The Valiant Stumper: A History of Wicket-Keeping (1957) by G.D. Martineau is a classic and much-loved cricket history title, exploring one of the game’s most specialised and courageous roles.
 
This First Edition hardcover, published by Stanley Paul, charts the evolution of wicket-keeping from early rural matches through to the great stumpers of the mid-twentieth century.
 
Martineau combines technical insight, historical storytelling, and rich illustration—including early engravings and mid-century match photographs—to provide a comprehensive and entertaining tribute to the wicket-keeper’s craft.
 
First edition copies with intact dustjackets are increasingly hard to source. This is a desirable title for collectors of wicket-keeping history.