Combining reportage, anecdote, biography, history and personal recollection, A Last English Summer is an honest and passionate reflection on cricket's past, present and future. In 2009 the county system looked directionless and obsolete; more than ever the players blessed with central contracts seemed apart from, rather than a part of, the domestic game; the home Ashes series was for the first time only available on pay-TV; and, of course, the juggernaut of Twenty20 threatened to flatten all but the Test form of the game, suggesting it may soon eclipse even that as well. Duncan Hamilton has preserved this seminal, convulsing season, which in years to come may be seen as a turning point in the history of cricket. In the process he embarks on a journey - often a deeply personal one - through the history and spirit of the game.

About the Author
Duncan Hamilton has won three William Hill Sports Book of the Year Prizes. He has been nominated on a further four occasions. He has also claimed two British Sports Book Awards and is the first writer to have won the Wisden Cricket Book of the Year on three occasions. His biography of the Chariots of Fire runner Eric Liddell, For the Glory, was a New York Times bestseller. He most recently collaborated with Jonny Bairstow on the cricketer's autobiography, A Clear Blue Sky. He lives at the foot of the Yorkshire Dales.

Reviews
'[Hamilton's] passion and knowledge shine through... a rich and nostalgic read' Independent. * Independent *
'A Last English Summer is above all a beautiful, affectionate and timely reminder that cricket still is - and will be - about one thing most of all: pleasure' Spectator. * Spectator *
'The quality of his writing, so evident in his previous works, shines again' Mike Atherton, The Times. * The Times *
'[A] book that achieves more than its ambitions. Hamilton, already the recipient of five prestigious book awards, can confidently expect more to follow for this lyrical, evocative but absolutely timely volume, a kind of travelogue through the English cricketing summer of 2009' Wisden. * Wisden *
'It is a tribute to his skill that you are rapt even when he describes an under-19s match between teams you've never heard of. He can do this with games played last year... just as well as he can with matches played years ago' Daily Telegraph. * Daily Telegraph *


Awards
Short-listed for William Hill Sports Book of the Year 2010.



Book Information
ISBN 9780857381484
Author Duncan Hamilton
Format Paperback
Page Count 384
Imprint riverrun
Publisher Quercus Publishing
Weight(grams) 332g
Dimensions(mm) 197mm * 130mm * 28mm