Tragi-comedy in the Yorkshire Leagues

Harry Pearson’s craft is to immerse himself (and take his readers inside) closed worlds that are, generally, both fairly bleak and gently comedic. Hence A Tall Man in a Low Land, his account of life among the Belgians; or Racing Pigs and Giant Marrows, his mosey round old-school northern summer entertainments. Now, he brings his eye for telling detail and deadpan tragi-comic colour to Yorkshire League cricket.

Of course, this world of trundling branch lines, long-held grudges and naysaying old-timers is perfect, ultra-fertile territory for the deadpan outsider. Like Alan Bennett or Victoria Wood, Pearson never makes mock of his subjects (or not often, anyway); he finds comedy in truth without having to shoehorn gags and has a great ear for other people’s turns of phrases too. He quotes the Aussie leg-spinner Cec Pepper, who had played for Burnley and Rawtenstall in the 40s and 50s saying of Ian Botham: “I could have bowled him with a cabbage with the outside leaves still on it.”

 On his day trips – the format is one game per chapter – Pearson reflects on the legendary overseas players who came into this self-contained world: from Learie Constantine who was paid £25 a game after the War – three times the wage of a division 1 footballer –  to Michael Holding and Roy Gilchrist, who bowled full-pace beamers and went to jail for assaulting his wife but still played 20 years in the leagues nonetheless.

Pearson shows how the Leagues became and remain so independent from the mainstream of English cricket. There’s a serious cricket story at the heart of the book, but you’re never too far from seeing the laughable side of a game taken so seriously. A three-page riff on the mysterious select XIs who used to play the tourists – from D.H.Robbins XIs to T.N.Pearce to H.D.G.Leveson-Gower – piles fact upon weird fact until it becomes plain ridiculous.

Slipless in Settle takes us into what feels like a different world, and one so rich in character, history and often comical otherness that you wonder why no-one has done it before. 

Harry Pearson will be star guest at the SPIN Cricket Club’s live event on August 5. See www.spincricket.com for details or email: spincc@spincricket.com to reserve a place

Harry Pearson guests at SPIN Magazine Club at The Warrington on August 5

The SPIN Magazine Cricket Club welcomes Harry Pearson of The Guardian as our special guest on Thursday August 5.

Harry will be talking about his career and his new book, Slipless in Settle, in conversation with SPIN editor Duncan Steer. He will also be taking questions from the floor and signing books.

The kick-off time is 7 for 7.30. Entry is FREE but advance booking is advised. To book your place, please email: spincc@spincricket.com.

The Warrington is at 93 Warrington Crescent, London W9 1EH. Nearest tube: Warwick Avenue (Bakerloo)

Harry’s new book Slipless in Settle, published by Little, Brown, is an account of a summer spent watching league cricket in Yorkshire. It has all the eye for grim-up-north colour and telling/ridiculous detail that has won Harry’s previous books (and Saturday Guardian sports columns) so many fans.

There is an extract from Slipless in Settle in the current issue of SPIN. There’s more info on the book here: http://tinyurl.com/Slipless

Harry has previously written acclaimed books on, variously, football (‘The Far Corner – a mazy dribble through north-east football’), Belgians (‘A Tall Man in a Low Land’) and the secret (ish) world of North country fairs (‘Racing Pigs and Giant Marrows’). 

As ever, as well as the cricket chat, it’s a chance to enjoy some free Gordon Ramsay food and mingle with cricket movers and shakers. Plus there’s a free prize quiz to win dinner for two at Gordon Ramsay’s restaurant, upstairs at the Warrington. 

The SPIN Magazine Cricket Club is held once a month at The Warrington and features players and authors as guests within an informal pub quiz/chat show atmosphere. 

To be kept in touch with future events, please write to spincc@spincricket.com.

And if you join the SPIN Cricket Club, you get 10 issues of SPIN PLUS 10 per cent discount off dining at the Warrington for a year. http://www.tinyurl/SPINCCRamsay.