In 2009, the county system looked directionless and obsolete. More than ever the players blessed with central contracts seemed apart from, rather than a part of, the domestic game; the home Ashes series - once the preserve of all - was fro the first time only available on pay-TV; and, of course, the juggernaut of Twenty20 threatened to flatten all but the Test form of the game, suggesting it may soon eclipse even that as well. Duncan Hamilton has preserved this seminal, convulsing season: a long summer, which in years to come may be seen as a turning point in the history of cricket in a way that overshadows even the Packer Revolution of the 1970s. In A Last English Summer, he takes us through a succession of matches from village green to Test arena. In the process, he embarks on a journey - often a profoundly personal one - through the history and spirit of the game, exploring its deep cultural significance to both this country and others where it has taken root. He writes about his boyhood hero, Garry Sobers, the halcyon era of the Lancashire League, the high-church splendour of Lord's and the simple pleasure of watching a County Championship game on a near-deserted ground. In prose by turns reflective and glorious, he experiences irresistible nostalgia for what has been and will never return, together with an overwhelming love for the game that transcends even the most dramatic shifts in the way it is played.