'I was helping players write the book they wouldn't otherwise write' - Gideon Haigh on The Summer Game

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) Australia (paperback, e-copy) USA (hardback, paperback, e-copy) UK (hardback, paperback, e-copy) Canada (hardback, paperback, e-copy) Talking 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