SCORES OF BOOKS…
AND BOOKS OF SCORES
The Wynne-Thomas Library at Trent Bridge is gearing up for the new season, ready to welcome Nottinghamshire members and supporters and their visitors from around the globe.
During the first County Championship match of the 2026 season at Trent Bridge – against Glamorgan, from 10 to 13 April – the Library will be open during the lunch and tea intervals; and from the second match onwards (against Warwickshire, from 24 to 27 April) the Library will also be open during the afternoon session of play.
Located in the Ticket Office building, the Library contains the ‘second biggest collection of cricket books in the country’, and almost all of the books the main floor are available for Notts CCC members to borrow – up to three at a time – and for other visitors to read and enjoy.
There are special sections on women’s cricket, books on Nottinghamshire’s rich cricketing history, and books for children and young people.
Recently-published books that can be borrowed include a new biography of Garry Sobers – one of the greatest cricketers to play for Notts – Andrew ‘Freddie’ Flintoff’s latest autobiography and the story of the extraordinary life of David ‘Syd’ Lawrence.
Visitors to the Library are welcome to browse the latest editions of cricket magazines, and – starting this season – they can grab a bargain from the second-hand books that will be available to buy whenever the Library is open.
The mezzanine floor of the Wynne-Thomas Library is now a research and reference section that provides a valuable source for anyone wishing to check up on some cricketing information; or who wants to know if their grandfather or anyone else in the family played cricket; and for anyone who’s happy just to browse and enjoy looking at items on our shelves. Of course, it’s also valuable for authors, journalists or archivists with a specific subject in mind.
Of particular interest to researchers and historians are the scorebooks held in the Library, many of which have recently been restored following a ‘Sponsor a Scorebook’ campaign amongst Notts members to raise the funds needed to repair the most seriously damaged books.
The success of that campaign means that scorebooks from every season from 1924 to 1955 are now in a condition that they can be handled and used as reference; scorebooks from the late 1880s and early 1900s are currently being repaired and will be returned to the Library in late April.
Another good reason for visiting the mezzanine is to see ‘Trent Bridge – A Cathedral of Cricket’, a magnificent stained-glass window created and donated by local artist Mike Brown.
Visitors to the Library can also discover how they can help to support the conservation of a portrait of Mordecai Sherwin that used to hang in the Long Room. This large and distinctive painting of one of Notts’ most interesting characters (who was born 175 years ago and made his First-Class debut 150 years ago) needs some urgent repairs, and all donations will be gratefully received.
More than three years of volunteer effort from a talented and dedicated team has checked, cleaned, repaired and re-shelved every one of the books in the lending library and all the reference works on the mezzanine – an epic undertaking that doesn’t end. Just as the 2026 season preparations were underway the team re-started the cleaning and dusting, back where they began in 2023!
Throughout the season the Library will feature a different exhibition for each match, with the first being about the 1926 season and the second about Notts’ seven County Championship victories. At each match there will also be displays of books relating to cricket in the visiting county.
With the 200th anniversary of First-Class cricket in Nottinghamshire being marked this summer, as well as the reopening of the refurbished and extended Pavilion, there will be plenty of material for members and visitors to enjoy.
April 2026