The best cricket book around - Rated 
There are not many "authentic" books concerning the life of a county cricketer in England in recent times. Too many cricket books concentrate on individual games, acheivements, scores and so on. This one is different. Simon Hughes gets right into the heart of what it is like trawling around, day-in day-out to places like Chelmsford, Canterbury and Colwyn Bay erking out a living on the county cricket circuit. Hughes details not only the game and his time in it but acts as a sort of mirror for our changing society and habits too, through the background of cricket. Players used to eat enormous roast beef meals followed by trifle and fruit pie and apple crumble in a 40 minute lunch interval. Nowadays, that sort of consumption is frowned upon in one's office lunch break let alone the dining room of professional sportsmen.
Hughes describes his own sporting and personal ups and downs but he never allows his narrative to become self-pitying nor does he show the presence of any chips on his shoulder. He does not hold back in criticising people by name if he needs to, and this is refreshing in amongst so much of the "what happens in the dessing room stays in the dressing room" platitudes found in many similar books. Overall, this is an honest, engaging, often wryly amusing and above all, interesting read.
Quality !!! - Rated
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" - Rated 
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 and syrup sponge, washed down by litres of tea; how would Flintoff and co. play after putting away that lot we must wonder. The insights into the team are riveting. These are players in the world's top cricket league yet they have to hold down off-season jobs, and 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 and bowler. If only the same umpire had officiated in Steve Waugh's matches. Excellent stuff.
Gratuitously amusing account of a County Cricketers lot. - Rated
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 and very funny book.It is also in it,s understated way a scathing critique of the county set up and of English professional cricket in 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 resemblance in so many ways to "normal" working lifes, the frustrations, the ennui and most noticeably the constant banter and p*** taking.
Hughes grasp of his fellow cricketers pecadiloes and idiosyncracities is perceptive and 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 and 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 and numerous accounts of the banter out in the middle and 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 and 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! - Rated
This is a biography of Simon Hughes' days as a county cricketer. Most people who have an interest in 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 interest in the game. Many of the stories can be identified with by people in all careers and is a ggood account of an individual's life.
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