I'm not surprised at all. If you get good pitching, good defense and quality at-bats, not just batting average, but quality at-bats, you'll do well. They take their at-bats seriously.

The selection of a shortlist, the judges felt, was an unusually difficult process this year. There was sufficient quality for two distinguished lists.

This shortlist, we believe, witnesses to the remarkable quality of the current state of fiction. We look forward to the final round,

There was sufficient quality for two distinguished lists. The strength of the year's competition can be measured by the fact that three good books by previous Man Booker winners were finally not selected.

This shortlist, we believe, witnesses to the remarkable quality of the current state of fiction,

Their quality zone defense and their spontaneity of mixing in blitzes were tough to handle.