{"title":"Cricket Books","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"legacy-my-autobiography-powerful-and-moving-donald-mcrae-observer-9781838958251","title":"Legacy - My Autobiography: 'Powerful and Moving'","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eFOREWORD BY ALASTAIR COOK\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eWho ever hoped like a cricketer?\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNick Compton has an incredible sporting ancestry. 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The family he left behind, the failed relationships both personal and professional and the utter physical and mental exhaustion which resulted from his drive to stay at the top.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA fascinating, at times painfully honest, study of obsession, perfectionism and a mental health struggle. * Matt Dickinson, The Times *\u003cbr\u003eA powerful and moving book, dominated by his obsession with cricket and the emotional difficulties he faced.  The lessons it offers seem timely and resonant. * Donald McRae, Observer *\u003cbr\u003eA compelling read. -- George Dobell * The Cricketer *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTable of Contents\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003ei: Foreword ii: Prologue 1: Old and new 2: Grandad 3: The obsession 4: To Harrow and beyond 5: The impatience of youth 6: 'You've done nothing, mate' 7: A breakthrough 8: A new beginning 9: 'Just don't ever get out' 10: The Compton Cricket Club 11: A dream realised 12: This isn't going to be easy 13: A series win and niggling doubts 14: Proving my worth 15: A sense of injustice 16: 'They simply don't like Nick Compton' 17: A Middlesex recall 18: A clean slate 19: So near and yet so far 20: Walking the Lord's plank 21: An inevitable conclusion 22: A lens on life 23: The graft behind the craft 24: A sum of its parts 25: A legacy of my own iii: Acknowledgements","brand":"Atlantic Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47850861298007,"sku":"9781838958251","price":18.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9781838958251.jpg?v=1710623346"},{"product_id":"bob-willis-a-cricketer-and-a-gentleman-the-sunday-times-bestseller-9781529341379","title":"Bob Willis: A Cricketer and a Gentleman: The","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e SHORTLISTED FOR THE TELEGRAPH SPORTS BOOK AWARDS CRICKET BOOK OF THE YEAR 2021 \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Verdict on Willis book: a treat' - \u003ci\u003eExpress\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'The book is a gem' - Mike Atherton \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'It's a lovely book, containing previously unseen musings from the great man' - David Lloyd\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'enjoyable and eye-opening... a delight to read' - The Telegraph \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'A warm, polished recollection.' - \u003ci\u003eThe Guardian\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'It's such a great read' - Piers Morgan\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'Willis book will bowl you over' - \u003ci\u003eSunday Mirror \u0026amp; The People\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eA biography celebrating the life of the legendary cricketer Bob Willis, with tributes from key figures in sports and media \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eand a foreword by Sir Ian Botham. \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFollowing his passing in 2019, tributes to Bob came flooding in in every major news outlet and from every major figure in the industry - and outside of it. His career spanned decades, from his days as a cricketer for England to his time as a pundit on Sky TV. This autobiography includes never-before-seen writing from Bob alongside contributions from key figures as well as a detailed account of the great England victory over Australia at Headingly in 1981.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe book, edited by Bob's brother David, combines a new biography, written by Daily Mail sportswriter Mike Dickson, with a celebration of a truly legendary man. 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With warm, humorous anecdotes about many icons of sport, from Shane Warne to George Best and Muhammad Ali to Fred Trueman, Sir Michael Parkinson reflects on his life writing about his one great passion.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePRAISE FOR MICHAEL PARKISON:\u003cbr\u003eA lovely kind of nostalgia, which colourises the black and white of yesteryear * The Oldie Review *\u003cbr\u003eHe writes about them all with wonderful precision and a powerful evocation * Radio Times *\u003cbr\u003eA quietly impressive book, which does something most celebrity autobiographies shy away from: it seeks the truth and, more often than not, finds it * Mail, on Like Father, Like Son *\u003cbr\u003eA joyous, breezy read . . . 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''Don''t Tell Goochie'', autobiographical insights of nights on the tiles in Delhi with Lambie and the boys; ''Fruit cake days'', a celebrated humourist recalls ''ball'' - related banter of yore; and Wisden, a deadly weapon when combined with a thermos flask. Rain Men is different. Like the moment the genius of Richie Benaud first revealed itself to you, it is a cricketing epiphany, a landmark in the literature of the game.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eShining the light meter of reason into cricket''s incomparable madness, Marcus Berkmann illuminates all the obsessions and disappointments that the dedicated fan and pathologically hopeful clubman suffers year after year - the ritual humiliation of England''s middle order, the partially-sighted umpires, the battling average that reads more like a shoe size. 