Product Description

Growing up in Bolton, Ronnie Irani was good at all sports - football, tennis, basketball and even kick-boxing. But he excelled at cricket and after several schoolboy records, was snapped up as a professional by Lancashire aged just 16. Frustrated at constantly playing in the 'stiffs', Ronnie took his courage in both hands and moved to Essex - even though he was only vaguely aware it was somewhere near the Dartford Tunnel. Under the guidance of Keith Fletcher and Graham Gooch, he became one of the country's all-time great players, went on to captain them to three trophies and became a legend with the fans. Despite being picked out as international quality by the likes of Geoffrey Boycott, Richie Benaud and Ian Botham, Ronnie was often overlooked by England, but each time he battled back and earned a recall, including winning a place in the 2003 World Cup squad. Ronnie is typically honest about his relationships in the game, both good and bad; he releates how he used unconventional medical advice to overcome career-threatening injuries; he takes you out to the crease and back in the dressing room and he gives you vivid insights into the humour and the heartache, the trials and the triumphs of being a top sports star. And time and time again he shows why he became a favourite with cricket supporters around the world and why Frank Dick also said: 'Telling Ronnie Irani that what he wants to achieve can't be done is like lighting a fuse.'

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #143644 in Books
• Published on: 2009-10-05
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 280 pages

About the Author
Ronnie Irani grew up in Lancashire and after making his league cricket debut at 13, joined his home county three years later. But it was his move to Essex in 1994 that saw his career take off. He became county captain and a firm favourite with the fans. He also represented England in tests and One Day Internationals, including the 2003 World Cup. Ronnie's charity work earned him the Freedom of the City of London in 2002. He was forced to retire through injury in 2007 and has since started a new career as a broadcaster with talkSPORT, co-presenting the breakfast show every morning with Alan Brazil. Ronnie is married to childhood sweetheart Lorraine and the pair have two daughters, Simone and Maria; not forgetting the dobermans, Eric and Zara.

Customer Reviews

Rubbish
I'm a big reader of cricket books and this is truly one of the worst i have read in years. Its poorly written and offers little or no insight into what happens in the dressing room or on the pitch. I don't know if i was spoiled by reading Atherton's Ashes before this (which is excellent by the way and strangly addictive) but i really didn't enjoy it at all. And his gripe with Nasser Hussian throughout gets on my nerves as Irani comes over as being very Jealous of Hussian's achievements in turning England around.

Worse than his presenting skills.
Listening to Ronnie on TalkSPORT morning after morning he comes across as a very poor presenter, I stupidly thought he could be no worse in book form, I decided to buy this to see weather It may actually make me warm to Ronnie abit more, however it's just made me hate this man even more. Ofcom should ban him from tv and radio and he should never be allowed to write a book again.

Hell no.
When a book opens up with the rather dubious statements that the author was good at all sports, is a legend, one of the country's all time greats, and represented England -yes all of three tests - it's a fair indicator of the immodest, vacuous drivel to come - and this book does not disappoint.
This lightweight effort would embarrass a 10 year old chav in terms of content, readability and originality.

A few years ago nonentities like Irani would have retired from cricket , opened a sports shop, taken it into bankruptcy through ineptitude and then taken an eminently more suitable role emptying bins for Bolton City Council until retirement.

Sadly, nowadays the likes of Irani and many similar semiliterates are indulged. They are deemed to be worthy of a slot on a certain national radio station to reveal - evidently unbeknown to themselves - their complete ignorance of all things sporting and global. This oxygen of publicity then results in a desire to make a fast buck on the back of their own perceived popularity and show what a character they really are.... oh dear.
Maybe a book for the hardcore knuckleheads down Essex way - the rest should save their hardearned.