Richie Benaud’s Blue Suede Shoes: The Story of an Ashes Classic

The Ashes are on the line as England and Australia meet at Old Trafford in July 1961 for the fourth Test. David Kynaston and Harry Ricketts relive the compelling story of a gripping Ashes-deciding Test match that heralded the dawn of an new era for English cricket. The sharply observed final chapters take the story up to the present day, tracing the 'after-lives of the matchs key participants, including Ted Dexter, Bill Lawry and Fred Trueman, as well as May and Benaud, and wrestle with the perennial conundrum for all England supporters – why do the baggy green caps usually beat us?

Format: Hardback
Length: 320 pages
Publication date: 23 May 2024
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

LONGLISTED FOR THE WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR PRIZE 2024, THIS ENTERTAINING BOOK IS GRIPPING READING FOR ANY CRICKET BUFF. THE SUNDAY TIMES DESCRIBES IT AS AN EPIC CONTEST SUPERBLY RETOLD . . . A FASCINATING SLICE OF SOCIAL HISTORY, IT IS A SPELLBINDING READ. VIC MARKS SUGGESTS THAT YOU SHOULD GO OUT AND BUY IT NOW, AS THE BOOK IS BRILLIANT. THE SPECTATOR PRAISES IT AS A SPECTACULAR ACCOUNT OF THE ASHES-DECIDING TEST MATCH THAT HERALDED THE DAWN OF A NEW ERA FOR ENGLISH CRICKET. THE ASHES ARE ON THE LINE AS ENGLAND AND AUSTRALIA MEET AT OLD TRAFFORD IN JULY 1961 FOR THE FOURTH TEST. FOR MOST OF THE MATCH, ENGLAND HAVE THEIR NOSES AHEAD – UNTIL A DRAMATIC FINAL DAY, OF INTENSELY FLUCTUATING FORTUNES, AS THE TOURISTS EVENTUALLY STORM TO VICTORY. IN SHORT, AN ASHES CLASSIC, TOLD HERE BY DAVID KYNaston AND HARRY RICKETTS IN VIVID AND IMMERSIVE DETAIL, RECREATING THE SOMETIMES AGONISING EXPERIENCE OF MILLIONS OF ARMCHAIR VIEWERS AND LISTENERS. AT THE HEART OF RICHIE BENAUD'S BLUE SUEDE SHOES ARE TWO STRIKINGLY CONTRASTING PERSONALITIES: ENGLAND'S CAPTAIN, THE CAMBRIDGE-EDUCATED, RISK-AVERSE, ESTABLISHMENT-MINDED PETER MAY; AND AUSTRALIA'S CAPTAIN, THE CHARISMATIC, RISK-TAKING, OPEN-MINDED BENAUD – A CONTRAST NOT ONLY BETWEEN TWO INDIVIDUALS, BUT BETWEEN TWO CRICKETING AND INDEED NATIONAL CULTURES. WHEREAS BENAUD AND AUSTRALIA SYMBOLISED A NEW, MERITOCRATIC ERA, MAY AND ENGLAND SEEMED, IN WHAT WAS STILL AN AMATEUR-DOMINATED GAME, TO LOOK BACK TO AN OLD IMPERIAL LEGACY OUT OF SYNC WITH THE DAWNING SIXTIES. THE SHARPLY OBSERVED FINAL CHAPTERS TAKE THE STORY UP TO THE PRESENT DAY. THEY RELATE THE 'AFTER-LIVES OF THE MATCH'S KEY PARTICIPANTS, INCLUDING TED DEXTER, BILL LAWRY AND FRED TRUEMAN, AS WELL AS MAY AND BENAUD; TRACE THE CONTINUING CHEQUERED RE.

Weight: 544g
Dimension: 241 x 162 x 32 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781526670298