There were just one of several literary cricket teams around at the beginning of the twentieth century – famously, JM Barrie had his Allahakbarries and PG Wodehouse, AA Milne and Punch all had their own elevens. But the Authors were the only team made up entirely of writers and they would play at Lord's each year, against the Publishers and Actors. Arthur Conan Doyle and Wodehouse often opened the batting. The Authors played their last match in 1912, losing to the Publishers. A century on, the Authors were revived by Charlie Campbell and Nicholas Hogg. The new-look side includes brothers Tom and James Holland, William Fiennes and Alex Preston, professional-cricketer-turned-author Ed Smith and historians Matthew Parker and Thomas Penn.Follow them on Twitter at @AuthorsCC.

I once said I never met a cricketer I didn’t like and this book goes some way to explaining why. A wonderful celebration of the best of games

There were just one of several literary cricket teams around at the beginning of the twentieth century – famously, JM Barrie had his Allahakbarries and PG Wodehouse, AA Milne and Punch all had their own elevens. But the Authors were the only team made up entirely of writers and they would play at Lord's each year, against the Publishers and Actors. Arthur Conan Doyle and Wodehouse often opened the batting. The Authors played their last match in 1912, losing to the Publishers. A century on, the Authors were revived by Charlie Campbell and Nicholas Hogg. The new-look side includes brothers Tom and James Holland, William Fiennes and Alex Preston, professional-cricketer-turned-author Ed Smith and historians Matthew Parker and Thomas Penn.Follow them on Twitter at @AuthorsCC.

I once said I never met a cricketer I didn’t like and this book goes some way to explaining why. A wonderful celebration of the best of games