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On the Shoulders of Giants.  Riding the Charabanc to Lord's.  The Man in the Unmarked Grave.  The Poet of Penrhyn Avenue.  The Crimson Petal and the White.  First Love, Last Love.  A Moral Lesson From Lord Harris.  The Captain in the Baggy Green.  A Very Perfect Gentle Knight.  Author Notes and Acknowledgements.  Postscript.  Statistics of Summer.  Bibliography.  Index.","brand":"Quercus Publishing","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48737685897559,"sku":"9780857381484","price":12.34,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9780857381484.jpg?v=1723811380"},{"product_id":"not-dark-yet-a-very-funny-book-about-a-very-serious-game-9780955421716","title":"Not Dark Yet A Very Funny Book About a Very","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSpiced with humour, the tales of epic encounters at Clifton Hampden are told alongside more modest affairs at Lords, Headingley and Old Trafford.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOf similar books, it's the best - Charles Randall, Daily Telegraph Cricket Correspondent  A worthy addition to the world of cricket humour -  Sir Tim Rice  Book of the month - All Out Cricket Magazine  Highly recommended - 334 Not Out  I laughed so much I nearly passed my fags round - 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The whole thing is magical * Daily Mail *\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Little, Brown Book Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48739041673559,"sku":"9781408711767","price":14.24,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9781408711767.jpg?v=1720050978"},{"product_id":"the-art-of-captaincy-9781447294351","title":"The Art of Captaincy","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e'The best book on captaincy, written by an expert' - Mike Atherton\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMike Brearley is one of the most successful cricket captains of all time, and, in 1981, he captained the England team to the momentous Ashes series victory against Australia.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn \u003ci\u003eThe Art of Captaincy\u003c\/i\u003e, his study on leadership and motivation, he draws directly on his experience of man-managing a team, which included a pugnacious Ian Botham and Geoffrey Boycott, to explain what it takes to be a leader on and off the field. 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Brearley''s admiration for his friends'' decency, craftsmanship and modesty seems to recall a golden age of country cricket'' \u003ci\u003eThe Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e''Brearley has a knack for paying respect to the past without denigrating the present and for calmly considering the future'' \u003ci\u003eMail on Sunday\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMike Brearley was arguably one of England''s finest cricket captains; not just for his outstanding record leading his country but also for the way he orchestrated, during the 1981 Ashes series, one of the most extraordinary reversals in sporting history.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn this collection of sparkling essays, Brearley reflects on the game he has come to know so well. He ranges from the personal - the influence of his Yorkshire father a\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFascinating * Choice *\u003cbr\u003eDelightful new book . . . Brearley has a knack for paying respect to the past without denigrating the present and for calmly considering the future * Mail on Sunday *\u003cbr\u003eBrearley is at his best in these quirky, delightful essays when he is exploring the human qualities of humbler players . . . Brearley's admiration for his friends' decency, craftsmanship and modesty seems to recall a golden age of county cricket * The Times *\u003cbr\u003eBrearley speaks with understated authority on the matter. His words are all the more powerful for that * Sunday Express *\u003cbr\u003eA treasure of recollections and reactions, talking heroes, controversies and big themes * i paper *\u003cbr\u003eBrearley has a gentle, measured intellect that is warming and intriguing rather than intimidating or irritating . . . Brearley has a rare ability to read the game and its participants with delicacy and precision, like a tailor unpicking a collection of knotted threads * Wisden Cricket Monthly *\u003cbr\u003eHis relaxed, dextrous, style achieves what most authors aspire to do: make their narrative sound as though they're speaking directly to the reader . . . His cumulative experience, humour and honesty make for a compelling read. 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Brearley''s admiration for his friends'' decency, craftsmanship and modesty seems to recall a golden age of country cricket'' \u003ci\u003eThe Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e''Brearley has a knack for paying respect to the past without denigrating the present and for calmly considering the future'' \u003ci\u003eMail on Sunday\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMike Brearley was arguably one of England''s finest cricket captains; not just for his outstanding record leading his country but also for the way he orchestrated, during the 1981 Ashes series, one of the most extraordinary reversals in sporting history.