England Cricket

The '80s was a colourful period in English cricket. As a member of the most successful team in Essex's history and an England side capable of extraordinary highs and lows, Derek Pringle was lucky enough to be in the thick of it. Now, with the perspective of more than 20 years as a journalist, he lays bare the realities of life as a professional cricketer in a decade when the game was dominated by a cast of unforgettable characters whose exploits became front-page news.

In the modern era of highly professional cricket, with coaches for every aspect of the game and a support staff that outnumbers the players, it often seems that everything should run smoothly. But we all know that life doesn't work that way. Based on his own experiences of embarrassing misunderstandings, awkward mistakes and amusing escapades, Tuffers recalls some of the moments from his career that are more likely to find their way to the blooper reel than to any coaching manual.