1976
Norman Preston's 25th edition as editor looked back on a hot summer (the Lord's Test was played in temperatures in the 90s, encouraging the now-famous streaker) which contained the first World Cup, won - after a thrilling final - by West Indies. England restored pride following the drubbing they had received in the previous winter by matching Australia in the four-Test series despite losing the first Test at Edgbaston; and the bespectacled David Steele emerged as England's unlikely saviour, ending the year as the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year after his bank-clerk-goes-to-war performances against Lillee and Thomson. Robin Hobbs hit a hundred in 44 minutes against the Australians. The 1975-76 winter was the last to date in which England had no scheduled overseas tour (they didn't go anywhere in 1988-89, either, after the proposed tour of India was cancelled because of the South African connections of many of the tourists).
Editor Norman Preston
Pages 1070
Price £3.00 (soft) / (cloth)
Bert Lock king of groundsmen
A real pro, who earned the gratitude of the game, 1976
Eleven West Indies men of my time
The three W's, Sobers, and Gibbs for starters, 1976
F. R. Foster a prince of the Golden Age
A joyous cricketer, who played with splendid verve, 1976
John Murray, M B E champion keeper
M. J. K. Smith lays down his bat
The players' favourite - and a very good cricketer too, 1976
Sir Neville Cardus
The greatest centenary of them all!
The greatly-praised Hanif and his brothers
The family Pakistan cannot play without, 1976
Welcome West Indies