UK's top two cricket magazines to merge

The publishers of the two most widely-read cricket magazines in the UK, Wisden Cricket Monthly and The Cricketer, have announced that they are to merge.

Combined sales of the two magazines exceed 45,000 per month, making the new company the world's largest cricket magazine publisher. The Cricketer was first published in 1921 and Wisden Cricket Monthly was launched in 1979.

No financial details of the merger are to be disclosed, according to a statement released by Wisden Cricket Magazines Ltd and Sporting Magazines and Publishers Ltd., the respective publishers of the two titles.

Shareholders in the new company include John Wisden & Co, publishers of Wisden Cricketers' Almanack. Their owner, Sir Paul Getty, said: "I am certain that this offers a wonderful opportunity to build a new magazine - I hope more than one magazine - that will do us and the game great credit and have the strength to stand as long as cricket does."

Ben Brocklehurst, the former owner of The Cricketer, added: "With more than 80 years' history, now is the right time for The Cricketer to join forces with Wisden. This was the vision of Lord Cowdrey, E.W. Swanton and Brian Johnston while they served on The Cricketer's editorial board. Both publications have always had many friends in common."

The new company envisages combining the two monthly titles into one 'flagship' magazine, and develop further cricket publishing opportunities in the UK and worldwide.