Ranji

<p><b>''To describe Alan Ross as a polymath does scant justice to the eclecticism of an extraordinary man . . . Ross was a war hero, poet, bon viveur, travel writer, incorrigible gossip, racehorse owner and brilliant magazine editor.'' Richard Whitehead, <i>Observer</i></b><br><br>Indian prince, Sussex and England cricketer, K.S. Ranjitsinhji was unique in many ways. W.G. Grace predicted that there would not be another batsman like ''Ranji'' for a hundred years; arguably we are still waiting. His prodigious run-scoring ability alone assured his place in the annals of cricket, but his talents transcended statistics. His batting married subtlety and strength in a way that was quite new to the game, and he was a ''character'' and crowd-pleaser from his century-making test debut in 1896 to his withdrawal from cricket in 1907 after he was installed as Jam Saheb of Nawanagar. <br><br>''A splendid memorial... In Alan Ross, Ranji is perfectly matched with one of the best writers the game ever attracted.'' <i>Guardian</i><br><br>''A gem of a book.'' <i>Yorkshire Post</i></p>