Who Only Cricket Know: Hutton's Men in the West Indies 1953/54

Who Only Cricket Know tells the story of the second most controversial tour in English cricket history, featuring dramatic cricket, fascinating key characters, and incidents on and off the field, including race and social class. It was the first tour in which MCC traveled by plane and was captained by a professional player, Len Hutton. David Woodhouse has meticulously researched every aspect of the tour, including the lead-up, warm-up games, and five Test matches, as well as the recriminations that took place in the aftermath.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 448 pages
Publication date: 20 November 2023
Publisher: Trinorth Ltd

Who Only Cricket Know tells the captivating story of the second most controversial tour in English cricket history, following the infamous Bodyline series. Since the release of two tour books in the immediate aftermath, this tour has remained untouched. The cricket itself is dramatic, with fascinating key characters and a plethora of incidents on and off the field, many of which involve race and social class. This was the first tour where the MCC traveled by plane, although they returned home on the boat. It was also the first time that a professional player, Len Hutton, captained the team. Additionally, Fred Trueman, Hutton's Yorkshire teammate, made his debut tour, and the Three Ws were at their peak, with a young talent named Garfield Sobers making his international debut.

David Woodhouse has conducted extensive research on every aspect of the tour, conducting numerous interviews to retain the nuances and subtleties of the various levels of the story. He takes us through the lead-up to the tour, the warm-up games, and the five Test matches, as well as the recriminations that took place at Lords and in the West Indies in the tour's aftermath.

The tour was marked by several significant events, including Hutton's impressive captaincy, Trueman's debut, and Sobers' outstanding performance. However, it was also marred by controversy, with the West Indies team refusing to play at Lord's due to racial discrimination. This led to the cancellation of the final Test match, which remains one of the most controversial moments in cricket history.

Overall, Who Only Cricket Know provides a detailed and insightful account of the second most controversial tour in English cricket history. The book is a must-read for cricket enthusiasts and anyone interested in the history of the sport, as it sheds light on the events that shaped the sport's development and the social and political context in which it was played.

Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781915237330