| Ever since the game of cricket has been played, | | | | longest 34 years. |
| detailed facts and records have been kept. Facts for | | | | Wisden's Cricketer of The Year dates back to 1899 |
| the first test matches have been kept since 1877. By | | | | and is one of the oldest sporting honours. Since 1927 |
| the very nature of the game, cricket has created | | | | there have been five chosen in each edition |
| vast amounts of statistical records and a superbly | | | | (excepting the war years (1941-1946) when none |
| rich list collection of cricketing stories, the 2009 | | | | were chosen - although the almanac was still |
| Ashes series Test between England and Australia will | | | | produced. The 2006 Edition saw the 300th Wisden |
| be no different. So where do you go to get | | | | Cricketer Of The Year since the Second World War |
| information on all things to do with cricket? | | | | and in 2009 England's Claire Taylor became the first |
| Simply the first port of call for all things cricket must | | | | woman to be chosen. Once you have received this |
| be Wisden, this Cricket Almanac is THE reference | | | | accolade you are not eligible to be nominated a |
| guide for cricket, and was first produced in 1864 by | | | | second time. |
| the English cricketer John Wisden and has been | | | | Although records of test matches have been kept |
| published annually every year since. Although it | | | | since 1877 the very first Test Match between |
| generally weighs in with around 1500 pages of facts | | | | England and Australia that took place that year was |
| and figures, the first edition only ran to 112 pages | | | | not covered in Wisden for 100 years. The scorecard |
| and was padded out with several items unrelated to | | | | was printed to celebrate the centenary of the test in |
| cricket such as dates of battle in the English Civil | | | | 1977 and bizarrely, the result was the same in both |
| War, the winners of The Oaks. | | | | cases - Australia won by 45 runs. |
| The Almanac first appeared in a salmon pink colour | | | | Wisden now boasts an associated website Cricinfo |
| but today's easily recognizable yellow cover first | | | | and the book is now more an additional reference to |
| appeared on the 75th edition in 1938 as did the | | | | this site. As one would expect of anything Wisden, it |
| woodcut image of two Victorian gentlemen playing | | | | is probably the most comprehensive online cricket |
| cricket in top hats and tight trousers. The first 'real' | | | | information site in the world, containing a huge |
| person to appear on the cover was Michael Vaughan | | | | archive of cricket records and statistics. Use the |
| in 2003. | | | | Cricinfo Stats guru to find out any cricket you may |
| The Wisden Almanac is indestructible! Even though | | | | possibly want to know, be it countries, players, |
| the Wisden factory at Mortlake wad destroyed in | | | | grounds or officials. It has such a wealth of |
| 1944 after being hit by a German bomb destroying all | | | | information that you really can make it your 'one |
| the records it really didn't suffer any loss in | | | | stop shop' for all things cricket. |
| production as all the information was contained within | | | | Watch and listen carefully for new statistics, facts |
| the existing Almanac and the company managed to | | | | and stories as England and Australia return to their |
| continue production without losing any vital | | | | age old rivalry at the 2009 Ashes Test series this |
| information. | | | | summer. Only one team can return with the famous |
| There have only been 16 editors of Wisden in its 146 | | | | Urn. Urn - what Urn I hear you say .... Ah that's |
| years - the shorted serving just one year and the | | | | another story! |