Warwick Armstrong is the most significant Australian all-round cricketer of the twentieth century, routinely described as the country's WG Grace. He was a dour batsman, a slow bowler so successful at restricting runs that some critics wished to ban him, an uncompromising captain who unleashed on England the first truly life-threatening pace attack (some were inclined to excuse Bodyline as a response to Armstrong's tactics).
He was no stranger to gamesmanship, sledging and, once in a while, outrageous cheating. He even foresaw match-fixing, and urged authorities to take remedial action. (Contrary to popular belief, betting on cricket was widespread even at the turn of the century.)
Haigh's trademark eye for character and detail makes this great cricketer and his context a fascinating subject for any reader who has an interest in sport. 'The Big Ship' is the definitive account, by one of the world's great sport writers, of a cricketer and his era.
