Good cricket books or films people?

[Liam Stephen]

In don't really know what to put here as the title really asks it all.

Everything from autobiographical too story based however.

 

[PokerAce]

Lagaan - Its an Indian film, so there will be some (lots) of singing and dancing. However if you can get past that, then its quite a good film, one that was nominated for best foreign film Oscars when it was released.

Its about colonial India, when a village cannot pay back the tax, and they approach the colonial rulers to waive off taxes and the Brits say, okay we will once you beat us at cricket or pay up thrice the tax.

A cricket match follows.

As far as I know its the only cricket related/based film, ever to be nominated for an oscar, so even if all the song and dancing is something you don't have a taste for, I would say give it a go.

 

[abhi_jacko]

There is another decent one from India, called Iqbal. Again since its Bollywood, it has a few song sequences. But its really heart warming and definitely focused around cricket.

Synopsis: Iqbal, the deaf and mute son of a farmer, has a passion for the game of cricket and seeks the tutelage of washed-up, alcoholic ex-player.

Iqbal (2005) - IMDb

 

[cooks1st100]

Although not a movie, Bodyline is fantastic. Bodyline (TV Mini-Series 1984) - IMDb. Highly recommended, they should make an Ashes 2005 version!!


Bookwise, The Art of Captaincy by Mike Brearley, Ashes To Ashes by Marcus Berkmann. I haven't read any autobiography's by cricketers in years the last one was Viv Richards's which was okay from what I remember.

 

[Aravind.]

Jeeva (2014 film) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A must watch film for any cricket lover,it talks about the politics done by N. Srinivasan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia in Tamil Nadu cricket association on selecting players for Tamil Nadu based upon caste & how the hero(Jeeva) over come those obstacles,example:getting selected for Rajasthan Royals,performing well & making into Indian team) & the film also describes problems he & his friend(Ranjith) are facing in Tamil Nadu state team,despite performing well in the limted chances that they got.

 

[ParkedTheBus]

Second XI: Cricket In Its Outposts is a wonderful book based on associates. And of course, Fire in Babylon trumps all other cricket-based movies/documentaries.

 

[ethybubs]

they should make an Ashes 2005 version!!

how about no!

 

[blockerdave]

Peter Oborne's biography of Basil D'Oliveira is a book I cannot recommend highly enough

also Ed Smith's diary of a county season, On and Off the Field is brilliant, as is Simon Hughes' autobiography A Lot of Hard Yakka

as @cooks1st100 said above, the Bodyline TV series is excellent.

 

[Fenil]

I love this documentary of sorts video about England's win in Ashes 2005.

 

[IceAgeComing]

the fact that no one has yet mentioned fire in babylon is criminal, imo

also ed smith wrote an interesting book comparing cricket with baseball (he ended up at spring training one year with the Mets, I'm not sure why) which I'd recommend - I found it in a library years ago so I can't remember a great deal about it bar it being good, just that he compared batting in cricket to pitching in baseball and has argument makes perfect sense.

 

[grkrama]

This one trumps everything else

Buy KP: The Autobiography Book Online at Low Prices in India | KP: The Autobiography Reviews & Ratings - Amazon.in

you will find few if not any, more entertaining filmy read in cricket than this.



this one lists some of the best centuries over the cricketing history ranking them based on conditions and attack, its a good way to know some of the best innings in cricket especially ones that we havnt ben able to watch. The ranking itself isn't perfect especially the top 10 i rate lara's 150 over gooch but its subjective but in essence captures a lot of the best centuries in cricket's history well detailed with interesting quotes.

Masterly Batting: 100 Great Test Centuries: Patrick Ferriday, David Wilson: 9780956732118: Amazon.com: Books
Review: Masterly Batting | Cricket | ESPN Cricinfo

 

[cooks1st100]

the fact that no one has yet mentioned fire in babylon is criminal, imo.

I can't believe I didn't think of it when I posted, Fire in Babylon is the dogs danglies!! It is up on youtube in case people haven't seen it.

Is the KP book actually a good read? Thought about getting it for the kindle.

 

[abhi_jacko]

I really need to watch fire in Babylon, I don't know why I keep postponing it. Tonight is the night !!

 

[abhi_jacko]

Came across this trailer while looking for some unknown Cricket movies/documentaries - Beyond All Boundaries. A documentary around World Cup 2011 in India. Spotted Yuvraj, Ganguly and Ayaz Menon

Description: Trailer for the award-winning film on the 2011 World Cup cricket, directed by Sushrut Jain and produced by Kunal Nayyar of The Big Bang Theory.
In Theaters in Mumbai, Pune, Delhi NOW! Oct 10-16.

 

[Liam Stephen]

I'll be honest I wasn't expecting this sort of response so thankyou (I thanked every post individually too).
Well looks like a lot of movies and books to sift through, plus everything I have reserved from the library (10 current and ex-England autobiographies, they don't have any like Warne's, Ponting's, Bradman's, Lara's etc).