Tales from the Village Green: Collected Tales, Volume 1 brings together the first five of Michael White's well-loved cricket stories, stories of friendship, heroism, and fierce battles on the cricket pitch.

Included in this collection:

"Never Give Up": After another poor performance, John is dropped from Welmsworth Seconds, and at 61 years old thinks his career in village cricket might be over for good. Then he gets one last chance to prove himself.

"The Substitute": Mewteth Seconds are one player short for the game that could decide which team goes up and which team goes down from Cornish League Seven East. Mewteth's captain has found a substitute player, but only if Trevor, the captain of Ramswell Seconds, agrees. The guy has an unusual name, but what does it matter? He's never played cricket before.

"The Twelfth Man": Kevin Green is his school cricket team's perennial twelfth man. On the unlikely occasions that he gets to play, he bats eleven, doesn't bowl, and fields at fine leg. Then one day, his form teacher, Mr. Woodhouse, asks him to play a real game - for Highfield's men's team. Kevin finally has a chance to prove he can play, but will he end up as hero or zero?

"Searching for W.G.": Jimmy Wentworth is known as a stonewaller and has no chance of making the team for the Twenty20 Knockout Cup final. That is until he receives a mysterious message, and begins to grow a rather famous beard.

"Grandad's Old Bat": Kenny is looking forward to trying out for his school team. What he's not looking forward to is using his grandad's tatty old bat. Used during his grandad's only first class century, Kenny isn't convinced that if he uses the bat special things could happen.