The Reduced History of Cricket: The Story of the Noble Game of Bat and Ball Squeezed into 100 Runs / Aubrey Ganguly, Justyn Barnes

A lot of leather has "plunk-plicked" against willow since cricket was first played on the village greens of Olde England, but this entertaining book heroically manages to capture the true essence of the noble ball game in just 100 run-grabbing moments (plus a few extras for overthrows). This is the history of cricket as it has never been relayed before: a well tossed-up compilation of surreal match reports, spoof correspondence and quirky sketches. From a Great Victorian refusing to walk (even though his bails have been knocked off by the bowler) to modern-day sledgers playing pajama cricket under floodlights, the game's towering achievements, hilarious happenings, and ludicrous coincidences are entertainingly recalled.