The Paddock That Grew is the definitive institutional history of the Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC), tracing the Club’s extraordinary evolution from a rough colonial paddock into one of the most powerful and influential sporting institutions in world cricket.
 
Written by noted Australian journalist and historian Keith Dunstan, the book blends social history, sporting narrative, and cultural commentary. Dunstan situates the MCC not merely as a cricket authority, but as a mirror of Melbourne’s — and Australia’s — broader development, examining how cricket intersected with class, politics, urban growth, and national identity.
 
This 150th Anniversary edition (1988) is a substantially revised and expanded version of the original 1962 work, incorporating additional research, updated commentary, and reflections on the modern era of the game. It covers landmark moments at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), the administration of cricket in Victoria and Australia, and the personalities — players, officials, and members — who shaped the Club’s legacy.