{"title":"Books by Simon Wilde","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"9781471198502","title":"The Tour","description":"WINNER OF THE BRITISH SPORTS BOOK AWARDS CRICKET BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD\u003cbr\u003e WINNER OF THE MCC \/ CRICKET SOCIETY BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD \u003cbr\u003e WINNER OF THE HEARTACHES' CRICKET BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD\u003cbr\u003e LONGLISTED FOR THE WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK THE YEAR AWARD \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAn England cricket tour is a phenomenon with few parallels. England's Test, one-day and Twenty20 sides are typically overseas for around 150 days a year, playing anywhere from Barbados to Brisbane, Cape Town to Colombo. Since 1877, they have fulfilled more than 1,000 fixtures away from home. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e In this definitive history, Simon Wilde explores England's tours from every angle. He celebrates the great team performances and individual feats - from James Lillywhite to Ben Stokes, every captain has aspired to venture abroad and return a hero - but also tells of adventure and misadventure, mishaps and scandal. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Even though the modern-day tour resembles a business trip rather than the great voyages of the past, they remain fragile enterprises and the mental toll can be heavy. As international cricket faces competition from franchise tournaments around the world, is the future of the tour in jeopardy? \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'A fine and comprehensive history' \u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Times\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":56299822874997,"sku":"9781471198502","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Hardback","offer_id":57685885583733,"sku":"9781471198489","price":25.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781471198502.jpg?v=1792599111"},{"product_id":"9781471154850","title":"England: The Biography","description":"\u003cb\u003e'An astonishing work of research, detail and revelation. Bulging with information, packed with nuggets.' John Etheridge, \u003ci\u003eSun\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'Superbly researched... His eye for detail never wavers. It’s \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cb\u003ea pleasure to read.' Vic Marks, \u003ci\u003eObserver\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'The Cricket Book of the Year: Dauntingly comprehensive and surprisingly light-footed.' Simon Briggs, \u003ci\u003eDaily Telegraph\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eEngland: The Biography\u003c\/i\u003e is the most comprehensive account of the England cricket team that has ever been published, taking the reader into the heart of the action and the team dynamics that have helped shape their success, or otherwise. \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e It is now \u003cb\u003e140 years\u003c\/b\u003e since England first played Test match cricket and, for much of that time, it has struggled to perform to the best of its capabilities. In the early years, amateurs would pick and choose which matches and tours they would play; subsequently, the demands of the county game - and the petty jealousies that created - would prevent many from achieving their best. It was only in the 1990s that central contracts were brought in, and Team England began to receive the best possible support from an ever-increasing backroom team. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e But cricket isn't just about structures, it depends like no other sport on questions of how successful the captain is in motivating and leading his team, and how well different personalities and egos are integrated and managed in the changing room. From \u003cb\u003eJoe Root\u003c\/b\u003e and\u003cb\u003e Alastair Cook\u003c\/b\u003e back to \u003cb\u003eMike Atherton\u003c\/b\u003e, \u003cb\u003eMike Brearley\u003c\/b\u003e and \u003cb\u003eRay Illingworth\u003c\/b\u003e, England captains have had a heavy influence on proceedings. Recent debates over \u003cb\u003eKevin Pietersen \u003c\/b\u003ewere nothing new, as contemporaries of \u003cb\u003eW.G.Grace \u003c\/b\u003ewould doubtless recognise. As England play their \u003cb\u003e1000th Test\u003c\/b\u003e, this is \u003cb\u003ea brilliant and unmissable insight\u003c\/b\u003e into the ups and downs of that story.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":56300165529973,"sku":"9781471154850","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Hardback","offer_id":57688180064629,"sku":"9781471154843","price":25.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781471154850.jpg?v=1792686088"},{"product_id":"9781526694256","title":"Chasing Jessop","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTHE WISDEN BOOK OF THE YEAR\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'A forensic tour de force'\u003c\/b\u003e VIC MARKS\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'Engrossing ... Illuminating detective work into the astonishing statistics of English cricket's most enduring record'\u003c\/b\u003e ANDY ZALTZMAN\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn 1902 at The Oval, Gilbert Jessop played arguably the greatest innings in the history of cricket. His whirlwind century led England from certain defeat to glorious victory, and set a speed record that still stands over 1,000 Test matches later.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Yet the exact circumstances of Jessop’s feat have long been shrouded in mystery. The original scorebooks are missing and the famous claim that he faced 76 balls has rarely been scrutinised. In this riveting investigation, Simon Wilde draws on long-forgotten sources to uncover what really happened. Could Jessop, in fact, have reached his hundred even faster than we thought? \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'A fascinating and definitive account of one of cricket's most fabled innings' \u003c\/b\u003eJOHN ETHERIDGE\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e‘A delight from start to finish’ \u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003eWISDEN CRICKET MONTHLY\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56368988455285,"sku":"9781526694256","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781526694256_aea4e520-fcd7-46c7-84c3-82cdbe5b50ce.jpg?v=1786022122"}],"url":"https:\/\/backstory.london\/collections\/author-simon-wilde.oembed","provider":"Backstory","version":"1.0","type":"link"}