1917 and 1921. In recognition of his outstanding achievements, North Sydney established the Austin Punch Club in 2018–19 for those who score centuries in any grade. My brothers and I were delighted to attend the inaugural ceremony honouring Dad’s achievements and applauding the new members of the elite band. But the special item of memorabilia which has given us a deep insight into Dad’s time as a cricketer is a now yellowing scrapbook which he festooned with innumerable grade and State cricket scores, newspaper columns and original documents, together with photos covering his entire career. The New South Wales tour of New Zealand in 1923–24 is prominent in this regard. We found among the clippings, Arthur Mailey’s brilliant cartoon illustrating Warren Bardsley wandering for hours in the Island’s luxuriant gardens, Bert Oldfield squeezing into the smallest of team blazers, and Alan Kippax appreciating jazz on the dance floor as Austin’s fine voice “flooded the atmosphere” accompanied on piano by the equally exuberant Mick Bardsley. This and other cuttings clearly illustrate how very special this episode was to Dad. When pushed for more information, he would merely say that the marketing in each venue was “come and see the international batsmen W Bardsley, TJ Andrews, CG Macartney, A Kippax; and the bowlers – A Mailey and S Everett”. He knew his place among those cracks. He was truly a modest man. My father told us that the home teams would always bat first on the Friday, would generally be all out by stumps, and that the internationals would then entertain the boisterous crowds on the Saturday with magical displays with the willow. Against Otago, Dad opened with Macartney and in the pre-lunch session on Saturday both scored scintil lating centuries. It was only many years later I read that the pair had set a world record score in first-class cricket by both scoring a century in a session! Clearly it must have been a very special tour as they traversed the beauty of New Zealand, being feted by cricket and civil administrators and extolled by hordes of adoring crowds.
Michael Punch, Sydney, October 2025
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The Chappell Chronicles
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Now available is The Chappell Chronicles, a collaboration of Greg Chappell and Ken Piesse. It's in bookstores everywhere, and also from cricketbooks.com.au here.
Simon Wilde discusses Gilbert Jessop on Golden Age podcast
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Simon Wilde, the author of the recently-published Chasing Jessop, has joined Tom Ford's Golden Age of Cricket podcast for a three-part discussion of Gilbert Jessop. You can listen in here.
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Bob Simpson, 1936-2025
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Sydney Scribe, Kersi Meher-Homji, has written an obituary of Bob Simpson for the Sydney Morning Herald. It's online here. And Gideon Haigh's tribute on Cricket et Al is here.
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New Bert Oldfield book
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Ginniderra Press has published a new book by Gavin Gleeson on the life of Bert Oldfield. Bodyline Casualty: The Bert Oldfield Story explores "previously unknown details of his war service, his part in the Bodyline series, his role in the development of women’s cricket, his kind gesture to England captain Douglas Jardine, his testy relationship with Don Bradman and friendship with former combatant England fast bowler Harold Larwood as well as how the knocks he sustained on the battlefield and the cricket field may have contributed to his eventual death." It's available here.
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Ric Sissons on The Golden Age of Cricket
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You can hear Ric Sissons discussing his recent book (with Peter Schofield), Trumper Across the Tasman, on the Golden Age of Cricket podcast, here.
Red Rose Books publishing Charles Marriott biography
On 29 August, Red Rose Books will publish Father Marriott's Summer Holidays, Max Bonnell's new biography of the England leg-spinner Charles Marriott. Advance orders can be placed here.
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Marriott bowling in his one Test for England, against the West Indies at The Oval in 1933.
He took five for 37 and six for 59.
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Greg de Moore in conversation with Richard Cashman on 7 August
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Tickets and further information available here.
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Rick Smith on The Golden Age of Cricket
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Rick Smith joins Tom Ford on the Golden Age of Cricket podcast, discussing his work on the Trott brothers, here.
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Nathan Anderson on the history of St George
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Nathan Anderson has been writing on the history of the St George club on the Cric Connect platform. You can read his latest piece here.
