Customer Reviews
Quality !!! - By: DavyA, 21 Jul 2006 
Written like a football biography but with a pinch of Wisden.One of the best cricket books I have ever read (in fact one of the best sporting books I have ever read) - well written & informal, it gives us an insight into the gritty, less glamorous life of a county cricketer & shares the doubts, anxieties, fears , ambitions, achievements & humour of the protaganists.
This preceeds the very good "Yakking Around The World" (which is also worth a punt)but is an even better read.
If you buy one cricket "biography" , this should be it. Witty & well written, highly recommended.
An excellent overview of what happens in "the middle" - By: Caterkiller, 09 Jun 2006 
The key characteristic of Hughes' book is how cricket has changed since his 1980s-early 90s playing career. His descriptions of the catering at Lords are barely believable with three course lunches (including roast beef, Yorkshire pudding & syrup sponge, washed down by litres of tea; how would Flintoff & co. play after putting away that lot we must wonder. The insights into the team are riveting. These are playersin the world's top cricket league yet they have to hold down off-season jobs, & have the constant risk of being "let go" at the end of every season; even when their county grants them a benefit year the player does all of the organising of benefit events! The highlight though was the description of the umpires dismissing batsmen lbw because they couldn't stand the low calibre "banter" between batsman & bowler. If only the same umpire had officiatedin Steve Waugh's matches. Excellent stuff.
Gratuitously amusing account of a County Cricketers lot. - By: russell clarke, 03 Feb 2004 I,ve read a lot of books on cricket.This is the only one i read repeatedly.Hughes is an engaging bloke doing his analysts job on Channel 4 but this gives no indication as to his wealth of cricketing anecdotes or the warm humour he brings to them, for essentially this is a warm & very funny book.It is alsoin it,s understated way a scathing critique of the county set up & of English professional cricketin general.
What makes this book particually likeable is that Hughes does,nt spare himself from his occasional bouts of withering scorn noting wryly that after a persistent no-ball problem he realised at last that he ,d better get his run up sorted out.Something of a must for any fast bowler i would say.The lack of profesionalism not to mention inate cowardice of many first class cricketers is a constant theme.So is the resemblancein so many ways to "normal" working lifes, the frustrations, the ennui & most noticeably the constant banter & p*** taking.
Hughes grasp of his fellow cricketers pecadiloes & idiosyncracities is perceptive & ball bouncingly funny.Gattings prodigous appetite,Edmonds intellectual snobbery,Daniels eye for the ladies, Bothams monstrous self confidence are all captured superbly but he,s as generous with praise as he is with disdain & alway gives a balanced view on everyone he writes about.
Some of the anecdotes are priceless.Brealey letting rip with a fearsome expletetive filled volley over the heads of M.C.C. members at Lords,Tufnells less than impressive entrance when coming out to bat,Emburey,s hilarious reply to an innocent enquiry as to the state of his back & numerous accounts of the banter outin the middle &in the dressing room.Great stuff.
"A lot of hard Yakka" is a refreshing change from the dry ghost written accounts of high profile careers cricketers usually churn out.It,s candid ,balanced wildly entertaining & i,ll say it again snot sprayingly funny.Now thats not bad for any book let alone one about cricket.
A must for all cricket fans! - By: Viddy, 13 Nov 2003 This is a biography of Simon Hughes' days as a county cricketer. Most people who have an interestin the sport only see the games played at the very level - international cricket. Hughes' book is a humourous, entertaining account of his 20 years as a decent county pro.
Not only is it an excellent account of a life of a cricketer, it's a great read for those who have no interestin the game. Many of the stories can be identified with by peoplein all careers & is a ggood account of an individual's life.
A wonderful account of a cricketer's life - By: Roger King, 29 Mar 2002 Top! I enjoyed this book with a passion. I do enjoy cricket but even non cricket lovers will like this one. A wonderful insightful look at the life of a county cricketer who always seems to be on the peripheral of something big. A class read.
