Stars on Sunday
The History of Cricket's John Player League
$53.01
- Hardcover
288 pages
- Release Date
23 March 2026
Summary
Stars on Sunday: The History of Cricket’s John Player League is a rich and colourful account of the ground-breaking domestic limited-overs competition. From the pioneering matches of the International Cavaliers to the formation of the league under the sponsorship of tobacco brand John Player, the book relives every season from 1969 to 1986, capturing the key matches, star performers and the exciting race for the title. Players and fans recall a time when sport on Sunday afternoons meant county cricket, whether attending a fixture in person or as part of the huge TV audience guided by the comforting tones of John Arlott and Jim Laker. From the early successes of Lancashire and Kent to the dominance of Essex in the 1980s, the John Player League hooked a generation of fans into the county game, with TV coverage that allowed new fans to quickly get to know the players and adopt new favourites. Whether reliving favourite cricketing memories or learning about the league that was a forerunner of the formats that dominate today’s game, this book is a must-read for cricket fans of all ages.
Book Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781836802365 |
|---|---|
| ISBN-10: | 1836802366 |
| Author: | Mark Sands, David Lloyd |
| Publisher: | Pitch Publishing Ltd |
| Imprint: | Pitch Publishing Ltd |
| Format: | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages: | 288 |
| Release Date: | 23 March 2026 |
| Weight: | 552g |
| Dimensions: | 32mm x 163mm x 241mm |
You Can Find This Book In
Critics Review
“Stars on Sunday is certainly not a dry history and I am certain that everyone to whom the John Player League meant anything will thoroughly enjoy it. But the book is more than an entertaining look back at a long gone competition. It is a valuable social history as well, and a demonstration of how cricket, albeit rather later than it might have, did manage to climb out of those doldrums it found itself in in the sixties. There are also some interesting parallels, as well as some stark differences, in the issues English domestic cricket faces today.”
* CricketWeb *“Each chapter gambols along at a fair pace, [with] interesting stories and interludes that provide substantial context.”
* Yahoo Over Cow Corner blog *“A really evocative record of a wonderful era for county cricket.”
– David Griffin * Derbyshire CCC historian *“A superb book all about the much-missed John Player League, a must buy!”
– Daren Mootoo * 98 Not Out podcast *“The legend of Darley Dale given a write-up that does it justice, 1978 the brilliance of Gordon Greenidge after the departure of Barry Richards, and 1986, Cardigan Connor’s decisive over at the Oval is written about in detail.”
* By the Sightscreen Blog *“In a fantastic new book covering every season between 1969 and 1986, Mark Sands looks at what made that competition so special.”
* Hampshire Cricket Heritage website *Mark Sands
Mark Sands is a member of Lancashire County Cricket Club and a qualified junior cricket coach. Having written on the game for County Cricket Matters magazine, this is his first full-length book. Stars on Sunday is a testament to his deep love of county cricket and the format that ignited his interest in the game.
Returns
This item is eligible for free returns within 30 days of delivery. See our returns policy for further details.