Overthrowing Cricket's Empire
Cricket was once used as a tool to colonise. What happens when those countries grow up? Overthrowing Cricket's Empire unearths the audacious stories of teams toppling the cricket colossus, England.
From W.G. Grace's Ashes-igniting run-out to Calum MacLeod's modern heroics, the book spans 150 years of fierce history. New Zealand's unexpected draws in 1949, Zimbabwe’s poultry farmer heroics, Ireland's audacious chase and hair, India’s elephantine triumph and South Africa’s spin saga are all etched in defiance.
This is a book about a bunch of Davids taking on Goliath. Every chapter has tales of the greatest English players and the men who stood up to slay them. The narrative transcends sport – a testament to resilience and national identity. Amid victories, there’s human drama.
Overthrowing Cricket's Empire isn’t just about cricket; it’s an odyssey of liberation, the essence of competition. Cricket is a sport that builds nations, and this book takes you through it brick by brick.
Jarrod Kimber is a prolific cricket writer whose multifaceted contributions have reshaped cricket journalism. A three-time Sports Journalism award-winner, he has written for The Telegraph, The Ringer, Sports Illustrated and Wisden and was a global writer at ESPN cricinfo. He is also a filmmaker, part of talkSPORT’s cricket commentary team and a former analyst for the Melbourne Stars and Scotland men’s team.