Firsts, Lasts & Onlys of Cricket: Presenting the most amazing cricket facts from the last 500 years

Purchased this book as a present for my father and he thoroughly enjoyed it. He liked it so much, he has passed it onto his friends to read.

The world of cricket, with its love of stats and oddities is tailor-made for this kind of book. It is nicely presented and does contain some interesting information. However, Mr Donnelly more than once delivers the literary equivalent of Steve Harmison's notorious wide at the start of the ashes series in 2006. A book of this kind has to be accurate, otherwise its credibility is fatally undermined. Having spotted several howlers, I wonder if an even sadder anorak than me might not spot several more. As a for instance, Bobby Parks of Hampshire is cited as the last example of a player whose father and grand-father both also played first-class cricket. I'm sure many cricket fans will readily come up with the names of three more recent examples. (One of whom is currently playing for England.) Fred Titmus is given as the last player to do the traditional all rounder's "double", much I imagine, to the possible chagrin of Sir Richard Hadlee and Franklyn Stephenson whose subsequent similar achievements are thus cast into oblivion. I could go on, I'm afraid. Pity.