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Tim Wigmore on the latest Golden Age of Cricket podcast
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English journalist Tim Wigmore is the author of the recently-published Test Cricket: A History. He joins Tom Ford on the Golden Age of Cricket podcast, and asks, was it really so golden after all? You can listen here.
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2 July 2025
A new book on Bert Folkard
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Sydney writers Pat Rodgers and Peter Lloyd have just published a new book on Bert Folkard, who played for New South Wales between 1910 and 1921.
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The book comes in a limited edition (of 50) hardback, numbered and signed by the authors, for $85, plus postage, and there are also signed unnumbered copies available for $50 plus postage. Copies can be obtained by contacting Peter Lloyd at peter.lloyd21@bigpond.com.
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Trumper across the Tasman
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Peter Schofield and Ric Sissons have published Trumper across the Tasman, an account of the 1913-14 private Australian tour of New Zealand, on which Victor Trumper made his last appearances in first-class cricket. It contains immaculate research and several photographs not previously published. It's a limited edition of 100, but copies are available from Roger Page. You can read Gideon Haigh's take on it here.
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New book: Pat Rodgers on Syd Emery
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A cricketer with the nickname "Mad Mick" must be worth a book. Pat Rodgers' latest biography explores the life of Syd Emery, who played for New South Wales and Australia just before the First World War. Details below.
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Bernard Whimpress OAM
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Bernard Whimpress has been awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in the recent King's Birthday Honours List. Bernard has published around twenty books on sports and cricket history, including (most recently) George Giffen, A Biography (2020), Adelaide University Cricket Club, A History (with Robert O'Shannassy, 2022) and Adelaide Oval, 1865-1939, A History (2022).
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New Golden Age podcast
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The latest podcast from The Golden Age of Cricket is available now. You can hear Tom Ford discuss the 1912 Triangular Tournament with Patrick Ferriday here.
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Charles Tyrwhitt's Book of the Year is Richie Benaud's Blue Suede Shoes
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Richie Benaud's Blue Suede Shoes, the account of the Fourth Test in 1961 by David Kynaston and Harry Ricketts, has been named Cricket Book of the Year at the Charles Tyrwhitt Sports Book of The Year Awards in London.
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Brick by brick
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Brick by brick, Max Bonnell's book on the 1964 Australian tour of England, was published by ACS on 1 May. It can be obtained here.
Shortlist announced for the Charles Tyrwhitt Book of the Year awards
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The Charles Tyrwhitt Sports Book Awards will be announced in London on 1 May. The shortlist in the cricket category is:
Bill Edrich: The Many Lives of England's Cricket Great, Leo McKinstry (Bloomsbury Sport)
Getting Out: The Ukrainian Cricket Team's Last Stand on the Front Lines of War, Jonathan Campion (Pitch Publishing)
It's Not Banter, It's Racism: What Cricket’s Dirty Secret Reveals About Our Society, Azeem Rafiq (Trapeze)
LARA: The England Chronicles, Brian Lara with Phil Walker (Fairfield Books)
On Cricket, Sir Trevor McDonald (Renegade Books)
Richie Benaud's Blue Suede Shoes: The Story of an Ashes Classic, David Kynaston & Harry Ricketts (Bloomsbury Publishing)
Simon Lister wins Cricket Society/MCC Book of the Year
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The 2025 Cricket Society/MCC Book of the Year Award has been presented to Simon Lister for his Frank Worrell biography, Worrell, the brief but brilliant life of a Caribbean pioneer (Simon and Shuster). The presentation was made at a dinner at Lord's on 14 April.
Geoff Armstrong on ABC Listen
Geoff Armstrong discusses his favourite sports books of 2024 with Rod Quinn on ABC Listen here.
MCC and Cricket Society announce shortlist
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The shortlist for the MCC and Cricket Society Book of the Year award for 2025 has been announced.
