Amateur hour

2005-06 Test Cricket Annual by John Woods
(Unicorn Press, 256pp) £14.99

The 2005-06 Test Cricket Annual is Irish cricket enthusiast John Woods' second offering to the world of cricket literature, following on the heels of 2004's admirable Test Cricket Grounds - The Complete Guide.

In this 256-page publication, Woods and his band of nomadic cricket fans attempt to cover in depth the year's Test cricket in a way that he feels will appeal to fellow cricket fans. "For supporters, by supporters," says the blurb on the rear cover and paradoxically this proves both a strength of the book and its main weakness.

The problem is that the book falls squarely between two stools, being neither a quality collection of cricket writing nor an amusing fanzine. Even in its presentation, it is neither a pocket-fitting paperback nor a coffee-table hardback. In fact, it is more akin to a biology textbook with its shades of green and dense forests of text.

Once inside, the styles are as wild and varied as a Steve Harmison opening over, which is wholly unsurprising as there are over 20 contributors, introduced to the readers via a series of occasionally scary mug-shots. These men and women are cricket's hardcore supporters - people like Woods himself who travel the world on a shoestring budget and probably watch more live international cricket than most of the game's so-called experts.

But that said, they are not experts, and the overriding feeling is that anyone in search of a serious analysis of the year's Test cricket would probably look for the verdicts of established writers rather than those of enthusiastic amateurs. Almost inevitably, the quality is very variable and reports often descend into a blow-by-blow account of the match that offers little personal colour. In a cheap fanzine, that's not a worry. In a book that costs £14.99, it's a bit of an obstacle.

There are occasional highpoints, such as an Australian's amusingly smug diary entry from the first Test of the Ashes, but overall the layout is formulaic and extremely hard work. There are full scorecards and comprehensive averages for each series, which is an undoubted bonus, although it's nothing that wouldn't be available in your average Wisden or Playfair, or indeed, Cricinfo.

This was a commendable idea, yet there is no escaping the fact that it is the sort of book that young cricket fans tend to receive from well-meaning aunts at Christmas, and swiftly relegate to the role of dust-gatherer or doorstop.