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The Cricket World Cup is too big a marketing opportunity for sub-continental companies to miss. In that sense, Rupa has displayed admirable business acumen in publishing this potted history now. Author Devendra Prabhudesai picks out 70 "unforgettable" matches in this 32-year old tournament (the "half" refers to matches that were affected by rain and extended into the next day). The result is a well-researched and entertaining read. It traces the evolution of the World Cup, nee the Prudential Cup, from its age of innocence, when winners received £10,000 and the runner's up £2,000, to today's hard-nosed commercial jamboree. The pity is that the production values don't match the quality of the text. The oval shape may be innovative but it makes the book unwieldy to hold. And surely the name of cricket's most famous photographer is Patrick Eagar, not Edgar?

CRICKET WORLD CUP

Devendra Prabhudesai
Rs 595
VIII+210 PAGES
RUPA