Reviews in brief

The Wimbledon Club 1854-2004: A Sporting Scrapbook - Stephen Chalke
Available in hardback for £15 from The Wimbledon Club, Church Road, Wimbledon, London, SW19 5AG

Published to coincide with the Club's 150th birthday celebrations, Chalke has charted the history of Wimbledon with real charm and, as ever, an eye for the appropriate anecdote. From cricket to hockey to tennis, as Wimbledon is now internationally known for, this book sets the standard for club histories.

Cloth Caps and Cricket Crazy: Todmorden and Cricket 1835-1896 - Freda, Malcolm and Brian Heywood
Available in hardback for £20 (or £16 paperback) from Upper Calder Valley Publications, 7 Stile Moor Rise, Todmorden, Lancashire, 0L14 5NS.

Six years has gone into the research and writing of this book, which covers the early years of Lancashire club side Todmorden, from 1835 to 1896. Of special interest is the visit of WG Grace to Todmorden for a United North v United South of England match. The report of the game features unpublished details about cricket's first bearded wonder.

First published in 1994, Allen's biography of one of cricket's greatest talkers received very good reviews. It has been re-issued to tie in with the publication of Allen's biography of Swanton.

This is a splendid account of the founding and success of the Cheltenham Cricket Festival. Lillywhite, who taught cricket at Cheltenham College, fully deserves to have his legacy in print.