1972

Existing items were expanded and new ones added to the Records section, thanks to the BBC's statistician Bill Frindall. Reducing the qualification for batsmen's career runs from 30,000 to 25,000 finally allowed Sir Donald Bradman due recognition. Features included Ted Dexter's "Welcome Australia", ahead of the Ashes. But the editor Norman Preston begged for there to be no repeat of the dissent during England's winter win in Australia: "Arguing against umpires' decisions is contrary to the spirit and tradition of the game and brings it into disrepute." Zaheer Abbas and BS Chandrasekhar were among the five Cricketers of the Year, after starring for Pakistan and India respectively against England.
Editor Norman Preston
Pages 1123
Price £2.00

Almanack essays

Notes by the Editor

Cricket prospering through sponsorship, 1972