books

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Who are the greatest cricketers of all time? Tim Wigmore brings the debate to Norfolk

Who deserves a place in cricket’s all-time pantheon? Is Brian Lara greater than Sachin Tendulkar? Was Shane Warne better than Muttiah Muralitharan? How do the achievements of Ian Botham compare with those of Ben Stokes? And, ultimately, who is the greatest Test cricketer of them all?

These are just some of the fascinating questions that will be explored when Norfolk Cricket Society welcomes cricket writer Tim Wigmore to discuss his new book, The Pantheon: Test Cricket’s Best 50 Players of All Time, on Thursday 26th November.

Tim Wigmore

Published by Quercus, the book tackles one of cricket’s most enduring subjects: how do we judge greatness across different generations, countries and eras? Drawing on historical research, statistical analysis and personal insight, Tim has assembled his selection of the 50 greatest Test players, celebrating the extraordinary individuals who have shaped the history of the game.

Naturally, any attempt to rank the greatest players is guaranteed to provoke debate. Can statistics really capture the magic of a great batsman or the impact of a match-winning bowler? How should we compare players who performed in very different conditions and circumstances? And who might have missed out on a place among cricket’s immortals?

Tim is ideally placed to lead this discussion. A sports writer for The Daily Telegraph, he has also written for The Economist, The New York Times and ESPNcricinfo. His previous books include Cricket 2.0: Inside the T20 Revolution, which won the Wisden Book of the Year award in 2020, and Test Cricket: A History, which was named The Sunday Times Sport Book of the Year for 2025.

This promises to be an entertaining and thought-provoking evening, with plenty of opportunities for cricket lovers to share their own opinions and challenge the choices.

The event starts at 7.30pm at Horsford Cricket Club, Manor Park. Entry for non-members is £7, cash payable on the door.

Signed copies of both The Pantheon: Test Cricket’s Best 50 Players of All Time and Test Cricket: A History will be on sale at the event.

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Victory in Australia – an epic Ashes series retold

Norfolk Cricket Society is looking forward to welcoming Richard Whitehead as our guest speaker on Thursday 27th November. Richard will be joining us to discuss his new book ‘Victory in Australia: The Remarkable Story of England’s Greatest Ashes Triumph 1954‑55’  

PLEASE NOTE, THIS EVENT STARTS AT 7PM

Richard Whitehead

‘Victory in Australia’ is the definitive account of the epic 1954-55 Ashes, a series which marked a watershed moment in the history of English cricket. Under the leadership of Len Hutton, one of the finest group of players to represent England won a series in Australia for the first time in more than 20 years.

It is a feat that has been repeated only four times in more than 70 years since. But Hutton’s men had to overcome the additional obstacle of losing heavily in the first Test – only one England team has managed to win an overseas Ashes series after such a monumental setback.

Praise for Victory in Australia

‘A high peak of post-war English cricket brought to vivid life with so much colourful detail. Richard Whitehead has written a masterpiece.’ – Stephen Chalke, cricket writer.

‘Meticulously researchedby Richard Whitehead, this book brings an epic tour from another age to life. It also serves as a reminder of why we are still so consumed by the Ashes. The portrait of Len Hutton, England’s first professional captain, is riveting.’ – Vic Marks, former England bowler.

 ‘It really is the best cricket book I have ever read’ – Douglas Miller, Association of Cricket Statisticians.

We are also looking forward to welcoming David Woodhouse, author of the award-winning book ‘Who Only Cricket Know: Hutton’s Men in the West Indies 1953/54’ who’ll be in conversation with Richard.

David Woodhouse

The evening will include a Q&A session and the opportunity for book signings, enabling you to engage directly with two authors whose work sets the benchmark for cricket-writing.

Entrance for guests is £7, payable on the door.

Copies of Victory in Australia (RRP £22) will be available to purchase at a special offer price for Norfolk Cricket Society members and guests.

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Jarrod Kimber opening the batting for Norfolk Cricket Society in 2025/26!

Norfolk Cricket Society is pleased to announce that Australian cricket journalist Jarrod Kimber will be joining us as our guest on Monday 22 September (7.30pm) at Horsford Cricket Club in Norwich.

Jarrod has written several books on cricket, he is a regular on talkSport, and also co‑directed and co‑wrote the award-winning 2015 documentary film Death of a Gentleman, an expose of the power-play governance of cricket by the ICC’s so‑called “Big Three”. In July 2024 Jarrod joined The Cricketer magazine as a regular columnist.

Beyond journalism and filmmaking, Jarrod has also worked as an analyst for the St Lucia Stars in the Caribbean Premier League and for the Scotland national team.

Released in July 2025, The Art of Batting: The Craft of Cricket’s Greatest Run Scorers is Jarrod’s latest book. Through interviews with cricketing greats such as David ‘Bumble’ Lloyd, Nasser Hussain, Rahul Dravid, and Brian Lara, The Art of Batting reveals the science, skill, and culture that made the 50 greatest batters of all time.

The book is about the batters who see what mortals don’t: Javed Miandad deliberately making errors to manipulate the field; Sachin Tendulkar digging up a pitch to take on Shane Warne; Shivnarine Chanderpaul relentlessly practising on a beach to master his technique; and Joe Root playing against spin as a result of three random events. Jarrod frames these players as artists who do more than bat—they “see into the future,” mastering the unpredictable with precision.

Andy Zaltzman labels Jarrod Kimber “one of cricket’s most distinctive writers,” and Harsha Bhogle praises the masterful use of analytics and vocabulary. Wright Thompson of ESPNcricinfo declares that Kimber “further cements himself as the world’s best cricket writer” with this work.

Entrance for guests is £7, payable on the door.

Copies of The Art of Batting (RRP £20) will be available to purchase with a special discount for Norfolk Cricket Society members and guests.