I have been watching a lot of cricket lately and will be watching more soon with the World Cup about to commence this weekend. This book certainly ties in well with that – Ponting – At the Close of Play
700 pages in length but at no time did it prove to be a chore to read. Obviously if you are not a cricket fan it is not a book you would choose to read.
This is my first non-fiction book for my 2015 reading challenge. It wasn’t one from my to-be-read shelves it was one from the library.
From the book cover:
On August 17, 2013, Ricky Ponting walked off the field in Antigua for the last time as a professional cricketer. It was the end of a very public career and a very private journey – that began almost 30 years before, when a young Ricky, in the Under 13s, scored four centuries in a week at a schoolboys’ cricket carnival in Tasmania, to earn himself a bat contract with Kookaburra and the reputation of “a kid to watch”.
From childhood prodigy to the highs and lows of an extraordinary international career, At the Close of Play is the remarkable autobiography of one of the game’s greats. But beyond the triumphs and scandals, records and retirement, this is the story of a life lived in cricket and of a life shaped by extraordinary talent and the people who believed in that talent.
The book covers all aspects of this cricketer’s career and gives an insight into the Aussie culture. The book is divided into four sections:
The First Innings, At the Crease, At the Helm, At the Close of Play followed by his Career Record.
Some of the statistics from the previous World Cups show just what a successful cricketer Ricky Ponting was.
A great book for all cricket lovers.
Gippsland Granny 
Sometimes even if don’t have a particular interest in the sport they represent, biographies like this can be a really interesting read. It’s fascinating to know what makes a successful sports person, whatever their area of expertise. Well done on completing your first non fiction title.
Thanks Lorna. I really don’t read very much non-fiction so I hope this year will set me on a better track. I have chosen one of my husband’s books for my next read and it is proving to be rather humorous.