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn this collection of sparkling essays, Brearley reflects on the game he has come to know so well. He ranges from t\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFascinating * Choice *\u003cbr\u003eDelightful new book . . . Brearley has a knack for paying respect to the past without denigrating the present and for calmly considering the future * Mail on Sunday *\u003cbr\u003eBrearley is at his best in these quirky, delightful essays when he is exploring the human qualities of humbler players . . . Brearley's admiration for his friends' decency, craftsmanship and modesty seems to recall a golden age of county cricket * The Times *\u003cbr\u003eBrearley speaks with understated authority on the matter. His words are all the more powerful for that * Sunday Express *\u003cbr\u003eA treasure of recollections and reactions, talking heroes, controversies and big themes * i paper *\u003cbr\u003eBrearley has a gentle, measured intellect that is warming and intriguing rather than intimidating or irritating . . . Brearley has a rare ability to read the game and its participants with delicacy and precision, like a tailor unpicking a collection of knotted threads * Wisden Cricket Monthly *\u003cbr\u003eHis relaxed, dextrous, style achieves what most authors aspire to do: make their narrative sound as though they're speaking directly to the reader . . . His cumulative experience, humour and honesty make for a compelling read. Let's hope for a second volume of \u003ci\u003eOn Cricket\u003c\/i\u003e * Dorset Echo *\u003cbr\u003eA book full of wisdom and sharp observation * Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians *\u003cbr\u003eBrearley is best when writing about character and thought processes * King Cricket *\u003cbr\u003eHis cumulative experience, humour and honesty make for a compelling read * Birmingham Post *\u003cbr\u003eMike Brearley is a cultured and intelligent man . . . able elegantly to assess his colleagues and predecessors, as he does with customary grace in his latest volume -- Robert Crampton * The Times *\u003cbr\u003eA box of delights containing bitesize pieces on colourful individuals, burning issues and memorable events -- Shomit Dutta * Times Literary Supplement *\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Little, Brown Book Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48739377283415,"sku":"9781472129475","price":17.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}]},{"product_id":"tuffers-cricket-hall-of-fame-9781472229410","title":"Tuffers Cricket Hall of Fame","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003ePhil Tufnell, cricket legend and national treasure, has populated his very own Cricket Hall of Fame with a deliciously eclectic collection of cricket legends and offbeat characters, with joyful results.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFrom boyhood heroes, to legendary team-mates, to fearsome opponents, to idiosyncratic umpires and broadcasters, Tuffers has gathered together the most enchanting cast of cricketing figures every assembled.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAnd it wouldn''t be a Tuffers tome if there weren''t a number of captivating appearances from some unexpected quarters, including some genuinely off-the-wall, non-cricketing inductees to keep life interesting in this very personal Hall of Fame.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBy turns eccentric and warm-hearted, \u003ci\u003eTuffers'' Cricket Hall of Fame\u003c\/i\u003e is a joy for all cricket fans.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Headline Publishing Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48739418931543,"sku":"9781472229410","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9781472229410.jpg?v=1720052192"},{"product_id":"firestarter-9781472236722","title":"Firestarter","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eBen Stokes is not cast in the same mould as the vast majority of English cricketers. 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These episodes are vibrant, emotional, poignant - revealing th\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Headline Publishing Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48739422568791,"sku":"9781472236722","price":10.44,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9781472236722.jpg?v=1720052204"},{"product_id":"on-fire-9781472271280","title":"On Fire","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSHORTLISTED FOR SPORTS AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF THE YEAR AT THE 2020 TELEGRAPH SPORTS BOOK AWARDS.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eBEN STOKES: WINNER OF THE 2019 BBC SPORTS PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR AWARD\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e''He is the Special One, and I intend to call him that for the rest of his career'' Sir Ian Botham, \u003ci\u003eDaily Telegraph\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e''\u003c\/i\u003eThere are not enough superlatives to describe Ben Stokes'' Nasser Hussain, \u003ci\u003eDaily Mail\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e''The undisputed hero of English cricket'' \u003ci\u003eThe Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEarly evening on Sunday 14th July 2019. Lord''s Cricket Ground in London. Something unprecedented had just happened: England had won the \u003cb\u003eCricket World Cup\u003c\/b\u003e for the very first time since the tournament''s inception in 1975. At the epicentre of England''s historic triumph was \u003cb\u003eBen Stokes\u003c\/b\u003e, the talismanic all-rounder with an insatiable appetite for The Big Occasion. 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An inspiration'' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐\u003cbr\u003e''A great book by one of the all time greats'' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐\u003cbr\u003e''Brings back so many wonderful memories''⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐\u003cbr\u003e''This book has made me feel proud to be a lover of the game and has inspired me to succeed in everything I do.'' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe story of the greatest cricket player of all time, told in his own words. \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e__________\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe greatest run-scorer in the history of cricket,\u003c\/b\u003e Sachin Tendulkar retired in 2013 after an astonishing 24 years at the top. 