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.
A Lot of Hard Yakka
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'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)
'As life-lived-through-sport, it is pure Hornby ... The book that cricket needed.' (Simon Wilde, The Times)
'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)
'As life-lived-through-sport, it is pure Hornby ... The book that cricket needed.' (Simon Wilde, The Times)
About the Author
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.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Perhaps I'm biassed. After all, I'm a student who'd love to play for Middlesex (and, like Hughes, their training runs go past my back garden). The difference is that I'm no good at cricket. But Hughes never quite loses the sense of wonder at his own ability - or good fortune - that so many young cricketers would feel given the chance to play for their county. It's this love for the game that pervades the book. Add to that good humour and insider knowledge and you have a winning combination. If you are a county-cricket wannabe, or if you were twenty years ago, you simply must read this book. And if you wondered what it was like to play when England actually won things you should read it too. Hell, you should just read it anyway. You'll love it.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Being Scottish I have always viewed cricket from the outside. The only knowledge I have of the game comes from watching television, when it is usually the highest level that is shown. Simon Hughes has opened my eyes to the other side of the coin, how the cricketer who does not quite make it spends his sporting life. I can certainly recommend this book to anyone who has a passing interest in this wonderful sport.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
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.
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.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Lot of Hard Yakka
Enjoyed it as evidenced by the fact that I read it in a shorter time than usual.
I am a real cricket enthusiast and had just read "Morning Everyone - An Ahes Odyssey" also by... Read more
I am a real cricket enthusiast and had just read "Morning Everyone - An Ahes Odyssey" also by... Read more
Published 19 months ago by District Attorney
4.0 out of 5 stars
Cricket from the inside
If you were following cricket in the Eighties and Nineties then 'A Lot of Hard Yakka' is well worth a read as it relates tales of many cricketing household names. Read more
Published 21 months ago by Corrman
4.0 out of 5 stars
Insight into the county cricket scene
Simon Hughes is an ex-Middlesex fast bowler who played for the club across two of the best generations of teams Middlesex has produced... Read more
Published on 14 Sep 2009 by Darren Simons
5.0 out of 5 stars
Definitely 5 star
Most people rated this 5 stars. I normally end up disappointed following in after the masses.
Not this time. Read more
Not this time. Read more
Published on 25 Aug 2009 by Ginola14
5.0 out of 5 stars
For all Cricket Lovers
I read this several years ago, lent it to someone and never got it back - not surprising.
Second reading reinforced my opinion that this was not another of the "look what a... Read more
Second reading reinforced my opinion that this was not another of the "look what a... Read more
Published on 30 July 2009 by R. Benson
5.0 out of 5 stars
Quality !!!
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... Read more
Published on 20 July 2006 by DavyA
4.0 out of 5 stars
An excellent overview of what happens in "the middle"
The key characteristic of Hughes' book is how cricket has changed since his 1980s-early 90s playing career. Read more
Published on 9 Jun 2006 by Caterkiller
5.0 out of 5 stars
A must for all cricket fans!
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. Read more
Published on 12 Nov 2003 by Viddy
5.0 out of 5 stars
A wonderful account of a cricketer's life
Top! I enjoyed this book with a passion. I do enjoy cricket but even non cricket lovers will like this one. Read more
Published on 28 Mar 2002 by Roger King
5.0 out of 5 stars
The best I've ever read.
I am young and I don't read much and I was given this book for a present. I didn't even pick it up for ages but once I started reading it I found it fascinating. Read more
Published on 14 Oct 2000
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