Q1: What inspired you to write One Arm Bowls a Little, and when did you know it had to become a book?

I have been the Archivist of the Stragglers of Asia Cricket Club for twenty years or so – not that it meant much except occasionally providing historic statistics for someone’s obituary and retaining the extant documents in my home! However, I always intended to mark the centenary of the club in 2025 with a short pamphlet or something similar. Then I discovered that one of our early members, and a very keen one at that, was a prominent government official as the District Officer for Midnapore in Bengal, and had been assassinated by Indian freedom fighters in 1933. This led me into treating the Stragglers’ story as a microcosm of the societal changes the club was born into. Later, as I uncovered the obvious controversy around letting ‘non-European’ members in, I knew that it merited a much longer work.

Book cover of One Arm Bowls a Little by Willy Boulter

Q2: As the Archivist of the Stragglers of Asia, how did you balance historical accuracy with storytelling?

Having studied History at Oxford, under some truly inspirational tutors like Penry Williams and Eric Christiansen, my attention to historical detail and getting to the truth has always been thorough and nothing in the book is ‘made up’ or without historical reference – not that we should take contemporary letters, minutes of meetings or newspaper accounts as 100% accurate!  I have on occasion speculated a little as to individuals’ motives, but this is clearly flagged and I think my interpretation of events bears close examination. As the old saying has it, truth is often stranger than fiction, and storytelling is easy when drama is naturally present.

The Stragglers tour group en route to India, March 2025 – part of the club’s centenary celebrations.

Q3: The book explores serious themes of post-colonial identity, racism and inclusivity in cricket. What was it like to tackle those within the framework of a club’s history?

I imagine a few club members may think that covering these issues in One Arm Bowls A Little smacks of ‘airing dirty laundry in public,’ but I hope most will agree with me that the journey of the Stragglers through the last hundred years is a tale worth telling and, indeed, taking pride in. Yes, the club was slow to respond to changes in wider society, in this it was no different to hundreds of other institutions like it (not least some far more prestigious!), and the Stragglers arrived at the right destination before many others: the divergent views taken within the club are instructive from a historical point of view, and I think I have appropriately honoured those individuals who knew what was right and wrong from a racial perspective – even one or two who were flawed characters in other ways!  

Q4: What surprised you most during the research or writing process? Was there a particular discovery that changed the direction of the book?

Definitely the assassination was one surprise, and the role of the Stragglers in saving Hong Kong Cricket Club from closure was another. Then, the nature of the various losses in the Second World War encouraged me that there was enough drama to the story to retain the attention of readers who might be unattached to the club. The stop-start approach to inclusivity, which I uncovered through close examination of the committee minutes, scorebooks and letters, was the angle that finally convinced me that the book might have an appeal beyond just the three hundred or so Straggler members.  

Behind the scenes: preparing copies of One Arm Bowls a Little for dispatch to readers and club members

Q5: What was your experience like working with Whitefox to publish the book, and what advice would you give to someone thinking of turning their passion or archive into a book?

I have had a wholly positive experience with Whitefox: not only the whole team’s support and guidance but also, in the background, the structural and copyeditors were outstanding and the designers have produced a book of very high quality.  I think one important aspect is having a manuscript which is as complete as possible early in the process will minimise the last minute changes – inevitably there will be some, which my project manager and the team managed flawlessly.  Also, I had excellent advice from the structural editor early on, and some close friends in the club who saw early drafts. It is good to consult with others who may have a similar passion and will give you early encouragement!  The fun part was choosing the cover design, which comes relatively early in the process. Less fun but important is going through the copyedit and re-writing sentences to correct wrong assumptions or similar! 

Q6: Looking back at the journey from idea to publication, what are you most proud of – and what’s next for the Stragglers of Asia as they approach their centenary?

I am most proud that some early readers have given me very positive feedback and one, not a Straggler at all,  even read it at one sitting! I am happy that my youthful passion for history has spawned a published work which, together with the Stragglers’s recent tour to India in March, our centenary dinner at Lord’s in November, and various celebratory games including the one at Eastbourne College on 1 June, will suitably commemorate the founders and remarkable individuals who have sustained our club through the years. Unlike many ‘wandering clubs’ (i.e. without a home ground) the Stragglers of Asia are still thriving and play around 25 games each summer in the UK, with one or two in Hong Kong as well. We are always open to new members and find many people are curious about the name. Well, now the whole history is available to read! 

Moments from the May 2025 book launch of One Arm Bowls a Little. On the left, author Willy Boulter with Chris Wold, Partnerships Director at Whitefox.

Get your copy of ‘One Arm Bowls a Little’ here.