A Beautiful Game: My love affair with cricket

WINNER OF THE CRICKET BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD AT THE CROSS BRITISH SPORTS BOOK AWARDS 2017 WINNER OF THE MCC/CRICKET SOCIETY'S BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD 2017 Mark Nicholas, the face of Channel 5's Cricket on Five and anchor for Channel 9's Test commentary team in Australia, has a unique knowledge and perspective on the world of cricket. As both a former player and now a professional observer and commentator on the game, he knows all the key figures of the sport and has witnessed first-hand some of cricket's greatest moments. His book is a personal account of the game as he's seen and experienced it across the globe. From epic test matches and titans of the game like Lara, Warne and Tendulkar, to his own childhood love for the sport, Mark gives us his informed, personal and fascinating views on cricket - the world's other beautiful game.

About the Author :
Mark Nicholas captained Hampshire for the best part of twelve summers, passing 1000 runs in a season on ten occasions, making 36 first-class hundreds and leading the county to four titles. He also captained England A in nine unofficial Test matches. Mark went on to become a presenter and commentator with Sky TV, Channel 4 (whose coverage won three BAFTA awards) and now Channel 5. For sixteen years he was a sports feature writer with the London Daily Telegraph and had two spells in radio for talkSPORT. He has twice been named Sports Presenter of the Year by the Royal Television Society. Mark has worked on other television programs, including Survivor and Britain's Best Dish. For five months of the year he lives in Sydney and for the rest of the time in London.

Review :
Mark Nicholas...captures the magic of top-flight cricket in this likeable memoir. [H]ugely enjoyable... Nicholas has done a huge service to a game already in his debt. He helped to lift English cricket out of the sporting gloom of the late 1990s; and now he has chronicled his era as if he were one of us. For that, every cricket nut, English or otherwise, should be immensely grateful. Mark Nicholas has written a fascinating and engaging account of his life in cricket, firstly as a player and latterly as a commentator. This is an immensely readable but far from lightweight book, packed with anecdote, opinion and - a valuable gift - empathy... he is an elegant, enthusiastic observer of the game and this book, and indeed his life in cricket, deserves plaudits. A typically entertaining collection of thoughts, opinions and memories from inside the soul of the game we love. Every chapter is interesting in its own way. I didn't always agree with him but that's not the point. The point is that I wanted to read on. Mark Nicholas has been at the centre of the game as a player, writer, commentator and analyst for years. Very few have ever equalled his passion, perception, knowledge of the game and matchless ability to communicate it with wit, charm and flawless fluency. All these qualities and more have flowered in A Beautiful Game. A brilliant broadcaster with a wonderful knowledge of the game and, above all, an infectious passion for cricket. The thing about Mark is his uniquely positive take on cricket. He conveys the message that the game may not be easy but it's sure worthwhile. His book is the same, a celebration. Mark Nicholas is a master with words, both written and spoken. His positivity is what separates him from others and it's what shines through in this book. Vision, knowledge, enthusiasm: three of the attributes that give Mark authority and respect. This book reflects his passion for the game and his ability to tell the stories that make it so special. A great read. Top class from first to last. Quite possibly the best cricket book you will ever read - a masterpiece. Whether writing or commentating, Mark has always been able to take us inside the game. If I was buying one cricket book this year, it would A Beautiful Game this is indeed a beautiful book. It is the memoir of a complex and fascinating man much more interesting and nuanced than the sporting celebrity with whom most of us are familiar... a gifted writer who possesses not only an uncanny eye for the game but for humanity in general.