Wednesday, 9 February 2011

Cricketers reveal what they like to read

As part of the lead up to the world cup, and because of their new partnership with Room to Read, cricinfo have done a little piece about some cricketers favourite books. It was nice and as a library type person, I was naturally interested. It was also a little surprising - not that Luke Wright favours children's books (very simple children's books at that) or that Ed Joyce reads Orwell (who doesn't?); what was surprising was that Shane Watson can read.

At least he claims to. I suspect Andre Agassi's book is available on audio. He also claims to have "read many books". That explains the popularity of Little Golden Books in Australia.

Clearly, though, Cricinfo are limited on space because they only included the favourites of some of the cricketers they spoke to. Fear not, however, for I have the rest.

That was predictable, wasn't it?

Here they are, the things cricketers like to read:

Andrew Strauss - any of Steve Waugh's Ashes Diaries

Graeme Swann - The Cat Bible: everything your cat expects you know (including how to prevent him hiding under floorboards)

Graeme Smith - Spot's Big Lift the Flap book

Ricky Ponting - How to Lose Gracefully or Anger Management for Dummies

Mike Hussey - Cricket for Dummies

Muttiah Muralitharan - Shane Warne: Portrait of a Flawed Genius

Dwayne Bravo - Pretend Aeroplanes and other Children's Show-off Games

Mohammad Amir - A Guide to Where to Place your Feet When Bowling

Kevin Pietersen - How to Speak with an English Accent

And last:

Xavier Doherty - anything Nathan Hauritz doodles on a napkin

7 thoughts on this post:

Freehit said...

Did Gibbs reveal which is his fav. Issue of Playboy...??
;)

Laura said...

Wow, I'm surprised Shane Watson can read too!
(Well, I'm surprised any Australian cricketer can read. I thought they spent their time bleaching each other's hair and sticking pins in an Alastair Cook voodoo doll.)

:P

Purna said...

Do you know Herschelle Gibbs reads only comic books? *SOB*

tracerbullet007 said...

This is a plot by Watson to make himself look smart..might explain his hairdo at the AB awards too...

Why isn't Ponting's favorite book not included - 'Of Mice and Men' by John Steinbeck?

Sidthegnomenator said...

I had heard that Ponting's favourite book was "Of Mice and Men" but ir's also one of mine and I just couldn't bring myself to admit to the world that we have something in common.

It seems we have some different ideas on what Hersch reads. I'm still reeling at the idea that he *can* read.

Sidthegnomenator said...

Laura, it's only the fans who use voodoo on Cook. The players don't need to because they have more access - they sneak into his hotel room and steal his mascara.

That sets him right back :-)

Anonymous said...

I notice they left out Mitch's choice.

One of the old classic Ladybird books, 'Shopping with Mother'.

He said that he 'likes the colourful pictures and the safe, secure world it presents.'

lou