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It's certainly the most ambitious, and by turns the most beautiful...It's both sweeping and meticulous all at once....I can only say, truly, that my connection to the game feels deeper for having read it.' All Out Cricket\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe extended piece on the pressures of Ashes series on captains is beautifully painted....I think every aspiring young England cricketer should read this....not as something to be afraid of, but to enlighten and prepare for the challenges that may come his way * Andy Flower *\u003cbr\u003eWhen I see the quality of writing by people like Scyld Berry...I feel daunted. I can never write as well as they can. * Rahul Dravid *\u003cbr\u003eCricket's rich and varied tapestry, revealing character and national characteristics is passed on here by a man who has always been passionately interested in both. -- Mike Atherton\u003cbr\u003eThe game of cricket manages to invade the minds of all that are passionate about it on so many levels - it's combination of tradition, innovation, rivalry and friendship makes it truly unique. Scyld manages to encapsulate everything that is great about cricket into a fantastically entertaining book that reminds us all of how lucky we are to have involvement in the best game of all. -- Andrew Strauss\u003cbr\u003eThis could be the first existential book about cricket I've ever read. It's certainly the most ambitious, and by turns the most beautiful...It's both sweeping and meticulous all at once....I can only say, truly, that my connection to the game feels deeper for having read it. 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Between two world wars, he became the laureate of cricket by doing the same with words.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn \u003ci\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDuncan Hamilton is already a \u003cb\u003emultiple award-winning sports writer\u003c\/b\u003e, but it is \u003cb\u003ehard to imagine he will write a better book than this superb, elegiac portrait\u003c\/b\u003e of the sociable, feted, but ultimately unknowable, man who virtually invented modern sports writing...This is writing\u003cb\u003e every bit the equal of Cardus himself\u003c\/b\u003e. * Daily Mail *\u003cbr\u003eDuncan Hamilton has written some of the best books about sport in recent years. Twice he has won the William Hill for the sports book of the year... He [Cardus] interpreted cricket through a filter of his own, an imagination of uncommon sensitivity, and all who came after are in his debt. All lovers of cricket will enjoy this book. You could say that Hamilton has done it again. -- Michael Henderson * The Cricketer *\u003cbr\u003eHamilton is a worthy biographer. Ten years after his fine biography of Harold Larwood, the maligned England fast bowler, this is just as good, and as much sublime writing comes from his keyboard as from Cardus's pen. -- Patrick Kidd * The Times *\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Great Romantic \u003c\/i\u003ehas a strong personal flavour, especially in its tour de force of a prologue...the interest seldom falters. With its verve, insight and generosity of sympathy, this is by some way the best full-length life of a cricket writer, perhaps even of any sports writer. -- David Kynaston * The Guardian *\u003cbr\u003eThis is not just stand-out sports writing but a stand-out study: one writer acknowledging another. * Sydney Morning Herald *\u003cbr\u003ePraise for \u003ci\u003eGoing to the Match\u003c\/i\u003e * : *\u003cbr\u003eHamilton is steeped in the history and traditions of football and communicates his knowledge lightly and with wit and intelligence. Above all, though, this is a fan's-eye view that brilliantly expresses the passion that millions like him, in pursuit of happiness and belonging, feel for the beautiful game. \u003cb\u003eSimply magnificent.\u003c\/b\u003e * Mail on Sunday *\u003cbr\u003eIn Duncan Hamilton, one of the most accomplished of current sports writers, Cardus has found a worthy biographer who has ferreted out hidden details of his life, including those that Cardus himself skated over in his two volumes of autobiography. \u003ci\u003eThe Great Romantic\u003c\/i\u003e is beautifully written, and Cardus would surely have approved of it. -- Stephen Bates * Literary Review *\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Hodder \u0026 Stoughton","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48739532210519,"sku":"9781473661851","price":11.69,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9781473661851.jpg?v=1720052512"},{"product_id":"back-from-the-edge-mental-health-and-addiction-in-sport-9781526767547","title":"Back from the Edge: Mental Health and Addiction","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe truth is that professional sport is a breeding ground for addictive behaviour.  Luke Sutton is a business owner and successful agent to sporting stars such as James Taylor, Nile Wilson and Sam Quek, but his life didn't always look so positive.  Back from the Edge reveals the huge ups and major downs that a professional career in sport can bring - and the mental health difficulties that can plague a sportsperson along the way. Luke knows this more than most. Brutually but refreshingly honest, this no-frills autobiography of the former professional cricketer describes in detail the moment he hit rock bottom, how he got there, his rollercoaster journey through rehab, and the important lessons he's learnt since.  