The King of Comic Self-Deprecation, Michael Simkins, author of What’s My Motivation? turns his selfdestructive wit to cricket. Simkins tale is of a podgy boy’s dreams on the outside edge of a cricketing life, which becomes the hilarious story of his lifelong cricketing obsession. From his earliest awkward days to years running a team of dysfunctional inadequates, cricket has offered shelter from life’s irksome realities and a place to quietly dream for Simkins. From occasional wondrous beauty, to forests of comforting statistics and the life-affirming rituals of defeat, humiliation and disappointment — it’s the perfect net practice for life.
Costa Book Awards 2007 Judges' comment: "The autobiography of an author in love with cricket and sweets. The reader doesn't need knowledge of either to enjoy this enchanting gem of a book."
Michael Simkins is in desperate need of some quiet coaching. In middle-age he still believes, despite what everyone tells him, that the England middle order might usefully benefit from his hard-earned skills. He’s also a man who thinks it is OK to get your wife to spend the whole of your wedding anniversary operating a scoreboard in what she describes as 'a meaningless encounter between pathetic no-hopers'. Even when scattering his own mother’s ashes his thoughts stray to another urn.
This is the hilarious story of one man’s lifelong obsession with cricket. From his earliest awkward days as a fat boy growing up in a Brighton sweetshop to his years running a team of dysfunctional inadequates still chasing the sweet spot, cricket has offered a shelter from life’s irksome realities and a place in which to quietly dream. That place is a peculiarly English arcadia of occasional wondrous beauty, forests of comforting statistics and the endless life-affirming rituals of defeat, humiliation and disappointment – the perfect net practice for life.
'At last the work of genius that will finally bring the long-suffering cricket addict a measure of understanding in the world. A wonderful and very funny book.' Sir Tim Rice
'I absolutely loved it. It manages to somehow conjure the spirit of all amateur cricket' Sam Mendes
'It is wonderfully written - full of wit, gags, self-deprecating asides and a pure, unfettered understanding of a man's limitations - and it talks to all of us. You should buy it. You really should go out straight away and pick up a copy. It'll make you feel so much better.' All Out Cricket
Author
About Michael Simkins
Michael Simkins trained at RADA. He has appeared in more than 70 plays in rep, and stage highlights include A View from the Bridge at the NT as well as musicals Chicago and Mamma Mia. He also directed Alan Ayckbourn's Absent Friends at the Greenwich Theatre. He has made countless TV appearances - recent credits include Foyle's War and My Family - as well as turns on the silver screen in such films as Mike Leigh's Topsy-Turvy. He has worked with luminaries as diverse as Anthony Perkins, John Malkovich, Michael Gambon and Buster Merryfield. He lives in London with his actress wife Julia.
