We talk to journalist and historian Gideon Haigh about The Summer Game – his classic book recently republished by 81allout Publishing.
Gideon talks about the largely forgotten 1950s and ’60s, and fascinating stories he heard from many who nourished the game – at a time when the financial rewards were minimal and when the game itself saw some fallow times.
India (hardback) | India (paperback) | India (e-copy)
USA (hardback, paperback, e-copy)
UK (hardback, paperback, e-copy)
Canada (hardback, paperback, e-copy)
Apple Podcasts
SpotifyTalking Points:
- The idea for The Summer Game – an outgrowing from The Cricket War
- How post-war period opened up Australian cricket to the rest of the world
- The tragic end to Ian Meckiff’s career – and what he recalled of it many years on
- Robert Menzies’ role in Australian cricket through his primership
- The discontent of the ’50s and ’60s setting the stage for World Series Cricket
- The poignant story of Pat Crawford – who disappeared from the face of cricket
- The staggering popularity of the West Indies tourists in 1960-61
- Richie Benaud’s punctilious image management – and his precise writing
- The ebullient Benaud who ruffled feathers as a player and journalist
- Neil Harvey’s legacy in Australian cricket
- Australia’s tours to South Africa in the 1960s – and their attitude to discrimination
- Bill Lawry’s reaction to the news that he was dropped from the Australian side
Participants:
Gideon Haigh
Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee)
Mahesh Sethuraman (@cornerd)
Books Discussed:
- Gideon Haigh’s books – gideonhaigh.com
- Cricket War – Gideon Haigh – Amazon
- Bowler non grata – Brydon Coverdale meets Ian Meckiff – The Cricket Monthly
- The Lucky Country – Donald Horne – Amazon
- Beyond a Boundary – CLR James – Amazon
- The Summer of ’49 – David Halberstam – Amazon
- The Fifties – David Halberstam – Amazon
- The Tale of Two Tests – Richie Benaud – Amazon
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