Test Cricket: A History

"Well, even the judges—who know a lot about test cricket—were taught things they didn’t already know. That impressed them, because if you know your cricket, you think you know everything. It’s so nicely put together, diligently researched and calmly written so it allows itself to breathe. For example, the first test match was between Canada and the USA. You’d have said the first test match would be between England and someone, wouldn’t you? But even if you knew that little nugget, you are reminded of the context, and how it makes sense. He weaves through enough anecdotes, he takes you on a journey. I suppose it’s a bit like going on a posh, well though through, cruise ship around the world, rather than a cheap one dropping you off willy-nilly at different ports and hoping you have a nice time on the disco deck. It takes you on a journey that feels very natural; when he shifts from Australia to South Africa to India, you don’t think, ‘It’s jumping around all over the place.’ You feel like you have a good captain at the helm. It’s a thoughtful, meandering journey through sport. And it pulls off that unique thing where I think, as I said, it would be a great read for both someone who loves their test cricket but also someone who doesn’t Oh yes. If you were to do a graph of the standard of writing over the years, it just keeps inching up and up. There has not been a year where it’s plummeted, it’s always getting better. I think now it’s inevitable that there will be good writing on the shortlist, but the added ingredient this year was that level of research—the hard graft that has gone into these books. Then good writing on top of that, what more can you ask for?"