The Cricket Annual was a compact cricket annual publication published in 1961 and 1962. This was the final name of a cricket annual that had first appeared in 1895, and was before it was re-named to become the re-styled Playfair Cricket Annual.
In 1962 the Playfair titles (including the Playfair Cricket Annual) were acquired by Dickens Press which had just published The Cricket Annual.Playfair Cricket Annual 1963, p.5. In November 1962 editor Roy Webber died suddenly and the decision was made to combine the two annuals so that in 1963, Dickens published a new style Playfair Cricket Annual, using the same name but basing the size, format and price on The Cricket Annual.
Background The Cricket Annual was one in a long line of publications starting in 1895, with many different titles but with a continuity of format and style. They are pocket book size (approx 9.8 x 13.6 cm) but pre-1928 inaccurately trimmed and size varies (1906 is 8.9 x 13 cm). Pre-1915 books usually contained 96 pages (1908 = 80). From 1904–1914 they were edited by Alfred Gibson (Rover) and then for one year in 1921 by 'Mentor'. From 1922 until 1939 the editor was Frank Thorogood, in 1946 Percy Rudd, and then Crawford White until 1957 when he was joined by Roy Webber. Good quality copies prior to 1921 are rare and the 1895–1899 Star and Leader Cricket Manuals is difficult to find in any condition. The early annuals (pre-1914) sold for one penny (1d). When they reappeared after the First World War the price was 4d (1923 2d) and then in 1929 reduced to 3d until 1939. Post-1946, as the number of pages grew, the cost rose in increments from 6d to one shilling and six pence (1/6) by 1957.
TitlesA Bibliography of Cricket, Compiled by E.W. Padwick. 2nd edition 1984, p.92 to 99. 1895–1899 Star and Leader Cricket Manual 1900–1908 Morning Leader Cricket Annual 1909–1911 Morning Leader Cricket and Sports Annual 1912 Morning Leader Cricket Annual 1913–1914 Daily News and Leader Cricket Annual 1921–1926 Daily News Cricket and Tennis Annual 1927–1930 Daily News Cricket Annual 1931–1939 News Chronicle Cricket Annual 1946–1956 News Chronicle Cricket Annual 1957–1958 News Chronicle & Daily Dispatch Cricket Annual 1959–1960 News Chronicle Cricket Annual 1961–1962 The Cricket Annual 1963-date Playfair Cricket Annual
Details
Editions produced since 1928:-
YearTitleEditor Price Pages 1928 Daily News Cricket Annual Frank Thorogood 4d 128 1929 Daily News Cricket Annual Frank Thorogood 3d 128 1930 Daily News Cricket Annual Frank Thorogood 3d 128 1931 News Chronicle Cricket Annual Frank Thorogood 3d 128 1932 News Chronicle Cricket Annual Frank Thorogood 3d 128 1933 News Chronicle Cricket Annual Frank Thorogood 3d 128 1934 News Chronicle Cricket Annual Frank Thorogood 3d 128 1935 News Chronicle Cricket Annual Frank Thorogood 3d 128 1936 News Chronicle Cricket Annual Frank Thorogood 3d 128 1937 News Chronicle Cricket Annual Frank Thorogood 3d 128 1938 News Chronicle Cricket Annual Frank Thorogood 3d 128 1939 News Chronicle Cricket Annual Frank Thorogood 3d 128 1946 News Chronicle Cricket Annual Percy Rudd 6d 80 1947 News Chronicle Cricket Annual Crawford White 9d 96 1948 News Chronicle Cricket Annual Crawford White 1s 96 1949 News Chronicle Cricket Annual Crawford White 1s 112 1950 News Chronicle Cricket Annual Crawford White 1s 144 1951 News Chronicle Cricket Annual Crawford White 1s 144 1952 News Chronicle Cricket Annual Crawford White 1s 144 1953 News Chronicle Cricket Annual Crawford White 1s 144 1954 News Chronicle Cricket Annual Crawford White 1s 160 1955 News Chronicle Cricket Annual Crawford White 1s 160 1956 News Chronicle Cricket Annual Crawford White 1s 144 1957 News Chronicle & Daily Dispatch Cricket Annual Crawford White 1s 6d 192 1958 News Chronicle & Daily Dispatch Cricket Annual Crawford White 1s 6d 192 1959 News Chronicle Cricket Annual Crawford White & Roy Webber 1s 6d 192 1960 News Chronicle Cricket Annual Crawford White & Roy Webber 1s 6d 192 1961 The Cricket Annual Roy Webber 2s 192 1962 The Cricket Annual Roy Webber 2s 6d 192
For editions of the annual 1963–present see the Playfair Cricket Annual.
References