Cricket is a sport that attracts fans of the very highest dedication, from commentators who have dedicated their lives to cricket, to the thousands of English cricket fans who make up the Barmy Army. As well as having a huge following in countries such as Australia, England, India, South Africa, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, there are plenty of fantastic cricket books out there for fans to read. Here are a few that make good reading if you are tempted to try a new cricket book.

Stiff Upper Lips and Baggy Green Caps- Simon Briggs

For a lighter hearted look at this fantastic sport, this book tells the story of the intense rivalry between England and Australia over the years, and the individual events of each ashes series. The book explorer some of the brilliant characters that have shaped the game over the years as well as mighty team and individual exploits. Throughout these records, brilliantly entertaining anecdotes and examples of formidable sledging are interspersed leaving the reader with a really entertaining read. Perhaps my favourite put down of the book was the record of Mark Waugh greeting England’s debut batsmen James Ormond- “Mate, what are you doing out here? There’s no way your good enough to play for England.” And the classic reply: “Maybe not, but at least I’m the best player in my own family.”

Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack

Wisden is published every year as the reference book for cricket, containing details of every first class game in England and international games. Wisden is really best for avid cricket fans- it is a hive of statistics and records, and also contains the Wisden cricket awards, the laws of the game and the schedules for the years in advance. The book was started in 1864 and has been published every year since, a testament to its quality and success.

Crickets Strangest Matches- Andrew Ward

A story of some of cricket’s strangest matches in its long and eventful history- and believe me some of them are incredible, such as a match that was played between a team of one armed players and a team of one legged players! Ranging from the bizarre to the hilarious, this is a really entertaining book for any dedicated cricket fan.

There are also plenty of different technical cricket guides that you can buy if you are interested in improving your game. Many professionals have published their own guides to improve batting, bowling and fielding performance and there is plenty to learn from their approaches. They can be particularly beneficial if you are a younger player, as you have the time to put their advice into action on the pitch itself.