The Nightwatchman
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SAMPLE EDITION SUMMER18 2017 THE NightwatchmanTHE WISDEN CRICKET QUARTERLY SAMPLER THE NIGHTWATCHMAN THE THE WISDEN CRICKET QUARTERLY Nightwatchman Issue 18, out now, features the following: Cricket’s past has been enriched by great writing and Wisden is making sure its future Matt Thacker introduces issue 18 of The Nightwatchman will be too. The Nightwatchman is a quarterly collection of essays and long-form articles and Yvette Walker joins Don Bradman aboard the SS Orford is available in print and e-book formats. Bharat Sundaresan on the fascinating life of Ashantha de Mel Co-edited by Anjali Doshi and Tanya Aldred, with Matt Thacker as managing editor, The Nightwatchman features an array of authors from around the world, writing beautifully and Benj Moorehead has a magical weekend with Brian Close at length about the game and its myriad offshoots. Contributors are given free rein over Noah Levick is a Pakistan fanatic from far, far away subject matter and length, escaping the pressures of next-day deadlines and the despair of cramming heart and soul into a few paragraphs. James Runcie gives the Wisden address 20 years on from his father’s There are several different ways to get hold of and enjoy The Nightwatchman. You can Memories – Children at the cricket subscribe to the print version and get a free digital copy for when you’re travelling light. If you don’t have enough room on your book case, you can always take out a digital-only Lawrence Booth winkles out nine special cricketers subscription. Or if you’d just like to buy a single issue – in print, digital or both – you can Tim Cooke is captivated by Derek Birley do that too. Take a look at the options below and decide which is best for you. Luke Alfred on the murky world of match-fixing in South Africa Jaideep Varma takes a fresh look at India’s great batsmen SUMMER18 2017 Full subscription Liam Cromar examines cricket’s real-tennis moment THE Annual print Digital subscription NightwatchmanTHE WISDEN CRICKET QUARTERLY Jackie Litherland on the vandals of Durham subscription (with Annual e-book only free e-book versions) subscription Tanya Aldred wonders if cricket has forgotten silence £27 (+P&P) £10 A wrinkle in time – The winners of the MCC photo competition Click to Buy Click to Buy Peter Hanlon rejoices in a Fleet Street XI Paul Edwards tackles cricket through the lens Patrick Ferriday on the intriguing Robin Thorne Single copy PaajivsPunter can’t forget the days when supporting India was a lost cause Single issue (with crosses the line Digital single copy free with free Jarrod Kimber Single issue e-book version) Stephen Connor finds his relationship with cricket has become virtual (e-book only) £10 (+P&P) £4 Click to Buy Jonathan Liew sees magic in Shane Warne’s mural Click to Buy Jon Hotten salutes those who rocked The Oval THENIGHTWATCHMAN.NET SAMPLER THE NIGHTWATCHMAN For much of the evening, they had Warne paused for effect. “Nobody, laughed and drunk away the pain. The that’s who,” he said. He had developed English came in to visit, but had not a habit of answering his own rhetorical stayed long, eager to clamber into their questions, a trait that grated on waiting taxis and begin the festivities colleagues to an unfathomable degree, in earnest. And so the Australians and which they would occasionally commiserated alone, flipping open the remark upon when he was out of bottles of Victoria Bitter that had been earshot. But before they could dwell purchased for victory but would do on their irritation, Warne continued. just as well in defeat. “Yeah, they’re having a bit of a party A taut and awful silence gripped the tonight,” he said. “But if Warney throws A MURAL IN TIME room. Simon Katich stared at the a party, it’s going to be the greatest backs of his hands. Shaun Tait blew a party the world has ever seen.” Jonathan Liew dreams up Shane Warne’s ultimate party one-note tune across the neck of his bottle. The silence was momentarily Already, Warne’s mind was racing broken by a cricket ball rolling off the quicker than his tongue could follow. The film crew had been through almost having a bit of a chat. I tell you what, bench and hitting the floor with a thud. Warne was often this way when a every room of the house, and were the artist has looked after Pup with grand idea seized him: catalysed, just about to leave when the producer those guns!” “Well, fellas,” Adam Gilchrist began almost to the point of breathlessness. spotted the mural. At first, she thought suddenly. “At least we can tell our “In fact,” he continued, “that’s what nothing