Cricket Sport

At the epicentre of England's historic triumph was Ben Stokes, the talismanic all-rounder with an insatiable appetite for The Big Occasion. He contributed an absolutely critical 84 runs off 98 balls when England batted, a seemingly nerveless innings of discipline and maturity. Thrillingly, it was enough to tie the scores at 241 runs each, so the match reverted to a Super Over - just six balls for each side to bat in the ultimate in sporting sudden death. Stokes and his batting partner, Jos Buttler, saw England to 15 runs off their over.

Phil Tufnell played in five Ashes series and has commentated on another ten. With the next tear-up just around the corner, 'Tuffers' has sat down and personally chosen his 50 Ashes 'legends' from the modern era and from both sides of the divide. Tuffers' Ashes Heroes is crammed with cricketers he has played with or against, admired from afar, enjoyed a drink with or just knows well. Everyone from Ian Botham, Freddie Flintoff, Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad to Merv Hughes, Ricky Ponting, Shane Warne and Steve Smith.

All cricketers long to know the answer to these questions and many more. Only 15 years ago, it would have been difficult to answer them - cricket was guided only by decades-old tradition. Data has changed everything. Today we can track every ball to within millimetres; its release point, speed and bounce point are measured as are how much the ball swings, how much it deviates off the pitch, the exact height and line that it passes the stumps and multiple other variables. Hitting Against the Spin is the story of that data, and what it can tell us about how cricket really works.

From over three decades of covering The Ashes, Gideon has brought together an enduring vision of this timeless contest between Australia and England—the world's oldest sporting rivalry—from the colonial era to the present day.

In The Little Wonder, Robert Winder traces the central role the game has played in national life for so long. The book's 150th anniversary in 2013 is the ideal time to tell the extraordinary story of Wisden's - and cricket's - journey from Victorian times to the modern world. New every year, it feels as though it has been with us for ever.

Old friends and Test Match Special colleagues, Henry Blofeld and Peter Baxter had many outrageous tales of life in and around the radio cricket commentary boxes of the world. So in 2012, the two embarked on a tour that saw them take their hilarious stories onto the stage in a two-man show. They soon found themselves treading the boards in the West End, at the Edinburgh Fringe, and travelling as far afield as Australia.

Since the 19th century, England has been sending its cricket teams around the world to take on their rivals. Initially, these trips were undertaken by boat, meaning players could be away for many months, often in alien conditions. With air travel reducing journey time and facilities much improved, the challenges still remain: homesickness, isolation, hostile crowds. For some, the experience can be too much, while others thrive in the heat and dust of battle. The Tour looks at all aspects of the history of England's cricketers abroad.

To understand England's greatest cricket player is to know what it takes to succeed. Alastair Cook is the greatest batsman to ever play for England, and as one of the most gifted players in the world, he knows that his triumphs are as important as the challenges and moments of resilience. Now, as he English cricket team reel from his dramatic retirement, Alastair tells his story: a close-up account of his last chapter, his 33rd and last Test hundred, an intimate tale of his life, his family, of the man he is today and the man he will be - after cricket.

Here, for the first time, the world of a pro cricketer is revealed, and the man pulling back the dressing room curtains is one of England's greatest ever cricketers: James 'Jimmy' Anderson. 565 Test Wickets and counting. Written with Felix White - musician, cricket enthusiast and Anderson's co-host on BBC Five Live's phenomenally popular podcast Tailenders - Jimmy invites us all into his world of cricket.

Drawing on decades of expertise, visionary leader and team expert Michael G. Rogers presents an unparalleled approach to team development that sets this audiobook apart from any other in the leadership genre. With captivating stories, relatable examples, introspective activities, and actionable exercises, this audiobook challenges your team’s mindset and equips them with the tools to elevate their personal performance and that of your entire team.

The Elements of Cricket is a cricket book unlike any other published before, an extraordinary, eccentric guide and charming visual representation of the game, from the weather and wood that make it possible to the achievements of its greatest and most famous players. The book is divided into the three parts that make up the fundamental elements of cricket: bat, ball and field. Their harmony produces cricket’s unique environment; their centuries’ long conflict provides its innovation, adaptability and vast psychological hinterland.

Penguin presents the unabridged, downloadable, audiobook edition of Six Machine by Chris Gayle, read by Leroy Osei-Bonsu. 'If the ball's there, hit it. Don't worry about what might happen. Play for the glory. Play for the six.' Chris Gayle is the only man to have ever hit a six off the first ball of a test match.

Phil Tufnell, cricket legend and national treasure, has populated his very own Cricket Hall of Fame with a deliciously eclectic collection of cricket legends and offbeat characters, with joyful results. From boyhood heroes to legendary teammates to fearsome opponents to idiosyncratic umpires and broadcasters, Tuffers has gathered together the most enchanting cast of cricketing figures every assembled.

Cricket on the Beach is book one of the alternative history series Timeline 10/27/62 - Australia. Timeline 10/27/62 is set in a world in which the Cuban Missiles Crisis went wrong and the swinging '60s never happened. The thermonuclear madness might not have reached as far south as Australasia, but in the weeks and months after the Cuban Missiles War, many more people might have succumbed to the "On the Beach" syndrome had it not been for the distraction of a unique sporting odyssey.

From the turbulent life of the late Shane Warne to the skill, mentality and character behind Pat Cummins' new-look captaincy, and through the decades to the wit, wisdom and genius of Sir Donald Bradman, Great Australian Cricket Achievers and Characters examines the career highs and lows of many of the game's big names.

From one of India’s finest writers, thinkers and commentators, a memoir of a love affair with cricket. As a fan, player, writer, scholar, controversialist and administrator, Ram Guha has spent a life with cricket. In this book, Guha offers both a brilliantly charming memoir and a charter of the life of cricket in India. He traces the game across every level at which it is played: school, college, club, state and country. He offers vivid portraits of local heroes, provincial icons and international stars.

An entertaining collection of insider yarns by an Aussie Test cricket legend. 'In the Test arena, Dennis Lillee was never beaten. West Indian champion Viv Richards had taken the sword to all the international bowlers of his era. But when he came up against Lillee, it was a heavyweight fight between unrelenting combatants. Their contests were always take-no-prisoners affairs.'

Phil Tufnell, aka 'Tuffers', is the much-loved English cricketer from the 1990s who has now become one of this country's favourite broadcasters. Not cast from the same mould as other players of his generation, Tufnell became a cult figure for his unorthodox approach to the game...and to life in general.

Rudyard Kipling called cricketers 'flannelled fools'. Groucho Marx asked halfway through a cricket match when it would begin. But despite the game's slow pace, strange language, eccentric umpires and frequent scandals–or perhaps because of them–cricket is one of the world's most loved sports.

In Imperfect, Sanjay Manjrekar brings his famous analytic powers to look back at his own career as a cricketer. His photographic memory takes the listener along on his journey from the dusty maidans of Mumbai to the world stage as the diminutive batsman faces up to the fearsome West Indian and Pakistani pace attacks. In his precise plainspeak, Sanjay reflects on his father Vijay Manjrekar, and the effects of that legend on his game; comments on the complex equations with the Indian greats with whom he shared the dressing room and on the lessons learnt from his opponents.