Ashley MallettCritiques

Clarrie Grimmett is one of the all-time great spin bowlers; all the more amazing considering his late start to regular first-class and international cricket. Add to the fact that Grumm was apparently quite a character means that it is a shame that this biography isn't very interesting.

The author Ashley Mallett is a former Australian spinner himself so has a particularly strong insight into the mind of an Australian spin bowler. He’s also been a journalist and writer of longstanding, so you would expect a well-written book. It’s disappointing therefore to see the resulting book, which doesn’t do the Bradman of spin justice.

For starters there’s an overly long and somewhat tedious section imagining Grimmett bowling to Dean Jones before a potted history of Grimmett with little in the way of incisive examinations into the life of a champion spin bowler (be of Grimmett with little in the way of incisive examinations into the life of a champion spin bowler (beyond the fact that Grimmett bowled with an orange in his backyard) or the level of penmanship expected of a highly experienced author.

This brief biography of the Carlton Football Club star is suitable for children and younger readers.

This brief biography of the Essendon Football Club star is suitable for children and younger readers.

This brief biography of the Melbourne Football Club star is suitable for children and younger readers.

Part of a biographical series suitable for children, around 30 pages in length and containing several pictures. This one is about the Collingwood and Brisbane player Mark Williams who originally came from SANFL club Port Adelaide. Other players in the series include Robert Flower, Wayne Johnston and Tim Watson.

A great read if you are a Doug Walters fan. It uses his words and those of his contemporaries - some of the legends of Aust cricket. if you love Aust cricket it gives an interesting insight into the workings of the Aust team in the 60's and 70's. Get to know what Bill Lawry was really like. Doug hit a century in a session in a lead up match in the West Indies and he didn't hit a boundary - the grass was too long he ran all the runs - what a legend!

Nicely written biography, though not really a 'warts and all' account. Clearly shows Grimmett's desire to play test match cricket, and the fact that his career began during cricket's 'Golden Age' (pre-WWI) means that he was able to bowl to players from Victor Trumper to Bradman, Frank Woolley to Hammond. Notes that, as a bowler Grimmett's career was Bradmanesque, but he got only a fraction of the acclaim. He had 5 wickets in an innings 21 times in 37 tests.