Previously at Hartmanns
Richard Whitehead: Victory in Australia
Richard Whitehead discusses Victory in Australia, his award-winning account of England’s remarkable 1954–55 Ashes victory, in conversation with Bristol-based cricket writer and publisher Stephen Chalke.
Victory in Australia
England’s 1954–55 tour begins badly. After a heavy defeat in Brisbane, winning the Ashes in Australia for the first time in more than twenty years looks a distant prospect.
Led by Len Hutton, England’s first professional captain, a team featuring Denis Compton, Brian Statham and Frank “Typhoon” Tyson turns the series around and wins 3–1. It remains one of the finest achievements in English cricket.
Drawing on correspondence, diaries and contemporary reports, Victory in Australia captures the matches, personalities and atmosphere of a very different cricketing age. It also looks beyond the scorecards, exploring the class divisions within English cricket, the pressures surrounding Hutton’s captaincy and the changing relationship between England and Australia.
The book is the winner of the 2026 Cricket Society and MCC Book of the Year Award.
Richard and Stephen revisit the drama of the series, the characters who shaped it and the work involved in bringing a seventy-year-old sporting triumph back to life. The conversation is followed by questions from the audience.
“Splendidly atmospheric.”
“So fresh and detailed that you feel it might have happened yesterday.”
“A remarkable book.”
“Such incredibly gripping sports writing. It was like being there.”
About Richard Whitehead
Richard has worked in newspapers for nearly forty years, including twenty-one years in senior roles at The Times across its sport, books and obituaries sections. He has also written obituaries for Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack since 2012.
His previous books include The Times on the Ashes, The Cup and Warne in Wisden.
In conversation with Stephen Chalke
Stephen is a Bristol-based writer and publisher whose work has helped preserve the stories of generations of cricketers. He established Fairfield Books in 1996 and has won six national Book of the Year awards for his writing.
In 2019, the Cricket Writers’ Club recognised his outstanding contribution to cricket writing with its Peter Smith Award.
Access information
There is step-free access from the High Street entrance to the event space, and seating is provided. If you have any access requirements or would like us to reserve a suitable seat, please get in touch.
The book of the evening
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