The annual launch of Wisden is always a good sign as it tells us that the cricket season is imminent. Well, these days it has usually started but seeing the famous yellow book makes many of us, I am sure, feel better. The 2016 Almanack is again a weighty tome at 1552 pages and is, as always, packed full of the year's statistical and interesting events

Having spoken to a couple of other people, one aspect which jumped out at us was two remarkable photographs of a broken bat and a bat without a batsman attached to some of it. The Wisden-M.C.C photographic competition is now into its sixth year and, as always, the standard of photography in not only the competition but in the Almanack generally, is fantastic.

It is a sad sign of the times that there are two features on court cases. One may be tit-bits, the other the Chris Cairns episode but both articles make for fascinating reading.

At the risk of anyone reading this review thinking that I am a somewhat morbid writer, I must say how thorough the Obituaries section is. A read through this shows the depth to which Wisden includes so many players associated with cricket who have left us over the previous year. Names which might not necessarily appear on a cricket website are included here and makes for interesting, if naturally sad, reading.

The five cricketers of the year are all some of the finest attacking batsmen in world cricket. Brendon McCullum is rewarded and recognised and many will feel his absence since retirement.

Needless to say, the coverage of matches is, as always, exemplary and this year’s edition has again been an absolute delight to read and treasure.