Noticed this on the Cricket best seller list over the summer, and picked it up in Daunts Books, Marylebone High Street before returning back to China. It is a thumpingly good read. From the very first few pages I was gripped. Here was someone who had the same kind of childhood daydreams as me. Here was someone who had gone to Alf Gover’s Cricket School in Wandsworth and waxed lyrical about the snooker table.

There are some very in-depth analyses of Ramps, Roebuck and Jon Hotten’s ability to draw you in with his story telling is second to none. I was so impressed with the opening few chapters that I wrote and thanked him for writing such a wonderful book. What a Gent – he wrote back.

Sad to see that Staggler’s of Asia have had to cancel the tour to Hong Kong. However, I am making tentative enquiries about the chances of getting a few Chengdu cricket players on a plane and taking on a cricket team in Hong Kong.

If it brings in more spectators it can only be a good thing. There are certainly those that view Test Match Cricket as being a ‘Red ball affair’, and I am inclined to agree, but if you don’t move with the times you die. There are precious few things in life that can remain inflexibly arrogantly unchangeable. Even the MCC had to have good, long hard look in the mirror back in 1998. So, well done Edgbaston. We look forward to the outcome next August against the Windies.