1971

A year dominated by the South African tour dispute, during which "a bitter, emotional - sometimes hysterical - aura hung over English cricket and divided the nation." The cancellation of the tour led to a five-match series against the Rest of the World, which Wisden briefly included as official Tests. The editor Norman Preston felt that the new lbw law, whereby batsmen could not be out to a ball pitched outside off as long as they had made a genuine attempt to play it, "had given batsmen more freedom and led to more attractive cricket." But he feared that an increase in one-day matches was "destroying England's Test middle order." Among the Cricketers of the Year was Clive Lloyd, thanks to some explosive batting for Lancashire and the Rest of the World.
Editor Norman Preston
Pages 1103
Price £1.65

Almanack essays

Notes by the Editor

Varying views on new LBW law, 1971