The Covers Are Off

Ever felt trapped by outdated traditions?

Prepare to be gripped by a tale of persistence and power struggles as you delve into this story.

Experience the clash between ambition and conservatism, progress and tradition, set against the backdrop of the historic Lord's Cricket Ground in London.

• Uncover the hidden politics and history of the iconic MCC

• Witness Charles Rifkind's conflict with conservative club policies

• Explore the world of property development near the esteemed cricket ground

• Join the high-stakes negotiations and power plays

This captivating read will redefine your understanding of the world behind the cricket pitch and its impact on progress.

Charles Sale, renowned author and expert in sports history, shares the thrilling journey of Charles Rifkind and his tireless efforts against oppressive policies in his pursuit of progress. Dive into the world of historic struggles, and witness the influence of those shaping the future at the heart of the world's most iconic cricket venue.

"If you want a summary of the saga, imagine a fracas in St John's Wood High Street featuring a lot of braying, blazered old men interspersed with cries of "He's not worth it , Tarquin."

But so well researched is Charles Sale's book, so broad the range of interviews and so remarkable his access to source material, that this is, against all the odds, a compelling read."

• George Dobell, ESPN critic

"Charles Sale's book is scalpel-sharp investigative journalism told with a ringing clarity. It is the story itself that will madden and frustrate -that is when you are not laughing blackly or bleakly at how closely it veers towards a satirical or parody of a particular kind of Englishness. It's very much a Kingsley Amiss sort of narrative.

Sale is a natural investigator with an ear for dialogue. Much of the story unfolds in the words of others, a decision which allows the complexity of it to breath."

• Jon Hotten, Wisden Cricket Monthly

"Those who know Charlie Sale only through his sports diary in the Daily Mail, which was never other than aggressive commentary, might be surprised by its balanced approach.

Sale assesses the evidence and all the minutes he has uncovered and comes to a conclusion as to whether , to quote Monty Python on MCC, Charles Rifkind was 'slit up a treat.' This is a terrific book."

• Ivo Tennant, The Cricketer

"It is a very English scandal which has all the usual English disease elements in. It. Too much pride.Too much prejudice. Too much snobbery. Too much mendacity. Too much down right incompetence. Charles Sale really does tell the story well.

Essential reading for MCC members, cricket lovers and those who study the English psyche."

• Paddy Briggs, cricket journalist.

"Riveting. How often does one say that of a cricket book?

The story that Charles Sale tells exposes two opposing cultures and rather different priorities.

It is against this background that Sale traces in forensic and sometimes brutal detail every step of a saga that has dragged on for over 20 years.

Sale has been busy with his recording machine. One guesses that there has been a helpful mole or two giving access to restricted papers . It is that sort of book and all the more readable for it."

• Douglas Miller , Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians