First edition. A unique, extra-illustrated copy, interleaved with 31 original pen an ink drawings by Mailey, each signed, mounted opposite the printed version; in addition, a printed illustration of Victor Trumper, signed by Trumper with the inscription by Mailey, "My first drawing ever done for publication (Vic's benefit match)". Rebound in green quarter morocco over marbled boards with raised bands and gilt titles to the spine. Top edges gilt, dustwrapper bound in at the rear. Inscribed by Mailey and dated on publication on a front black of the original book and further inscribed by Mailey to John Arlott on an inserted leaf, "To John from Arthur Mailey". One colour plate and 33 black and white illustrations in the text by the author. A near fine copy, with slight toning to the spine and a little foxing to the page edges.

An extraordinary copy of Mailey's wryly humorous autobiography, as notable for its illustrations as its text. Mailey was a successful leg break bowler, taking 99 wickets from Australia in 21 tests between 1921 and 1929, however his lasting fame was as a cartoonist and he had a particular knack of caricaturing his team mates and opponents, his ready wit creating a humorous narrative with a sequence of cartoons. He drew for the Sydney Arrow and Bulletin and the London Bystander as well as writing and illustrating a number of books, most notably his account of the Bodyline series, And Then Came Larwood and his autobiography, 10 for 66 And All That.
The precise genesis of this copy with almost all the illustrations added in original pen and ink, is unclear. The presentation leaf inscribing the book to John Arlott appears to have been added after binding, suggesting it might have been Mailey's own copy and it was he who had the illustrations bound into it, and later given or sold it to Arlott.

PROVENANCE: Arthur Mailey (1886-1967, Australian cricketer and artist); John Arlott (1914-1991, journalist, broadcaster and book collector, presentation inscription from the author) sold privately to; A.E.Winder (1944-1991, noted collector of cricket books who bought most of Arlott's book collection) bookplate to front pastedown, sold at his sale in 1985 to; David Frith (b.1937, cricket historian and author and noted collector) bookplate to front endpaper, sold in 2023.

Stock ID: 43332