Arlott, Swanton and the Soul of English Cricket

This is essentially the history of post-war cricket seen through the eyes of two men whose voices and writings shaped and enhanced the sporting experience for millions. They were of different backgrounds, styles and philosophies, but both had a significant impact on the game. There was certainly plenty to chew over: the amateur/professional wrangle, the emergence of the one-day game, the d'Oliveira affair and the Kerry Packer revolution to name but a few. All these controversial milestones are examined in fascinating detail. It was especially pleasing to be reminded of some of Arlott's famous word pictures for Test Match Special: 'A stroke of a man knocking a thistle-top off with a walking stick.' I suppose this book will appeal largely to those described in the Postscript as ' ... older followers of the game [who] pine for a lost golden age.' That would be a pity because it would be an education to younger cricket followers to know that there's nothing new about counties' financial struggles, slow over-rates, boorish behaviour and the fear that the shorter game will eventually devour its long-standing bedfellow. As far back as 1972, Arlott was reflecting that 'it would be a pity if the entertaining and rewarding tail [one-day cricket] were to wag the dog so hard as to shake it off.' This is an absorbing study, well written and admirably researched.

So far I have only browsed this book but it seems very good and is from a period when cricket was a highlight of my growing up

This is a very well-written and compelling analysis of cricket, and its social contexts, through the prism of two of its most remarkable sons. I urge any cricket tragic like me to read it

Read this wonderful book during the baking hot month of May and few have had a grater time warping quality than this This elegy to two great broadcasters and the game of cricket which we have sadly list evokes pure nostalgia of summers past Both Arlott and Swanton were supporters of the 3 County and Test Games but were pragmatic enough to appreciate the importance of the importance of the one day game Quite what they had made of T20 and the number of games expected from players goodness only knows Today crickets administrators do not seem to realise that more is less in broadcasting terms none of the ex players or pundits who populate the the commentary box can hold a candle to either Arlott and Swanton I have always been an Arlott fan who along with Alistair Cook painted the pictures on radio better than anyone eise i have ever heard Try and find this summer an of the cuff description to that of Arlott describing Asif Massoods run up as "like Groucho Marx chasing a pretty waitress" Read and savour this history of the reporting of post war cricket by two broadcasters and writers of whom we shall not see their lie again and on a game that sadly is a shadow of summers past Fay and Kynaston have done them proud. Buy it and enjoy

As soon as a saw a description of this I knew it was a must for me. I devoured thousands of words by these two towering pillars of cricket writing and loved them both. As a Hampshire fan my heart was with Arlott but Swanton was my daily cricket bible for many years. I didn't wait to put it on my Christmas list, I ordered it the week it was published. It is all I hoped for and more. It is nicely written and covers the background to both men's careers thoroughly. The second half is a wonderful evocation of the cricket of my younger days. Since completing it I have re-read several of the books I have by these two and I still love them. If you are at all attracted by the premise of this book, don't hesitate. It delivers what you think it will.

It’s about famous cricket writers (and broadcasters) but in a clever way about the English class system too. Oh, and it’s about cricket of course - but as so often cricket is instructive about so much more than just itself…..

If you are a man of the 60's and remember EW's and John Arlott's broadcasts and newspaper articles with affection, it is fascinating to re-read and reconsider their political positions, moral stances this far removed from the time. I played at that time, met both men and see them, as does the author, as a huge, integral and indelible part of Cricket's most turbulent times.

Once upon a time there was a game which was so ingenious, subtle and skilful that people flocked to watch it. If they couldn’t get to the game they listened to the commentary or summary by two brilliant observers. Times change, attention spans decline and spectators demand constant sensation and drama. This excellent book takes those of us who recall those wonderful days back to when Test Matches were fewer and the better for it because their scarcity increased the anticipation and excitement. I’m glad Arlott and Swanson have been spared witnessing the decline of the greatest game. Sledging, cheating, yelling and clap-handing’ and that’s just the players. A modern Test Match crowd is a bear-pit. But with this book we return to the game at its best and get a fascinating insight into what made those two fine men tick. Their foibles, frailties and fascination. Great stuff, indeed. .

Hard back and new - the story, in my opinion, of 2 cricket icons.

I got this for my dad who loved it. He said it was a good social commentary on the game of cricket

An interesting comparisons of 2 legends of the game!

A splendid book, although possibly predicated on a false premise. This book is a wonderful history of cricket in the UK post WW2 until 1980. I attended my first first-class match in 1961 and read a great deal about the previous 15 years and followed cricket keenly in the following years. This was very much *my* period. Arlott and Swanton were two of the most authoritative commentators on the game over this period and their radically differing opinions are quoted extensively. This made the book such a wonderful history for me. The false premise is the idea of a sort of little-enders vs big-enders competition between the two. They were rivals and had undeniably different perspectives on the game. But the attempts of the author to fictionalise a sort of war between the two fails badly. The author indeed recognises significant acts of kindness from each to the other. Four stars, rather than five, because of the chronological layout of the book. I would much rather have seen time-independent chapters comparing and contrasting their views on issues such as (a) test cricket vs ODIs, (b) Packer, (c) over rates, (d) the merits or flaws of the Gentlemen vs Players distinction, (e) on-field behaviour and gamesmanship, (f) pitch preparation (g) the role of the MCC (h) South Africa, (i) intimidatory bowling etc, etc. Conspicuously absent is a comparison of their views about possibly the most controversial UK player of the period, Boycott, although Boycott's real controversies emerged after Arlott's retirement. For all that, I expect to be returning frequently to this book when I reflect on the various developments which happened over this revolutionary period in (especially UK) cricket..