Firestarter: Me, Cricket and the Heat of the Moment

Description

Ben Stokes is not cast in the same mould as the vast majority of English cricketers. Fiery, combative, gladiatorial - he plays the game hard and with great gusto. He is an all-rounder who bats, bowls and fields at full throttle. Stokes impresses with his physical stature and muscular brand of cricket. He doesn't back down, smashing the next ball for six, bowling his 90 mph "chin music", or taking a breathtakingly full-stretch catch at backward point. Whether it's thrashing the fastest ever Test century at Lord's or the quickest ever Test double-hundred by an Englishman or destroying the Australian batting at Trent Bridge, Stokes plays the game he loves with his heart on his sleeve and with 100% effort and commitment. Cricket fans adore him for it. His very first book focuses on the pivotal moments in his life and career so far. These episodes are vibrant, emotional, poignant - revealing the man in three dimensions, red in tooth and claw. From being forged as a young boy in New Zealand, to moving to Cumbria at the age of 11, to playing county cricket for Durham and then onto the England team, this book provides a riveting insight into one of the most exhilarating figures in sport today. What readers are saying about Fire Starter: 'Brilliant - a real page turner' 'A great present for a keen cricketer' 'An excellent read - five stars'

Born in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 1991, Ben Stokes moved to Cumbria with his family at the age of eleven. He made his debut for Durham CCC in 2009, and just two years later pulled on an England shirt for the first time. Stokes has scored the fastest Test century at Lord's and England's fastest Test double-century anywhere. In July 2019 he received the Player of the Match accolade in the ICC Cricket World Cup final as England won the tournament for the first time. In the summer's Ashes series, he scored 441 runs at an average of more than 55, including two centuries and two fifties. His 135 not out in the second innings at Headingley will be remembered as one of the greatest innings in Test history. In December 2019, he was voted the BBC Sports Personality of the Year and was also awarded the OBE. Ben Stokes has played for the Melbourne Renegades in Australia's Big Bash League, and Rising Pune Supergiant and the Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League. He is married with two young children.