LONDON, April 23: Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack, the sport’s bible, brings to an end a 140-year tradition when this month’s edition carries a photograph on its cover.

The first man to appear on the cover is Michael Vaughan, England’s leading batsman, who has recently moved top of the world rankings.

It is the first major change to the jacket cover since 1938 when Wisden brought in the celebrated woodcut showing two top-hatted Victorian gentlemen playing cricket.

The woodcut now appears on the back of the jacket, and also on the spine, which is otherwise unchanged so that collectors can at least maintain continuity on their shelves.

A traditional cover can also be ordered free of charge.

The decision was made by the editor of the 2003 edition, Tim de Lisle, the first one-off editor in Wisden’s history.

“The cover of Wisden is an icon,” De Lisle said, “and you don’t update an icon without taking a deep breath.

“But it had ceased to be a true reflection of the book. The content had become much more entertaining under the previous three editors (John Woodcock, Graeme Wright and Matthew Engel), and the cover was making Wisden look drier and dustier than it really is.”

The yellow background and chocolate lettering are unchanged, and the photograph is in black-and-white, to let yellow remain the signature colour.

“Black-and-white has the feel of history,” De Lisle said. “It is in tune with what the top players do — writing their names indelibly in the game’s annals. The hope is that being on the cover of Wisden will become a major honour.”—AFP