Throughout the book, Luke remains candid and reveals how his addictions affected his personal life, from his friends to family to his children. Back from the Edge is heart-wrenching. It's also thoroughly genuine, funny and utterly inspirational, and has allowed the former cricketer to speak about his mental health and to raise awareness of addiction in sport. Now a sports agent, he is perfectly placed to spot the warning signs in young stars, and to support them before they spiral into the same type of experiences he faced.","brand":"Pen \u0026 Sword Books Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48740005708119,"sku":"9781526767547","price":23.86,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9781526767547.jpg?v=1720053634"},{"product_id":"the-judge-more-than-just-a-game-9781529112863","title":"The Judge: More Than Just a Game","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e* SHORTLISTED FOR THE TELEGRAPH SPORTS BOOK AWARDS *\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRobin Smith was one of England's most popular cricketers of the 1990s. The Judge, as he was known to all, took on some of the most dangerous fast bowlers of all time with a skill and fearlessness that ensured hero status. His savage square cut drew roars of approval from fans all around the world, especially those of his beloved England and Hampshire. But when he was prematurely dumped from the England set-up at the age of 32, he had to face his toughest opponent of all - himself. Smith suffered a debilitating loss of identity, especially when he retired from professional cricket in 2003, and struggled to deal with the contradictions in his personality. Was he the Judge, the fearless warrior, or Robin Smith, the frantic worrier? \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWithout a support structure to transition from cricket to the outside world, Smith suffered from mental health, alcohol, marital and financial problems until he hit rock bottom and planned to take his own life. In The Judge - More than Just a Game, he revisits his experience of extreme darkness and challenges received wisdom about masculinity and mental health. He also shares the many highs and lows of his eventful international and county career, including his exhilarating battles with the West Indies and his struggles against mystery spin. And he reflects fondly on a time when cricketers worked hard and partied even harder; a time almost unrecognisable to the modern day.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA fine sports autobiography. It is candid and moving without being mawkish or forgetting its readers will also primarily be cricket fans * Daily Telegraph *\u003cbr\u003eAn incredibly moving yet uplifting account of his career of high achievement and fall to the depths of mental illness * Daily Mail *\u003cbr\u003eA profoundly moving book * Guardian *\u003cbr\u003eRobin Smith is one of the most-loved cricketers of his era… [\u003ci\u003eThe Judge\u003c\/i\u003e] documents his time in the game, as well as the harrowing struggles he suffered when the eyes went, the runs stopped, and real life intruded. Recommended * Wisden Cricket Monthly *\u003cbr\u003eThis is an engaging, but often uncomfortable read which explains why it’s a contender for sports book of the year * UK Press Syndication *","brand":"Vintage Publishing","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48740135600471,"sku":"9781529112863","price":9.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9781529112863.jpg?v=1720053965"},{"product_id":"ten-to-win-and-the-last-man-in-my-pick-of-test-match-cliffhangers-9781529359954","title":"Ten to Win . . . And the Last Man In: My Pick of","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e'Is there anything in sport to compare with the sustained excitement of a cricket match, especially a Test match, in which the advantage continually fluctuates one way and then the other, and when the match enters its last few minutes, all four results are still possible?'\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAfter entertaining countless radio listeners around the world for decades, who better to convey the breathless drama of a Test match cliffhanger than Henry Blofeld? Now, in \u003ci\u003eTen to Win . . . and the Last Man In\u003c\/i\u003e, he has personally selected thirty matches featuring unforgettable finishes and brought them vividly to life again in his own inimitable way.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRanging from the match-winning bowling of F.R. Spofforth against W.G. Grace's England in 1882, via the first tied Test between Benaud's Australia and Worrell's West Indies in 1960, to the never-say-die batting of Ben Stokes in 2019, he picks out the key events and performances of each memorable match and describes them as only he can.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAlongside the big-hitting heroics of Jessop in 1902 and Botham in 1981, he revisits less celebrated matches such as South Africa's hard-fought first Test win in 1906, as well as a crucial innings from Denis Compton in 1948 and a match-saving performance by a young Alan Knott in Guyana in 1968 - one of the most exciting matches he has ever witnessed first-hand.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFilled with colourful detail and informed by insight gained from a lifetime immersed in the sport he loves, Henry Blofeld's latest book will leave the reader in no doubt - as he himself puts it - about 'what an absurdly irresistible game cricket can be'.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis will be a hot item for the cricket lover this Christmas and deservedly so * Cricket Web *","brand":"Hodder \u0026 Stoughton","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48740216930647,"sku":"9781529359954","price":17.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9781529359954.jpg?v=1720054159"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookcurl.com\/collections\/cricket.oembed?page=9","provider":"Book Curl","version":"1.0","type":"link"}