The new Editor of Wisden has an unusual mind. As a young reporter, his first question to Michael Melford, a long-established sage of the cricket press corps, was: “What was the exact nature of Beethoven's deafness?” It was not a matter upon which the surprised recipient of the question was able to throw any light, but it left an impression.

No doubt, in time, Scyld Berry will leave his personal mark on Wisden, too, but for now he has followed the trusted formula, with barely a tweak. He admits that the Five Cricketers and the Leading Cricketer - Jacques Kallis - virtually picked themselves, but it was a happy idea to choose five who ought to have been picked before but were not, resulting in delightful pieces on Abdul Qadir, Bishan Bedi, Wes Hall, Inzamam-ul-Haq and Jeff Thomson.

One change is the marrying of career records to the list of Test cricketers, which will be useful for quick reference in future. Always assuming anyone is interested in Test runs by then.

City franchises and the three-hour match are the rage. Berry has no doubt that the future lies with regional and city cricket, relegating county cricket to “a relic at amateur level”. It is the sort of statement that looks deeply prescient if it comes to pass but is quickly forgotten if it does not.

There is a resilience about county cricket, not to mention a political clout, that has often been underestimated. There is an intrinsic worth, too, but only so long as the development of young players from local schools and clubs is as important to the counties as winning trophies.

That is doubtful, although the editor seems to have lost touch with what the counties do for young cricketers. But his notes include much relevant comment about the failings of administrators and the confused priorities of the ECB in particular, rightly questioning whether a television contract worth £20million a year less to the professional game might have done more good to the English game by keeping some cricket on “free to air” television while dissuading the employment of so many players bred overseas.

Among many “good reads” are David Frith's piece on technology; Steve James on Shaun Pollock and a small host of other recently retired players; Mike Atherton on Brian Lara; Patrick Collins on Duncan Fletcher, John Major and others in a review of last year's books; and Carl Bridge on the business acumen of Don Bradman, whose centenary falls on August 27. It is a reminder that cricketers always had an eye on their bank balance as well as the ball.

Explore Cricket

• Counties