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The shortlisted books are:
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Striking Summer, How cricket united a divided nation, Stephen Brenkley, Fairfield Books
One Hell of a Life, Brian Close, Daring, defiant and daft, Stephen Chalke, Fairfield Books
Worrell, The brief but brilliant life of a Caribbean pioneer, Simon Lister, Simon & Schuster
The Cricketers of 1945: Rising from the ashes of World War Two, Christopher Sandford, Pitch Publishing
Blood on the Tracks, England in Australia, The 1974-75 Ashes, David Tossell, Fairfield Books
Forgotten Pioneers, The story of the original English lady cricketers, Giles Wilcock, Pitch Publishing
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Longlisted books that did not reach the short list were:
Batting for Time, The fight to keep English cricket alive, Ben Bloom, Pitch Publishing
Echoing Greens, How cricket shaped the English imagination, Brendan Cooper, Constable
Richie Benaud’s Blue Suede Shoes, The story of an Ashes classic, David Kynaston and Harry Ricketts, Bloomsbury
Lara, The England Chronicles, Brian Lara with Phil Walker, Fairfield Books
An Unusual Celebrity, The many cricketing lives of Bill Bowes, Jeremy Lonsdale, Pitch Publishing
Clyde Walcott, Statesman of West Indies cricket, Peter Mason, Manchester University Press
Bill Edrich, The Many Lives of England’s Cricket Great, Leo McKinstry, Bloomsbury Sport
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The winner will be announced at Lord's on 14 April.
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Mike Coward on ABC Listen
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You can catch Mike Coward's interview with Rod Quinn of ABC Listen here.
Michael Fahey on The Baggy Green
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Michael Fahey has spoken with ABC Listen about his updated book (with Mike Coward), The History of the Baggy Green. You can hear it here.
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6 February 2025
New Golden Age podcasts
New podcasts are now available from Tom Ford's Golden Age of Cricket: Peter Lloyd completes his podcast on Charles Macartney, and Richard Tomlinson discusses WG Grace.
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1 February 2025
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James Rodgers OAM
James Rodgers, a member of the Company of Cricket Scribes, has been awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for services to primary and secondary education and services to cricket. James' publications on cricket include two histories of the Sydney University Club (Summertime Blues and Golden Blues), and he was also a contributor to the centenary history of the Sydney Grade competition (Making the Grade) and the Oxford Companion to Australian Cricket.
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26 January 2025
Pat Rodgers on The Final Word
You can now hear Pat Rodgers discussing the career of Mick Pierce and the first ever Sheffield Shield match on The Final Word podcast with Geoff Lemon and Adam Collins, here.
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20 January 2025
New Trumper title coming from Red Rose
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Young Vic, Max Bonnell's study of Victor Trumper's early life, is due soon from Red Rose Books. This short book traces the first twenty years of Trumper's life, exploring the uncertainty over his origins, the poverty and tragedy of his early life and the mysterious process by which a boy with no cricket in his family and no material advantages developed into the greatest batsman of his age. It's due for release on 15 March 2015, and available for pre-orders here.
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9 January 2025
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Peter Lloyd discusses Charlie Macartney
You can now hear Peter Lloyd discussing his new biography of Charlie Macartney on Tom Ford's Golden Age of Cricket podcast, here​.
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6 January 2025
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Peter Schofield and Ric Sissons win 2024 Jack Pollard Trophy
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The Jack Pollard Trophy, for the outstanding Australian cricket book of the year, has been awarded to Peter Schofield and Ric Sissons for When the Kangaroo Met the Eagle, their outstanding account of the 1913 Australian tour of the United States.
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The book was published in a limited edition of 100, which sold out rapidly. A review published by Cricketweb can be found here.
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4 January 2025
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Four new cricket titles coming from Pitch Publishing in 2025
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English sports publisher, Pitch Publishing, is offering four new cricket titles in 2025. In March, there’s Deadly, a biography of the late Derek Underwood by Mark Peel, whose previous subjects include Douglas Jardine and Ken Barrington. Also due in March is The Club, Rod Lyall’s history of the ICC. Andrew Murtagh’s Cricket’s Black Dog, scheduled for May, is a study of depression among cricketers. And also coming in May, Ian Lockwood’s Ten Clowns and a Parson is a biography of the nineteenth century Yorkshire left-armer Ted Peate.
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4 January 2025
