Dimensions
181 x 236 x 17mm
The underhanded . . . the undermined . . . the underperforming . . . and, of course, the underarm!
This book is based on similar lines to Keith Quinn's 'Outrageous Rugby Moments', but with the added advantage that Ian Smith spent more than 10 years playing international cricket and therefore is able to tell stories from an insider's perspective.
For instance, in relating the famous underarm incident, Smith talks about the reaction inside the New Zealand dressing room as they saw Trevor Chappell roll the final ball of the Melbourne one-dayer along the ground; what Geoff Howarth said; and who threw what at the television.
Smith is able to give a team-mate's perspective on talented and controversial players such as Richard Hadlee, Glenn Turner and Martin Crowe. He talks about playing the West Indies - what it was like to face four of the fiercest fast bowlers in history. He has inside stories on Ian Botham, Allan Border, Wasim Akram and Dean Jones.
Smith, who has continued to follow the game since his retirement by becoming an international television commentator, offers his insight into the throwing controversies that have surrounded Shoaib Akhtar and Muttiah Muralitharan.
He uses his personal relationships with fellow commentators like Richie Benaud and Ian Chappell to get their stories about some of the notorious stories in New Zealand cricket, such as Australia's 27-year test snub of New Zealand, and the set-to in 1974 between Glenn Turner and Ian Chappell.
Known for his ability to analyse and for his sharp wit, Smith views the big stories from an unusual angle that will provide fascinating reading for cricket lovers.
