FROM Lancashire legends like Jack Bond and Roy Tattersall to modern-day starlets like Matthew Parkinson and Haseeb Hameed, Bolton has produced more than its fair share of cricketing talent.

Exactly how many and the stories behind each player from the town to play first class cricket has now been revealed by enthusiast Geoff Odgen, whose new book Born In Bolton, highlights just why his hometown has long been one of the world's cricketing hot-beds alongside side the likes of Barbados and Mumbai.

"The seeds of the book were sown when taking to Geoff Wellsteed a few years ago about his book on cricketers born in Reading," said Geoff, 79. "He had Alec Bedser, Peter May and Ken Barrington, but I thought I could get a better team from those in Bolton."

Geoff, who was born in Stoneclough and played for Farnworth in the Bolton League from 1954 to 1964 before joining Worsley, began his research which unearthed 38 players, including 12 who had played international cricket.

Famous names like Jack Bond, Frank Tyson, Mike Watkinson, Karl Brown and Sajid Mahmood are all included.

"I knew most of the players since the war but what I didn't know were the ones going back to the 19th century," said Geoff. "Some of them only played two or three games."

Geoff picks out Charlie Hallows as a personal favourite with the book even featuring a picture of the young author receiving some coaching from the England Test player in 1953.

"When I was 12 we travelled by bus to the Parochial Church Hall in Astley Bridge for hour long coaching sessions with Charlie," he said. "Bolton School was a real centre of excellence for cricketers back then.

"Later on Roy Tattersall became a great favourite and he was a lovely man."

The book also includes essays from David Kaye and Jack Williams charting the history of cricket in Bolton and attempting to answer the question as to why the borough has produced so many cricketers.

"Much of the credit has to go to Bolton Cricket Club," said Geoff. "They were one of the biggest clubs in England in the early days of cricket.

"The great W.G. Grace played there in 1878 when he captained a United South side against 18 players from Bolton."

Also included with each book is a supplement comprising a replica of a large-scale map of Bolton upon which are marked the locations of well over 200 grounds where cricket has been played in the Borough alongside an alphabetical list of an extraordinary total of 330 clubs.

"Bolton is still producing a decent amount of cricketers," added Geoff. "Matty Parkinson is a feisty lad who I like a lot and Josh Bohannon is a gifted batsman and fielder in all formats.

"Hameed has suffered a difficult couple of years but he is a fighter and deserves a change of fortune."

Born In Bolton by Geoff Ogden is available from Max Books (max-books.co.uk)