A Lot of Hard Yakka

Between 1980 and 1993, Simon Hughes was a regular on the county circuit, playing for Middlesex until 1991 before moving on to Durham at the end of his career. In that time, he played alongside some of the great characters in cricket: Mike Brearley, Mike Gatting, Phil Edmonds and Ian Botham. This is not an autobiography of a good county pro, but a look at the ups and downs, the lifestyle, the practical jokes and sheer hard yakka that make such a poorly paid, insecure job appeal to so many. Now a respected journalist and broadcaster, Simon Hughes has written a brilliant, amusing and wrily self-depracating book, packed with hilarious and embarrassing anecdotes about some of the greatest cricketers of the last 20 years.

Winner of William Hill Sports Book of the Year 1997

“You won't read a better inside story of cricket and the men who play it for a living. Vigorous, funny and full of insight from a gifted observer. It was a book waiting to be written and Simon Hughes has done it. - Michael ParkinsonTerrific. - Harold PinterA devastating account of English cricket and its shortcomings... The book describes the shocking lack of ambition, dedication, coaching and leadership in English cricket. - Mike Brearley, ObserverA brilliant commentary on the life of a county cricketer. - Mike Selvey, GuardianYou will never read a better book about the bizarre circus known as county cricket ... a very funny, often outrageous book. - Ian Wooldridge, Daily MailHughes may never have scaled the heights as a cricketer, but he has become a wonderful writer on the sport ... gaspingly candid ... One thing is clear from this book - he had a really good time. So will anyone sensible enough to read it. - Marcus Berkmann, Daily TelegraphSharp and funny ... his book sails neatly between self-glorification and self-pity and lays bare the real truth of the athlete: a dark life of angst and self-doubt lit by sudden piercing shafts of transcendent adequacy. - Simon Barnes, The TimesMay be the first cricketer's autobiography ever to tell it like it is, from dressing-room to bedroom ... Hughes is rivetingly unguarded. - Tim de Lisle, Wisden Cricket”

You won't read a better inside story of cricket and the men who play it for a living. Vigorous, funny and full of insight from a gifted observer. It was a book waiting to be written and Simon Hughes has done it. - Michael Parkinson

Terrific. - Harold Pinter

A devastating account of English cricket and its shortcomings... The book describes the shocking lack of ambition, dedication, coaching and leadership in English cricket. - Mike Brearley, Observer

A brilliant commentary on the life of a county cricketer. - Mike Selvey, Guardian

You will never read a better book about the bizarre circus known as county cricket ... a very funny, often outrageous book. - Ian Wooldridge, Daily Mail

Hughes may never have scaled the heights as a cricketer, but he has become a wonderful writer on the sport ... gaspingly candid ... One thing is clear from this book - he had a really good time. So will anyone sensible enough to read it. - Marcus Berkmann, Daily Telegraph

Sharp and funny ... his book sails neatly between self-glorification and self-pity and lays bare the real truth of the athlete: a dark life of angst and self-doubt lit by sudden piercing shafts of transcendent adequacy. - Simon Barnes, The Times

May be the first cricketer's autobiography ever to tell it like it is, from dressing-room to bedroom ... Hughes is rivetingly unguarded. - Tim de Lisle, Wisden Cricket Monthly

Simon Hughes won four championship medals with Middlesex between 1980 and 1991. He retired in 1994 to write for the Daily Telegraph and commentate for TV. He is the author of one previous book, From Minor to Major.

Between 1980 and 1993, Simon Hughes was a regular on the county circuit, playing for Middlesex until 1991 before moving on to Durham at the end of his career. In that time, he played alongside some of the great characters in cricket: Mike Brearley, Mike Gatting, Phil Edmonds and Ian Botham. This is not an autobiography of a good county pro, but a look at the ups and downs, the lifestyle, the practical jokes and sheer hard yakka that make such a poorly paid, insecure job appeal to so many. Now a respected journalist and broadcaster, Simon Hughes has written a brilliant, amusing and wrily self-depracating book, packed with hilarious and embarrassing anecdotes about some of the greatest cricketers of the last 20 years.

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