Sport & leisure industries

Marcus Berkmann, author of the cricket classics ‘Rain Men’ and ‘Zimmer Men,’ returns to the great game with this gallimaufrey of cricketing trivia, stories and fascinating facts. Which England captain smoked two million cigarettes in his lifetime? Which Australian captain, asked what his favourite animal was, said ‘Merv Hughes?’ Who was the last person alive who had seen W.G. Grace bat? Which former National Hunt jockey had a dog called Sobers? Who was described in his obituary as ‘perhaps the only unequivocally popular man in Yorkshire?’ No other sport is so steeped in oddness and eccentricity. Within these pages are brief and pithy character portraits of the game’s great and good, and more cricketers’ nicknames than you will ever need.