Customer Reviews
if only I was this good - By: M. French, 07 Sep 2008 
Having playedin a team which never reached the heights describedin this book, & being the worse playerin that team, I can fully relate to the bitter sweet joys of cricket. For all you pub players & the like, read it while rain stops play.
Bowled Me Over - By: D. A. Thompson, 19 Aug 2008 
Hilarious & genuinely touching. Hoorah for Simmo! I borrowed a copy from a friend & enjoyed it so much that I've now purchased a copy of my own. Not only so that I can reread it - but to make sure that the author gets his much deserved percentage & to drive sales of this fantastic book. Buy it, read it, laugh loads.
A Straight 6! - By: Mr. D. A. Haynes, 29 Jun 2008 What a wonderful book! Anyone who enjoys cricket should buy this book. The historical references to past players are fantastic but also for those not quite soin love with the game, the references to the sweet shop will have you chuckling away. There are some genuine belly laugh moments too. I loved reading it & I challenge anyone not to enjoy it. Buy it, read it & mourn the loss of picking it up for a quick chapter when it's finished.
A must have - By: N. C. Moore, 06 Jun 2008 The best book I have ever read. I have never the same book twice, but I have every intention of reading this again. Just brilliant.
Just extremely funny - By: J. Cole, 09 May 2008 There is a general rule that I subscribe to with regard to sports books. The better the subject at their given sport the less interesting the read. There are of course exceptions that prove this theory, but gladly this book isn't one of them, due to the fact that Simkins is obviously very average at cricket. The book can broadly be broken into two sections, his time at school growing up & discovering cricket & his time as the secretary/manager of a casual sunday team. I enjoyed the first half, due mainly to brilliantly drawn observation which brought back memories of my own childhood & my own strugglesin attempting to break into cricket teams filled with better looking, more talented & better equiped individuals who i both admired & hatedin equal measure. The second half is just funny because sunday cricketers are just funny.
At the time i was reading this book my partner was revising for an upcoming job interview & on more than one occasion i was ejected from the room for constant giggling & occasion peels of laughter. I defy anyone with a passing interestin cricket not to laugh out loud when Simkins describes his repeated attempts to bowl at a professional at a Sussex coaching session during his youth.
If you enjoyed Marcus Berkmann's books Rain Men & Zimmer Men i would direct you to this because the tone & style is very similar & equally as enjoyable.
