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Full Circle: A History of Cricket
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CHARTING THE RISE AND FALL OF FIRST-CLASS WHAT COMES NEXT?
'A remarkable account of cricket's fascinating journey from its origins ... to the present day.' Ehsan Mani, former President of the ICC
LONGLISTED FOR THE DEREK HODGSON CRICKET BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD
In its early forms in the 18th century, cricket was a commercial entertainment, a vehicle for gambling alongside cock-fighting or wrestling. In the Victorian era, the sport was recreated as a means of keeping order in England's public schools and increasingly allied with ideas of virtue and manliness. Exported by empire loyalists, cricket took root across the globe – thriving in some countries, indelibly linked with racism and colonialism in others.
From Australia to the Caribbean to Afghanistan, Oborne and Heller explore cricket's expansion and its later role in decolonisation, education and politics. They argue that in recent years the game – dominated by the wealth and scale of franchise cricket – has come full circle, less a sport than a commercial enterprise once more. In consequence, they believe it is in crisis. As big money has taken over the game, is cricket losing its integrity and meaning?
Comprehensive in scope and drawing on contemporary scholarship, this masterful account is an essential read for cricket fans everywhere.
Praise for Full Circle
'A proper, meaty history, independent in perspective, global in its sweep and trenchant in its judgements.' Gideon Haigh
'A truly global history of cricket, that draws on a wide range of sources and is itself elegantly written.' Ramachandra Guha, author of The Commonwealth of Cricket
'[An] encyclopaedic journey through the history of the game.' Fazeer Mohammed, cricket commentator and journalist
CHARTING THE RISE AND FALL OF FIRST-CLASS WHAT COMES NEXT?
'A remarkable account of cricket's fascinating journey from its origins ... to the present day.' Ehsan Mani, former President of the ICC
LONGLISTED FOR THE DEREK HODGSON CRICKET BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD
In its early forms in the 18th century, cricket was a commercial entertainment, a vehicle for gambling alongside cock-fighting or wrestling. In the Victorian era, the sport was recreated as a means of keeping order in England's public schools and increasingly allied with ideas of virtue and manliness. Exported by empire loyalists, cricket took root across the globe – thriving in some countries, indelibly linked with racism and colonialism in others.
From Australia to the Caribbean to Afghanistan, Oborne and Heller explore cricket's expansion and its later role in decolonisation, education and politics. They argue that in recent years the game – dominated by the wealth and scale of franchise cricket – has come full circle, less a sport than a commercial enterprise once more. In consequence, they believe it is in crisis. As big money has taken over the game, is cricket losing its integrity and meaning?
Comprehensive in scope and drawing on contemporary scholarship, this masterful account is an essential read for cricket fans everywhere.
Praise for Full Circle
'A proper, meaty history, independent in perspective, global in its sweep and trenchant in its judgements.' Gideon Haigh
'A truly global history of cricket, that draws on a wide range of sources and is itself elegantly written.' Ramachandra Guha, author of The Commonwealth of Cricket
'[An] encyclopaedic journey through the history of the game.' Fazeer Mohammed, cricket commentator and journalist
535 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 23, 2026
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Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Up until three years or so ago Richard Heller and Peter Oborne hosted an intelligent and not to be missed cricket podcast and now they have turned their hands to an overarching history of the game which is long overdue after the epic EW Swanton and HA Altham's History of Cricket from many decades ago.
This is a wide ranging panoramic examination of the sport, how it developed globally and its effect on society and how society has affected it too.
Nothing escapes their scrutiny and trenchant analysis, the heroes are praised and the villains are named and shamed. Racism and match fixing are examined and excoriated and the reader will relish the depth of their research and the quality of the writing.
A shoo-in for cricket book of the year!
This is a wide ranging panoramic examination of the sport, how it developed globally and its effect on society and how society has affected it too.
Nothing escapes their scrutiny and trenchant analysis, the heroes are praised and the villains are named and shamed. Racism and match fixing are examined and excoriated and the reader will relish the depth of their research and the quality of the writing.
A shoo-in for cricket book of the year!
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review