Cricket Crusader (1966) is the first major autobiographical work by the legendary West Indies all-rounder Sir Gary Sobers, written at a point when his reputation as the greatest cricketer of his generation was already firmly established.
The book combines personal memoir with reflections on international cricket during the 1950s and 1960s, covering Sobers’ rise from Barbados prodigy to global sporting icon. Alongside match experiences and touring life, Sobers offers insight into technique, temperament, and the evolving professional demands of elite cricket in the post-war era.
While written in a straightforward, accessible style typical of Pelham’s sporting list, Cricket Crusader remains an important primary source for understanding Sobers’ own view of his career and the West Indies team at its emerging peak.
Cricket Crusader – Gary Sobers (1966) 1st Ed HC + DJ | West Indies Cricket
Author: Gary Sobers
Title: Cricket Crusader
Publisher: Pelham Books
Place of Publication: London, England
Year: 1966
Edition: First Edition
Format: Hardcover with dust jacket
Pages: 171 pages
Condition: Dust Jacket: Present and not price clipped. Mark to top left of front panel. Additional marks to verso. Evidence of old sticky tape / residue to flaps and adjacent endpapers (front and rear). General handling wear. Boards: Original cloth boards intact. Gilt lettering to spine present. Moderate shelf wear. Spine & Binding: Binding remains intact and readable; no major structural failure. Pages: Insect damage to page edges, visible but not affecting text block integrity. Pages remain readable throughout. End Papers: Inscription to front endpaper. Tape residue present to front and rear endpapers. Overall: A serviceable reading copy of a 1966 first edition with dust jacket.
