Wasted? : The Incredible True Story of Cricket's First Rock 'n' Roll Star

Smith, Paul

ISBN 10: 1905449453 / ISBN 13: 9781905449453

Published by Know The Score, Warwickshire, 2007

About this Item

Nice condition black cloth boards with gilt titling. Text pages and illustrations all fine. D/J has a crease on inner flap and some shelf rubbing to top edge but no tears. Signed on title page and dated July 07. Despatched same or next working day in protective packaging.

Seller Inventory # 004628

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Wasted? : The Incredible True Story of Cricket's First Rock 'n' Roll Star
• Publisher: Know The Score, Warwickshire
• Publication Date: 2007
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1905449453
• ISBN 13: 9781905449453
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: 1st Edition
• Condition: Near Fine
• Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good
• Signed: Signed by Author(s)

About this title

Synopsis

Cricketer Paul Smith's life fell apart after he received a drugs ban in 1996, which effectively ended his career. He was made a scapegoat and still believes he was singled-out while several other, favoured players were allowed to continue their careers. Paul lost his house, his marriage, his children and, of course, his job. How does a man come back from that? In this extraordinary autobiography, Paul Smith tells the story of the rock star lifestyle of a top cricketer, who produced Man of the Match performances at Lord's to help Warwickshire to an unprecedented domestic treble of trophies, which set him on the slippery slope to oblivion. He then describes the torment of being an outcast, losing everything and facing the stark choice of how to go on. This is a modern morality tale with no holds barred and no quarters given as Paul reveals the incredible sexual attraction that goes with being a sports star, his descent into drug taking, the hero-worship that fans gave him after his match-winning performances made Warwickshire the 'Manchester United of Cricket' and how he struggled to cope with this heady and potent mix of adulation and demands on his time, body and emotional energy. It tells the story of how, eventually, his life fell apart...but also how he rebuilt it, via work with the Prince's Trust in Britain and the USA.

About the Author

All-rounder Paul Smith was part of the most successful domestic cricket team in the history of the English game. Warwickshire, under captain Dermot Reeve, won every trophy in sight and were known as 'the Manchester United of cricket'. Paul's contribution included a man-of-the-match performance in the 1994 Benson and Hedges trophy victory, the year that Warwickshire won an unprecedented domestic treble of County Championship, one-day League and B&H Cup, while losing out agonisingly on the fourth and final prize, the NatWest trophy in the final. His world crashed around him after his hedonisitic lifestyle saw him banned from playing cricket for admitting taking non-performance-enhancing drugs. Paul has rebuilt his life by using his own experiences to inspire inner city kids in both the UK and the USA to reject modern temptations such as drugs, violence and guns. He now works for the Prince's Trust in Britain and Los Angeles.