Book Review - Keeping Quiet by Paul Nixon (with John Colman)

Paul Nixon was a cricketer who earned the grudging respect of opposing fans, most of who respected his total commitment to the cause, whether it was for Leicestershire, Kent or England. You knew, watching the game unfold, that your team's chances of winning increased substantially when he was dismissed, as he either scored quickly or battled to save the game, depending on the needs of his side.

He was a very good cricketer, one who earned a reputation as one of the biggest 'sledgers' on the circuit and could always be heard when his team was in the field, urging them on to renewed efforts. I'll have to admit that when his autobiography dropped on to my door mat, courtesy of the publishers, it was not one that I might otherwise have bought, as he wasn't an obvious choice for 'the book treatment'. International recognition came belatedly for him and was far from extensive.

It just goes to show how wrong you can be. I would put this book into the top half dozen I have read on what it is like to play the first-class game. Some people, watching from the boundary edge, are intolerant of failure and find it hard to believe that playing cricket for a living can be difficult. This superb book tells it like it is and should be compulsory reading for those who are quick to criticise.

For a player who never seemed to lack confidence, Nixon's honesty about his battles with the mental side of first-class cricket are extraordinary, just as his account of understanding the effects of his dyslexia helped him to counter them. This took longer than might have been expected and he was a classic late developer, a substantially better player from his late twenties than earlier.

Equally interesting and amusing are his stories of 'sledging', or mental disintegration as it is known in some quarters. Getting under the skin of opposition batsmen was what Nixon did well, leading Steve Waugh in a foreword to describe him as "a mosquito buzzing around in the night, that needs to be swatted but always escapes." The player's admiration for Waugh shines through, not just based on the Australian's own talents for caustic comment ("Do you want to move the stumps closer? Because you really are s**t..." to Steve Kirby).

He is honest about himself and equally so about others. His disapproval of Mike Atherton's autographs, of Andrew Flintoff's attitude and of players who don't take their responsibilities seriously sets this book apart from many of its kind. The Hansie Cronje incident, match-fixing, the media and dressing room divisions are all tackled head-on and give supporters a rare opportunity to see what it can be like behind the dressing room door. Any Leicestershire fan who hasn't read it should be ashamed...

There are numerous tales of partying, sometimes to excess, while the seance held by Leicestershire players, which ended in their contacting the late Ben Hollioake, was one of the more unusual and fascinating things I have read in a cricket book. Through it all, however, shines a man who emerged from rural Cumbria and always gave of his best. Nixon was not a great cricketer, but in making the best of his assets he became a very good one.

And anyone who gets forewords from Sir Vivian Richards AND Steve Waugh had to have something going for him. With Christmas coming, you could add this book to your festive wish list with a degree of confidence.

Keeping Quiet by Paul Nixon and Jon Colman is published by The History Press and is currently available through Amazon for £9. It is also available through good book shops