Almanac Book Reviews: ‘Citrus Bob’s Ashes Diary 2025-2026’

 

 

 

Citrus Bob’s Ashes Diary 2025-2026 is the latest self-published book by Bob Utber, and a  most welcome addition, especially for  all lovers of this great game, cricket. 

 

Bob’s involvement in sport is well-known, and a life-long one. His love of footy is legendary, especially considering he is the proud grandfather of a Brownlow Medallist and Premiership player! 

 

Cricket is just as equally important too, and loved by Bob, particularly when securely perched in the  eyrie that is the media box at the MCG or other well-known venues with fellow scribes. This wonderful oasis and advantage point to view and report cricket from, is a position many of us would die for. From this lofty haven Bob’s thoughts, opinions and witty insights emanate in his writings for readers to consider and enjoy, and there are plenty of them to enjoy in this wonderful book.

 

Citrus Bob’s Ashes Diary 2025-2026 is a  well produced eye-catching book, its concept and format will immediately appeal to any discerning cricket reader who wants, and appreciates, more than just another cricket book. 

 

The book looks and feels fantastic as your senses go into overdrive. You immediately want to hold the book in your hands, to feel and caress its glossy, smooth, appealing and attractive hard covers until  a moment of indulgent in the contents creeps up. Open the book, flick through the pages,  note the  many fantastic action photographs jumping out to attract your attention interspersed throughout the book, and of course there are the scorecards for each Test, and all batting and bowling averages for the series summarised to satisfy all statistics loving readers. 

 

But a book needs to be more than just a good looking book, its content must also be as good and appealing if not preferably better, and Bob’s diary certainly ticks all the boxes to fulfil all the expectations readers may have.

 

The Diary provides individual accounts and summaries  of each day’s play for every Test match played during the recent Ashes series. The nature of the book allows you to dip in and out of it, whether for an extended read to recall an individual Test match, or the enjoyment of delving into the action of a single day’s play. Whatever you choose, the result is a pleasure to behold for the reader.

 

The book is unique. The diary incorporates not only Bob’s reports but also the reports from his fellow cricket tragics, Dr Heather Lee, Dan Lonergan, John Butler, and Russel Hansen, who are all, in Bob’s words, ‘passionate people who want to see this ancient game continue to prosper in a world of fast food, fast games and fast life’ acknowledges the heart on their sleeves attitude our writers  adhere to, apply and appreciate, to enforce their appreciation of the traditional nature of cricket in the Test match format.

 

As John Butler states, ‘the subtlety, complexity and luck that is never reducible to just one thing’ involved in a game of Test cricket. The individual writing styles each writer brings to the page reflects perspectives derived from the writer’s viewing platform. This in turn is interpreted, then transcribed into  their distinctive styles and comparative flair across a Test match certainly adds interest and diversity to the overall production of this terrific publication.

 

Join Citrus Bob Utber and his fellow scribes as they celebrate Australia’s resounding victory in the 2025/26 Ashes series to retain the Ashes with their comprehensive account  faithfully recorded in Citrus Bob’s Ashes Diary 2025-2026.

 

Citrus Bob’s Ashes Diary 2025-2026 costs $48.50 including postage and is available from Citrus Bob at [email protected] or if you see him at  a footy match over the next couple of months.

 

 

More from Col Ritchie can be read Here

 

 

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Our writers are independent contributors. The opinions expressed in their articles are their own. They are not the views, nor do they reflect the views, of Malarkey Publications.

 

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