Tale of t'greatest

Trueman's Tales: 'Fiery Fred' - Yorkshire's Cricketing Giant by John Morgan and David Joy Great Northern, 128pp, £14.99

Uncertain about Fred Trueman's iconic status with the Yorkshire cricket public? Take a look at the picture on pages 38 and 39 of this tribute to "T' Greatest Fast Bowler That Ever Drew Breath." It shows Trueman, no mug with the willow, going out to bat. He's marching down the pavilion steps, his expression grim; the warrior on his way to battle. Determination and unrelenting commitment course through every sinew of the man under the Yorkshire cap.

Now look at the 100 or so people around him. Virtually everyone is smiling, most are applauding enthusiastically as they gaze with a mixture of affection, admiration and anticipation at their hero. For them life is about to take a significant turn for the better.

It is a marvellously evocative picture, one that encapsulates the affection in which Trueman was held by his Yorkshire kinsmen. Whether cutting a swath through the opposition top order, threatening to marmalise their bowling attack or swooping for a short-leg catch, Fred was their man, their idol.

To a generation, Trueman was Yorkshire cricket (English cricket, for that matter) and Trueman's Tales offers an easy-going trawl through his life and times. There are interviews with his contemporaries, anecdotes, memories galore and a perspective on Trueman's quiet life away from the limelight. But, disappointingly, the book does little more than scratch the surface of the bond that existed between the man, his sport and its followers. Thankfully, though, Trueman's Tales boasts a picture that says more than any words.