If you think truth is stranger than fiction you haven't read 'Cricket Through the Looking Glass' by Paul Newton and Steve Haworth.

The book consists of a series of match reports complete with scorecards for a knockout tournament contested by 16 fictitious teams.

Teams include 'The Fatties' (Bernard Manning, Pavarotti, Big Daddy...), The Joneses (Tom Jones, Jack Jones (TUC), etc), The Nursery Rhymes (Old King Cole, Little Red Riding Hood...).

Einstein said 'imagination is more important than knowledge' and the imagination is stretched far and wide in this book. Matches are vividly described as this extract from 'The Generals v The Showbiz' quarter-final illustrates:

'(Terry) Wogan joined Australia's first lady, and, after a couple of overs' circumspection, he clouted (Marshal) Montgomery to the mid-wicket fence. (Dame Edna) Everage promptly went down the pitch to admonish the genial Irishman...'  

It doesn't stop there. The results of the matches are as far-fetched as the teams. In their quarter-final The Fatties score 556-4 in their 50 overs before bowling out The Nursery Rhymes for a mere 38.

There is value in adults using and stretching their imagination from time to time. It's good to dream. I'm just not entirely convinced that this book warrants the hour or two you will spend reading it. Still, for cricket nuts, it may a harmless way to while away a couple of hours on holiday this summer.

'Cricket Through The Looking Glass' by Paul Newton and Steve Haworth is published by Melrose Books.

                                                       Liam Rooney