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Bat, Ball and Field by Jon Hotten

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Bat, Ball and Field

Narrator
David Thorpe
Publisher
HarperCollins Publishers
Publish Date
7 July 2022
Run Time
7 hours 16 minutes
Format
Audiobook
$13.95

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What to expect

Bat, Ball and Field is a wonderful foray into the history and culture of cricket.

‘Hotten is not just good, he is one of the best’ Cricketer

Chronicling the evolution of the sport since its earliest years, highlighting transcendent moments as well as tragedies, Jon Hotten lifts the seemingly impregnable veil from the Laws, batting strokes, types of bowling and the sometimes absurd names given to where fielders stand, allowing anyone a pathway into enjoying the sport, and an introductory immersion into its long history.

This book is divided into the three parts that make up the fundamental elements of cricket: bat, ball and field. Their harmony produces cricket’s unique environment; their centuries’ long conflict provides its innovation, adaptability and vast psychological hinterland. These sections unite to map out in a completely original way the story of the sport that began as a country pursuit and is now followed by billions across the world.

Critics Review

  • ‘Hotten holds court beautifully on all aspects of the game’ Guardian
  • Praise for The Meaning of Cricket:
  • ‘A beautifully written meditation on the joys of summer’ Tom Holland Evening Standard, Book of the Year
  • ‘Hotten is not just good, he is one of the best… He has the eye for a beautifully judged phrase’ Cricketer
See more reviews
  • ‘Hotten has emerged as a worthy addition to the lineage of writers who adhere to C L R James’s aphorism: “What do they know of cricket who only cricket know?”… This will be a worthy addition to any cricketing bookshelf’ New Statesman
  • ‘For those dreaming of summer, The Meaning of Cricket is accessible, fun and elegantly written’ Hilary Mantel, New Statesman, Book of the Year
  • ‘Simultaneously playful and packed with insight … All cricketing life is here… Hotten’s writing is accessible and often moving’ Observer
  • ‘Memory and meditation twirled into a lovesong: Jon Hotten hits it out of the park’ William Fiennes

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Details

Author
Jon Hotten
Narrator
David Thorpe
Duration
7 hours 16 minutes
Release Date
7 July 2022
ISBN
9780008328351
Format
Audiobook
Publisher
HarperCollins Publishers
Genre
Biography: sport, Cricket, Nostalgia: general, Social and cultural history, Social groups: clubs and societies, History of sport

Synopsis

Bat, Ball and Field is a wonderful foray into the history and culture of cricket. ‘Hotten is not just good, he is one of the best’ Cricketer Chronicling the evolution of the sport since its earliest years, highlighting transcendent moments as well as tragedies, Jon Hotten lifts the seemingly impregnable veil from the Laws, batting strokes, types of bowling and the sometimes absurd names given to where fielders stand, allowing anyone a pathway into enjoying the sport, and an introductory immersion into its long history. This book is divided into the three parts that make up the fundamental elements of cricket: bat, ball and field. Their harmony produces cricket’s unique environment; their centuries’ long conflict provides its innovation, adaptability and vast psychological hinterland. These sections unite to map out in a completely original way the story of the sport that began as a country pursuit and is now followed by billions across the world.

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