Cricket’s most unusual book features Caribbean players

As England’s touring T20 and Test squads continue to agonise over selections for their Caribbean contests, more than 70 West Indian cricketers – men and women across the history of the sport – have been included in what is being called the most unusual book ever written about cricket.

Cricket’s Craziest Teams, written by Mark Slattery, draws on the names of cricketers grouped by themes. Two examples would be the Nativity, which features Antiguan bowler Alzarri Joseph, and a team of Fish names includes Bajan bowler Derrick Sealy who played in the 1930s.

“I made up fifty teams, each properly balanced with two openers, a wicket-keeper, captain and balanced batting. All the players are genuine international ones, and I’ve told stories about their lives to introduce young readers to them.

“It is the ultimate in fantasy cricket, because it crosses all generations and I’ve managed to get some 50 women’s cricketers into the book, too,” Slattery said.

West Indies women’s players include Tremayne Smartt (in the team whose names are all accomplished words), Stephanie Power (who is essential to the construction team) and Chedean Nation, who appears alongside Jamaican fast bowling legend Courtney Walsh in the international team.

“I like that I have a West Indian representing Wales,” said Slattery, “but I cannot imagine Courtney’s Welsh accent is especially accurate!”

The book is festooned with cartoons, one depicting Rory Burns, seems to have hoaxed the player.

“Rory Burns appears on my cover, putting out his stumps which are on fire,” said the author. “But since I picked him for my illnesses and ailments XI, he’s had nothing but miserable luck for England.”

Moeen Ali is also on the cover – cutting the lawn. Slattery said the book is not offensive and will entertain and inform a broad audience.

“I’ve got Sir Garfield Sobers in my Drinks XI, which must be one of the biggest ironies because he loved a drink, Wavell Hinds in the Doggy XI, and Alf Binns, the former ‘keeper, in my Household XI. I did think hard about that because after all, you are supposed to leave your Binns out.”

Other teams include fellow wicket keeper Ralph Legall who is in the law enforcement XI, while the fast-bowler turned commentator Ian Bishop is also included.

“I’ve got Collie Smith, Karl Nunes, Rahkeem Cornwall, Gavin Tonge, Joey Carew, John Trim, Junior Murray and scores of others brilliant West Indians who make up the names of my absurd teams.”

Other teams include one made up entirely of players called Smith; one themed on the names of motor cars; another based on reading and writing, and yet more on cakes and baking.

“I’ve found stories about a player whose name predicted the job he’d go on to do after he finished playing, and a woman who was dropped in favour of her own sister. Names are endlessly good for gentle amusement provided you are not being too cruel to anybody.”

One player who did not make it, but who is heavily tipped for volume two, is The Universe Boss himself, Chris Gayle.

“Gayle is obviously going to appear in the Weather XI, probably opening alongside Alex Hales. That’s the beauty of this idea: you get to mix players from different countries and eras together so long as they perform their real-life roles.

Former England fast bowler John Snow would make it into that. But I think we’d expect a lot of umbrellas with that opening pair.”

The book is available from Amazon.(PR)