Adrian Beard is Head of English at Gosforth High School in Newcastle­upon-Tyne. He is Principal Moderator at the Northern Examining and Assessment Board for A-Level English Literature Coursework.

'Beard's book is a welcome addition not only to A-Level English Language courses, at which it is aimed, but also to the literature concerned with mediated sport. The book is clearly written, and is conveniently structured into 'units.' - Culture, Sport and Society

• Unit one: This sporting life; It's not cricket; Fields of dreams; Advertising and sport Unit two: Sporting figures Anyone for tennis? Running commentaries; Leading ladies Unit three: The state of the game The sporting battlefield; Olympic ideals; Sporting legends; Unit four: Sporting codes; The level playing field Unit five: Sportstalk I Spot the balls up 61 What does it feel like? Unit six: Sportstalk II Television commentary 1 Television commentary 2 Radio commentary Unit seven: Sportswriting I Framework for looking at texts; The comic hero; How to play; The fans' view; Telling it like it is Unit eight: Sportswriting II Writing documentary