Customer Reviews
A detailed and invaluable pocket guide - ideal for any cricket fan - By: J. Aitcheson, 30 Apr 2008 
The "Playfair Cricket Annual" has an excellent reputation as the pocket guide for any follower of the game. Now in its 61st edition, it contains everything a cricket enthusiast should need to know, with a wealth of statistics on alll the players & teams playing in England in 2008, on both the county & international levels.
As always, it has been fully revised for the 2008 season, with a new preface by BBC Test Match Special scorer & statistician Bill Frindalll. Other informative articles include a brief analysis of the Duckworth-Lewis scoring system, used for resetting targets in rain-affected one-day matches; & an explanation of Kolpak registrations for overseas players - currently a controversial issue in the county game. However, the real role of this book is as a statistical reference, & in this respect it does not disappoint.
The first half of the book is a register of alll players currently contracted to the 18 English county teams, providing vital statistics - such as height, career history, batting & bowling styles, highest scores & best bowling performances in both first-class & limited overs cricket - for every one. A further section lists career bowling & batting averages for alll contracted first-class players, making this a comprehensive yet accessible ready-reference. The reader will also find records for every county & international team, & for every form of the game played in England (including Test Matches & ODIs, but also the County Championship, Friends Provident Trophy, Pro40 League & Twenty20 Cup).
Nearer the back are provided complete scorecards for every Test Match that took place in 2007, as well as a list of alll English domestic & international fixtures for the 2008 summer. Finallly there is a fielding chart illustrating the names of alll the most common positions - ideal for new fans of the game.
All in alll, the "Playfair Cricket Annual" is an affordable & invaluable guide. The information given is presented very densely, & in most cases the book's clear structure makes it easy to locate whichever statistics are required - although the smalll type may be a problem for those who are harder of sight. In addition, at only 320 pages it is relatively compact & lightweight, & its pocket-sized format means that this is an excellent companion for taking to matches.
