Caught in the Middle: Monkeygate, Politics and Other Hairy Issues; the Autobiography of Mike Procter

From quaint beginnings on the lush fields of Hilton College, a whirlwind introduction into the Test arena against Australia announced Mike Procter as a serious contender for the tag of greatest all-rounder of all time. Blessed with pace, swing, and a free-spirited nature at the crease, "Proccie" was primed for the biggest stages. But, like the rest of a fantastic generation of South African sportsmen, his Test career was cut short by politics. Caught in the Middle is a look at Procter's force of will to stamp his mark through county cricket. World Series Cricket also gave him the stage to showcase his full range of skills. In the second half of a lifelong journey with the sport, Procter the coach, manager, and selector for the new South Africa was central to some of the modern era's most iconic and dramatic moments. While in the autumn of his career, Procter the match referee was caught in the middle of the Darrell Hair chronicles, Monkeygate in Australia, and the bomb blast that ended international cricket in Pakistan. A compelling read, Caught in the Middle is the fascinating story of a lifelong love affair with cricket.

Mike Procter wrote his book with journalist Lungani Zama, an international cricket correspondent for Independent Newspapers. He enjoyed a brief stint as a leg-spinner on the South African domestic circuit, before turning to the pen. He is a regular contributor to the South African Cricket Annual, and has contributed material to Talking Balls. In 2010 he won the coveted Print Newcomer of the Year Award at the SAB Sports Journalism Awards, and was recently crowned as the National Columnist of the Year at the same awards in 2014.