Stephen Chalke – författare

'Punchy’s Hampshire Years' tells the story of Alan Rayment’s life from 1949 to 1959, the years when he spent his summers inside the game of cricket. The book, following on from 'Punchy through the Covers', was to be the second of a three-volume autobiography, but sadly Alan Rayment died before he was able to complete it. Stephen Chalke has drawn together the written chapters, as well as notes, taped conversations and other titbits, to complete the story.There are delightful insights into the life of a professional county cricketer in the 1950s, a fascinating account of the successful ballroom dancing business that Alan and his wife Betty developed during those years and powerful descriptions of the life-changing spiritual experiences that led him to leave behind his life in cricket and dance. Even when he spends the summer of 1959 as an assistant coach at Lord’s, Alan’s radical thinking comes to the fore, generating a most surprising tale.In the words of his former Hampshire captain Colin Ingleby-Mackenzie, Alan Rayment had 'great ability and insight into people’s characters' and 'a number of qualities unusual in the normal first-class cricketer’ – and 'Punchy’s Hampshire Years' bears that out. Warmth and humour combine with a free-thinking spirit, ever curious to explore fresh worlds and new ideas, making this a stimulating memoir which is, indeed, much more ‘unusual’ than one by a ‘normal first-class cricketer’.

Test your knowledge of cricket over a wide range of topics: not only run outs and centuries but also cricketers who share their names with film stars and animals - everything from 'Tipping the Scales' to 'Holy Orders'. There are 18 picture rounds - memorable moments of cricket history and images of celebrity cricketers - and 16 rounds where well-known cricketers have set questions about themselves. Perfect rain break reading - full of fun and quirkiness! All proceeds are being donated to the Professional Cricketers' Association's Trust.

TheRecord of a Long Life, written in 1896, is the memoir of HenryPilleau, army surgeon, traveller and artist.Spanningmost of the 19th century, it offers revealing insights into the changes inthose years: from a description of his childhood home in Kennington looking outon an open expanse of countryside to his observations on the impact of tourismon the ancient marvels of Egypt.He served inIndia before and after the Mutiny and in Ireland during the Great Famine and aFenian rebellion. He records in fascinating detail the conditions in which hepractised and the medical improvements he made.The memoir isa rich kaleidoscope. On one page there is an amusing conversation withConstable about Turner's work; on another we read of hair-raising encounterswith tigers. He reminds the Governor-General of India that they had beenroom-mates at school; he tells of an audience with the King of Franceimmediately after an attempted assassination; he relates the sad story of acaptured Andaman islander and his months as medical companion to a sickly12-year-old Lord Herbert on an eventful trip to the Holy Land. The novelist CharlesDickens, the billiards champion Kentfield, the unconventional Arabist Lady DuffGordon and the actor Charles Kean all appear. But it is as an artist and atraveller that Henry Pilleau is at his most observant, never happier than whensketching in his favourite cities, Cairo and Venice. This volumeweaves his art into the pages of the memoir, the result being an engaging mixof social history and art.

WISDEN BOOK OF THE YEAR FOR 2024Brian Close was one of the most remarkable characters of post-war English cricket. Known for his great bravery against fast bowling and for his fearless close fielding, he led both Yorkshire and England with great success, yet in controversial circumstances he was sacked both times from the captaincy.In 'One Hell of a Life', Stephen Chalke draws on conversations over the past 25 years, both with Brian Close himself and with team-mates, opponents and family, many of them, like Close, no longer living.The result is a fascinating portrait of an unusual man, one who might have reached greater heights if he had adopted more of a safety-first approach to life - but then he would not have been Brian Close: daring, defiant and at times daft. An outstanding leader, he lived his life as he drove his cars: fast and reckless, with many a prang along the way.The story of Brian Close is a tale like no other in cricket, rich with humour but at times hauntingly sad. His loss of the England captaincy is set in the context of the social attitudes of the time, with cricket still run by an amateur class distrustful of a single-minded Yorkshireman who played always to win.

Mark Alleyne was one of the most successful captains in the history of countycricket, leading the little-fancied Gloucestershire to seven trophies in sixyears. Now he has returned to Gloucestershire as Head Coach, the county winninga further trophy in his first year back.Here in Pack yourBags, Brother he talks about his life and shares the story of thosesuccesses: from his formative years in Barbados and the ground-breakingHaringey Cricket College to becoming Gloucestershire's youngest centurion andleading the county in those golden years.Along the way we learnof the onerous duties of a twelfth man servicing the eccentric Jack Russell'sneeds, the shock of a prison sentence in Kenya, the experience of captaining anEngland 'A' tour in the Caribbean and the emotions of scoring a century in thefirst Cup triumph at Lord's.Then, as his career moves into coaching, we get a parent'saccount of his son Max's progress from Coalpit Heath Under-7s to England'sUnder-21 football team.A deep thinker,interested in sports psychology, he reflects on his life story, the charactershe has known, the nature of successful teamwork and the way the game haschanged in the forty years since his county debut: the growing role of thecoach and the impact of franchise cricket.It is an uplifting anda thought-provoking story, rich with the humanity and wisdom of a special andmost popular cricketer.