Bowling Through India

by Justin Brown

A blokes' weekend away. Yarns, jokes, sledging . . . The usual guy-time thing, right?

But for five Kiwi chaps - a high-country farmer, a radio DJ, a businessman, a photographer and a shoestring traveller nicknamed Blanket Boy - things get a bit more extreme when they decide to go to India. To play cricket. From Kolkata to Agra, Darjeeling to Delhi, they take to the pitch in the weirdest of locations to face off against kids who can bat and bowl like demons. Along the way the Black Craps, as they name their team, learn about life, love, death, compassion and the fascination of India.

A book about travel, humour, mateship and the love of cricket that unites people whatever their age, race and station, Bowling Through India is an endearing and affecting read.

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction

Paperback

First published August 7, 2009

About the author

‘One of New Zealand’s highest profile creatives’ – The NZ Herald, 2018.

Justin Brown is a bestselling author and creative director. For the past 15 years, he hosted a top rating music radio show in Auckland. He has published 31 books for adults and children. Bowling Through India and Kiwi Speak were two of three bestsellers he had in a single year. In 2012 he won a notable books award for his junior novel Shot, Boom, Score!

In 2010 North and South named him Businessman of the Year.

Reviews

[Melki · Rating 3 out of 5]

I glared down the pitch at a bowler with 'Get lucky with an Irish Boy' plastered on his shirt. I had to pinch myself. I was in India, on an Indian pitch, facing an Indian bowler - albeit a ten-year-old.

Five mates from New Zealand venture to India for the express purpose of playing cricket. I probably would have enjoyed this more if I understood the least thing about the game, but for non-sport's fans the author offers a decent travelogue with terrific descriptions of the native culture, its history, its landmarks, and its FOOD.

Mmmm, I would risk the dreaded Delhi Belly to try some of this cuisine.

I also learned what more seasoned travelers have probably known all along - don't ever utter the phrase "at least things can't get any worse."

[Bachyboy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very matey and masculine but I couldn't put this down. 5 NZ guys go on a tour of India, playing cricket with the locals being their focal point. Very funny, very entertaining and like anything I read about India, it makes me want to go. Thoroughly recommended. I read it in one day. Mind you I did very little else :)

[Simon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoy cricket and travel writing, but I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I had expected I would. It might be because I haven’t travelled through the sub-continent and wasn’t able to relate this to my own experiences. With that being said, it's still a good book and I lent it to my father-in-law who really enjoyed it.

[Carolyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Certainly a little different to write about visiting India with the intention of playing "knock-up" or scratch cricket. Although I was a little irritated to start with over discussions of Delhi belly, I warmed to this story for their obvious enjoyment of playing in the less than wonderful surroundings with sundry Indian children and teenagers.

[Sunflower · Rating 4 out of 5]

You just know how this is going to go when you hear that these guys named their team "the Black Craps". Always interesting, sometimes hilarious, this is an account of 5 Kiwi guys on holiday in India, whose aim is to avoid visiting the usual tourist carpet shops and play cricket with local kids in as many locations as possible. They end up in some weird situations, playing with improvised equipment, catching the local lurgies and having a great time. I have called this non-fiction, though I suspect that the truth may have at times been somewhat exaggerated for entertainment purposes!

[Jim Locke · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a cracker, an insight into blokes and India all in one. Get up the Black Craps

[Vikas Datta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting concept and written well... quite funny too