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

The January 2024/Christmas issue of The Cricketer has a wonderful, fun-packed illustrated cover by the gifted Nick Newman

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

1. "England's captain Jos Buttler cut a forlorn figure, and, by the end of the World Cup, so did India skipper Rohit Sharma…"

Mike Brearley reflects on the loneliness of command at the World Cup.

2. "I think that it's an interesting idea for MCC to have a team in The Hundred… (and sides being bought) for between £35m–£65m… imagine what that can do for the game… If you'd owned 5 per cent of the IPL from day one, you’d be a very happy chappie now!"

Inside, David Gower takes new MCC president Mark Nicholas to lunch, and they talk about playing together at Hampshire, Channel 4 and the future of The Hundred.

^{Mike Brearley reflects on the loneliness of command at the World Cup}

3. "You can have the wisdom of Jonathan Agnew and Vic Marks, and the youth and exuberance of somebody like Alex Hartley. The main thing is, everyone loves cricket"

We have a big section on Test Match Special…Adam Mountford, the show's producer, talks about the delicate balancing act of modernising a much-loved institution.

4. "'Our focus is on entertainment,' says Ben Stokes. And there was me thinking that cricket enthralled because both teams really want to win…"

Simon Barnes reflects on a 2023 that saw England's men pull off a number of triumphant drawn series, while the IPL, The Hundred and 50-over World Cup show where the game's priorities really lie.

^{Test Match Special producer Adam Mountford is interviewed}

5. "Some of the smaller teams appear to have realised they can earn more as an almost silent partner to the bigger clubs than they can putting out their own teams. Which means we have arrived in the ridiculous situation where some cricket clubs can earn more money from not playing cricket"

George Dobell says Richard Gould's efforts to tweak The Hundred are being hampered by counties who are happy not to play.

6. "Brian Johnston described TMS as a 'bunch of friends going to a match and talking about it'"

Peter Baxter became the producer of Test Match Special 50 years ago. In this issue he recalls the eclectic set of characters he had to manage.

^{David Gower takes new MCC president Mark Nicholas to lunch}

Elsewhere... James Coyne hopes the dogged opposition provided by talkSPORT is keeping TMS on its toes; Durham coach Ryan Campbell speaks out in 'facing up'; Nasser Hussain picks out his player of 2023, and his one to watch next year in 'Ask Nasser'; David Hopps says It was bad timing to agree contracts with England players on the eve of a World Cup that was to expose many of them; Tanya Aldred reflects on the news that Nat Sciver-Brunt is now one of the best-paid British female sports stars; Nick Friend explains why Jon Lewis took his England batters to Mumbai; Paul Edwards reviews the year's books and picks out a cracker from Simon Wilde; Huw Turbervill investigates the extraordinary story of Lashings Cricket Club; and there's our Quiz of the Year!

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