For most of his life he was an unexceptional estate agent in australia. Nicholas lezard is bowled over by gideon haighs mystery spinner. He is the author of a number of acclaimed cricket books, including mystery spinner, which was. The biography of one of the most original and elusive characters in australian sporting history, by renowned cricket writer gideon haigh. But for four years he was the best spin bowler in the world. It is also the utterly compelling story of gideon haighs quest to solve the enduring riddle of jack iversons life a quest which led him across australia following tenuous clues in school registers and county records. Haighs book is a well researched biography and makes entertaining reading. Warwick armstrong and the making of modern cricket 25. Australian test cricket 1949 71 1997 australian cricket anecdotes ed. The life and death of an extraordinary cricketer na. The story of jack iverson is a biography of iverson, an unlikely cricket superstar from the midtwentieth century who zoomed like a shooting star into the great australian team of 1950, and just as swiftly zoomed out of it again, commented robert winder in.
Shortlisted for the william hill sports book of the year, and voted cricket book of the year, with the judges commending a stunning and most moving book, mystery spinner is a truly compelling study of how, at the highest level of sport, skill is only half the battle. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read mystery spinner. Mystery spinner the story of jack iverson oxfam gb. Buy mystery spinner by gideon haigh from waterstones today. Mystery spinner is more than the beautifully written life of an elusive and forgotten hero who, after his brief burst of celebrity, has left strangely little trace in posterity. But thats the power of haighs impeccably researched and beautifully written book on australias mystery spinner jack iverson, who only played one international series the 195051 ashes.
The story of the extraordinary mrs mac, pioneering engineer and wartime. He died in obscurity, by his own hand, at the age of only 58. In the enthralling mystery spinner, first published in 1999, one of the worlds best cricket writers goes in search of an enigma. Gideon haigh has been a journalist for three decades, writing mainly about sport and business.
Mystery spinner the story of jack iverson by gideon haigh. The story of australias cricket captains 1997 the summer game. Buy mystery spinner the story of jack iverson, oxfam, haigh, gideon, 1854107143, 9781854107145. This is an extremely wellwritten book, which will be of interest not only to cricket fans, but also to all those interested in human life.
About the author gideon haigh has been a journalist for three decades, writing mainly about sport and business. The tale of the mystery bowler who comes from nowhere to win a test is not uncommon in fiction, but in this case it. An unexceptional estate agent who died in obscurity, by his own hand, he was a clumsy fielder and a hopeless batsman. Mystery spinner is the story of jack iverson while silent revolutions is a delightful collection of haighs journalism. We use cookies to give you the best possible experience.
Mystery spinner is more than that beautifully written life of an elusive and forgotten hero who, after his brief burst of celebrity, has left strangely little trace in posterity. It is no mystery that today jack iverson is virtually unknown. There are a couple of bits of padding but it is well worth the read. The extraordinary story of broadhalfpenny down by ashley mote. But noone ever seems to have been too fussed by jacks idiosyncrasies, and noone told a story against jack more often than jack himself. Mystery spinner by gideon haigh books the guardian. Six and out the legend of australian and new zealand cricket by jack pollard. This is the story of jack iverson, the mystery spinner of the title, whose test career consisted of five matches played against freddie browns england side in 195051, a series that australia won 41. William hill sports book of the year shortlist book. Jack iverson belongs more truly to a deviant strain of bowlers, also liberated by the googly, but related primarily by intent. The life and death of an extraordinary cricketer livros na amazon brasil 97817811820. But this man, in his short career, attracted a lot of attention and his mystery spin bowling technique, even more.
The story of jack iverson, by gideon haigh its not often you become engrossed in a biography without having ever heard of the subject. Mystery spinner ebook by gideon haigh rakuten kobo. The story of jack iverson is one of the most remarkable in the history of cricket. The life and death of an extraordinary cricketer sports classics book online at best prices in india on. The cricket society now has more than 2000 members in the united kingdom and the cricket playing countries of the world. In 1950, aged in his midthirties, tall, shy, shambling jack iverson burst forth from obscurity in. The cricket society is a charitable organisation founded in 1945 as the society of cricket statisticians at great scotland yard, london. The life and death of an extraordinary cricketer ebook written by gideon haigh. In 1950, aged in his midthirties, tall, shy, shambling jack iverson burst forth from obscurity in suburban melbourne, bowled like no man before and became a national sensation, then faded from view almost as swiftly. These days one only comes across the name jack iverson in tables showing cricketers who have taken wickets at ludicrously low averages. You probably wont have heard of jack iverson unless youre over 60.
The extraordinary and short career of jack iverson is the subject of this biography. But bissinger moved his family to odessa for the year for research, and the book became less a story solely about the panthers, more. Espn australia new zealands favourite sporting books. Comparing grimmett and iverson, gideon haigh in his magnificent biography of iverson. Iverson played a big part in australia continuing their.
This book is about jack iverson, an australian spin bowler who appeared, quite literally out of nowhere, played cricket for 4 years from the age of 31, earned himself the 10th best bowling figures that have ever been produced in test cricket, only to disappear just as fast because of an injury to his ankle, his spinning finger, and his confidence. This book is about jack iverson, an australian spin bowler who appeared, quite literally out of nowhere, played cricket for 4 years from the age of 31, earned. Let us salute the start of the cricket season by celebrating this most unusual story. Discover book depositorys huge selection of gideon haigh books online.
The cricket society mcc book of the year the cricket. The story of jack iverson, which was first published in australia by text in 1999. Iverson was a hopeless fielder and batsman but for four short years he was probably the most effective spin bowler the world has, and will, ever see. It has grown steadily to be the largest body of its kind in the cricket world. Gideon haigh is a member of the bradman museum reference panel. Buy a discounted paperback of mystery spinner online from australias leading online bookstore. Haigh previously won the award in 2000 for mystery spinner. The life and death of an extraordinary cricketer ebook. The tale of the mystery bowler who comes from nowhere to win a test is not uncommon in fiction, but in this case it actually happened. Bricks and mortality campbell carter mystery 3 pdf. Congratulations gideon haigh the international cricket. Mystery spinner is more than the beautifully written life of an elusive and forgotten hero who, after his brief burst of celebrity, has left strangely little trace in.
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