Six reasons to pick up the April issue of The Cricketer!

The April 2021 edition of The Cricketer. 164 pages, 100 years in the making...

It’s a special celebration of our centenary with star guest writers – plus the eagerly anticipated and much-loved annual county preview with two pages on each club, our incredibly popular fixtures wallchart, and a brilliant bonus on its flip side.

Guests applauding our ton include Richard Osman, Stephen Fry, Piers Morgan, Andrew Strauss and Mark Nicholas, alongside regulars Simon Hughes, Nasser Hussain, Vic Marks, Mike Selvey, Barney Ronay and Tanya Aldred.

We also received a host of congratulations messages, including from Joe Root, Heather Knight, Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Sir Keir Starmer and the PM of Australia, Scott Morrison.

You can buy a copy of the issue online HERE or SUBSCRIBE HERE! Here's what's in the mag...

1. "One hundred years of The Cricketer. That’s pretty damned good, you know. From Wilfred Rhodes to Jonty Rhodes. From red balls to pink. And now with a thriving women’s game too. Here’s to you"

Stephen Fry started reading The Cricketer in his dormitory, and now enjoys it on his iPad. He discusses his hero Mike Procter and his favourite Ian Botham cover.

2. Nasser Hussain recalls his 35 years of being in The Cricketer

"The first time my name appeared (with my photo) was as a 17-year-old in the October 1985 issue under the headline ‘Nasser Hussain—A ‘leggie’ to watch out for’… there was not much in there about my batting but my cricket master at Forest School did touch on my temperament! Alas I developed the yips and my leggies were not often seen after that."

^{Stephen Fry}

3. "Essex won the Bob Willis Trophy, and there’s no reason why they will not be favourites again with their potent attack"

It's not all about our three figures, though. The county season is upon us - we have a 2-page preview on each county.

4. George Dobell says a miracle was needed for England to have won the Test series in India

"Of course England want to win in India. Of course every team does their very best for the duration of that tour. But there’s not much evidence to suggest they want to win enough to make the changes required to give them a realistic chance of success. Look at the schedule for the summer of 2021."

^{Our bumper county season preview}

5. "It was seen as out of place to try too hard in county cricket 20 years ago. Players were happy to draw games, they were happy averaging 35 to get their next contract"

Andrew Strauss explains what it takes to reach the top, how to win in Australia, and his role in helping England lift the 2019 World Cup.

6. Gideon Haigh discusses Australia’s abandoned cricket pitches

They testify to Australia’s deep and abiding love of their national game – that in the most unpromising locations, where human life was often marginal and ultimately temporary, people still hankered enough for cricket.

^{100 years of The Cricketer}

The issue also contains…

A pictorial history of cricket and The Cricketer from 1921–2021 by Huw Turbervill; recalling our founding editor Pelham Warner by his granddaughter Marina; Vic Marks on CMJ; a preview of the 50th year of the National Village Cup; Tanya Aldred launches our quest to find ‘Britain’s greenest ground’; James Coyne explains why ‘the limpet’, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, is his favourite cricketer, and much, much more!

You can buy a copy of the issue online HERE or SUBSCRIBE HERE!