From its impenetrable beginnings to Australia's world supremacy of the present day, cricket has possessed a unique appeal. For followers of Test matches or one-day internationals, or for the deckchair enthusiast who simply savours the unpredictability of an afternoon contest on the village green, it has timeless qualities and utter fascination. The individual battles between bat and ball, the mental demands of captaincy, the flashes of brilliance in the field, the effect of pitches and the atmosphere - these are just some of the factors that ensure the variable nature of every game of cricket played. A History of Cricket portrays the game's progress from Grace to Warne. It charts the development of Test matches and the influence of successive world record holders like Don Bradman, Len Hutton, Gary Sobers and Brian Lara. And it traces the history of the Ashes from their conception to England's epic triumph in 2005. There is the modern phenomenon of one-day cricket, featuring the likes of Clive Lloyd and Vivian Richards during the West Indies' initial dominance of the World Cup. Who would have thought when Sri Lanka first came on to the international scene in the 1980s, they would be holding the trophy aloft in 1996? This book portrays many of the greatest cricketers, and admires some of the world's finest grounds. It considers the global development of the game and the recent proliferation of international matches. A History of Cricket is a must read, not only for connoisseurs of the game but for recent converts who want to know more about it.