1932

The main thrust of the editorial looked forward to the Ashes series in Australia the following winter, and the question of the captaincy. Douglas Jardine was in the frame, but "he does not seem to have impressed people with his ability as a leader on the field", while Percy Chapman remained the leader of choice. The editor also reflected on a dismal summer in which there were 111 complete days lost to the weather in the Championship, the second year running that the weather had been awful. The future of Championship was under the spotlight - "in lawn tennis, golf and other games, [it has] powerful rivals as popular attractions that in the 19th century the game was not called upon to meet". Suggestions included a return to two-day matches, or one-innings games instead of two, and financial relief by fostering amateurs and reducing the fixture list. One sales gimmick was recorded - buyers of the top-range "Wisden Exceller Extra Special" bats in April and May were presented with a copy of the Almanack.
Editor C Stewart Caine
Pages 1034
Price 5/- (soft) / 7/6 (cloth)

Almanack essays

Notes by the Editor

England's shortcomings, 1932