Overview
"There has been such a multiplicity of cricket books across the ages that authors often struggle to find an original angle. Richard Sydenham may well have succeeded, compiling this collection of essays on a selection of 22 of the sport’s toughest characters."
"The West Indies teams of 1980 and 1988 boasted more menacing bowling attacks than the side that featured in this book but their batting was probably at a peak in 1984 along with Clive Lloyd’s captaincy; an amalgam of the avuncular and headmasterly which cut through island rivalries to mould a cohesive sporting force. This makes the 1984 West Indies team the greatest (cricket team ever)."
Cricket''s Hard Men takes an innovative look at character, psychology and mental health in cricket to produce a fascinating study of the sport''s toughest players.
So, what actually constitutes a hard man of cricket? The truth is there is no simple definition. Whether it''s resilience to defy injury from players like Kepler Wessels, Mike Atherton and Allan Border; sheer physicality from cricketer turned cage fighter Adam Hollioake; the bloody-mindedness to snub tradition by Douglas Jardine and John Reid; a chest-thumping need from Arjuna Ranatunga to show pride for a flag that had a reputation of being soft in the cricket world; or the blind courage of Brian Close, each player has his own unique story, told here through in-depth research and exclusive interviews.
The author consulted prominent ex-cricketers and broadcasters before studying this select band, from Australia, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, the West Indies and Zimbabwe.
- | Author: Richard Sydenham
- | Publisher: Pitch Publishing Ltd
- | Publication Date: Mar 11, 2024
- | Number of Pages:
- | Language:
- | Binding: Hardback
- | ISBN-13: 9781801506816
- | ISBN-10: 1801506817