of it. Shane Warne’s house When the programme eventually aired grandkids we played in the greatest I’m going to do. Soon as we get back in the Melbourne suburbs was like a on Sky Sports in 2015 under the title Test series of all time.” home. Biggest party in the southern shrine to bad art. The motivational “Shane Warne: Living the Dream”, hemisphere. Who’s coming?” posters featuring tropical sunsets Warne was widely ridiculed for his Ricky Ponting harrumphed. “How and soaring eagles. The Matisse rip- vanity. Warne feigned indifference, but can it be the greatest of all time?” he Again, there was a certain sceptical offs that looked like a child’s school deep down he allowed himself a wry retorted. “We lost.” silence. Every single person in that macaroni project. The Barack Obama chuckle. Sure, he could be a touch room had first-hand experience of one “Hope” poster, but with Merv Hughes outspoken at times, perhaps even The click of a cigarette lighter of Warne’s “mega-parties”. Invariably, in the main role. This, however, was on unsubtle. But vanity was the last thing interjected before Gilchrist could they failed to live up to their advance an entirely different scale. you could accuse him of. Besides, he respond. From behind a tall stack of billing. Often, spectacularly so. One knew the truth. The mural was not pizza boxes, the slumped and cetacean time, the promised “A-list celebrities The cameras started rolling. “I’ll run you some fanciful imagining of an idealised figure of Warne slowly winched itself from the world of acting” had turned through a couple of the names,” Warne poolside reverie. It had been painted upright. Warne inhaled slowly and out to be Alf and Ailsa from “Home said. “So there’s Bruce Springsteen from life. exhaled with violence, an angry cloud and Away”. Then there was the time, and myself just chilling in the corner, of smoke pouring from his mouth. a few years earlier, when most of the having a drink. Springsteen’s got a • • • Australian team and their partners cricket ball in his hand, he’s just asking “Yeah, we lost,” he spat. “But we’re still had turned up in anticipation of a questions about cricket. The legend Darkness washed over The Oval like a Australia. They won, but they’ll wake “sumptuous moonlight dinner”. When Mick Jagger, he’s just sitting in the pool cruel sea. The champagne corks on the up tomorrow morning and they’ll still they arrived, they found that Warne’s chilling. Then you’ve got Frank Sinatra outfield would not be seen again until be England. Ian Bell will still be Ian Bell. hot tub had been drained and filled and Muhammad Ali having a bit of a morning. The confetti danced alone. Ashley Giles will still be Ashley Giles. with chips. tune, just singing along. Then JFK’s just Moths flapped at the pavilion window, The ginger bloke who came in and mixing with Sharon Stone and Marilyn the only square of light left in the ground. made seven, he’ll still be the ginger But it had been a long summer. Playing Monroe. Two of my closest friends, Inside the Australian dressing-room, bloke. Who’s going to remember these in the greatest series of all time takes Chris Martin and Michael Clarke, just however, illumination offered no solace. guys in 20 years’ time?” a toll on the body, but it takes a toll THENIGHTWATCHMAN.NET 5 SAMPLER THE NIGHTWATCHMAN on the mind as well. Nobody was “Have you ever read A Brief History of unappealing to him, or that the science through his head. What if Dizzy could in the mood to arrest Warne’s Time?” Jason Gillespie asked. “Basically, underwhelmed him. It was more that actually pull this off? Even if he could flight of fancy. Many were already it says that all time is a form of matter. he did not see the point. Why live 200 go back in time and find JFK and Elvis allowing their thoughts to wander It has a frequency and a position and years in the future when you could live Presley, how would he convince them homewards, to their own beds and a weight all of its own. If you could now, with the certainties of the present, to come to a party in Melbourne? home-cooked food and towels they somehow create a gravitational field when you knew where everything was And who was Genghis Khan? He had chosen themselves. stronger than any field that currently in your fridge, and you had a pretty could have sworn he had heard exists in the universe, you could enter good idea what would be on TV that that name someplace. Indian? Off- “You know those games where you and exit the time curve at any point evening? Besides, people in the past spinner? 1950s? “Not famous enough,” have to pick your ideal party guests?” you choose.