{"product_id":"it-takes-all-sorts-celebrating-crickets-colourful-characters-by-peter-roebuck-rare-books","title":"It Takes All Sorts: Celebrating cricket's colourful characters by Peter Roebuck [rare books]","description":"\u003ch2 data-start=\"44\" data-end=\"132\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"47\" data-end=\"130\"\u003eBook Summary –\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"133\" data-end=\"690\"\u003e\u003cem data-start=\"133\" data-end=\"153\"\u003eIt Takes All Sorts\u003c\/em\u003e (2005) is a curated collection of Peter Roebuck’s cricket writing, spanning roughly a decade (circa 1994–2004). Roebuck presents vivid character portraits of cricketers—both famed and overlooked—as well as defining moments, controversies, debuts, retirements, and turning points in Test cricket. Organized into thematic sections such as \u003cem data-start=\"491\" data-end=\"501\"\u003eArrivals\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem data-start=\"503\" data-end=\"516\"\u003eRetirements\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem data-start=\"518\" data-end=\"543\"\u003eSoaring Subcontinentals\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem data-start=\"545\" data-end=\"566\"\u003eAustralians at Work\u003c\/em\u003e, and \u003cem data-start=\"572\" data-end=\"591\"\u003eSalt of the Earth\u003c\/em\u003e, each grouping begins with Roebuck's own framing commentary\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"692\" data-end=\"768\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\"\u003eHe profiles icons like Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara, Ricky Ponting (noting a 17‑year‑old Ponting nicknamed \"Sachin\"), Kevin Pietersen before his England qualification, and vivid stories of Shoaib Akhtar, Graeme Smith, Inzamam, and others. He also offers poignant glimpses of cricketers who barely made it or disappeared too soon, such as young Ben Hollioake and Corey Doyle\u003c\/span\u003e .\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"770\" data-end=\"846\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\"\u003eThe collection stands out for the quality of its prose—Roebuck’s lyrical yet incisive style brings moments to life, making this a rich nostalgic read that’s easy to dip into section-by-section without commitment\u003c\/span\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr data-start=\"848\" data-end=\"851\"\u003e\n\u003ch2 data-start=\"853\" data-end=\"902\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"856\" data-end=\"900\"\u003eAbout the Author – \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"903\" data-end=\"1056\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePeter Roebuck \u003c\/strong\u003e(born March 6, 1956 in Oxford; died November 12, 2011 in Cape Town) enjoyed a distinguished cricket career, playing as an opening batsman for Somerset from 1974 to 1991, scoring over \u003cstrong data-start=\"197\" data-end=\"224\"\u003e17,500 first‑class runs\u003c\/strong\u003e including \u003cstrong data-start=\"235\" data-end=\"251\"\u003e33 centuries\u003c\/strong\u003e, and later captaining the side\u003c\/span\u003e . \u003cspan class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\"\u003eAfter retiring, he became one of cricket’s most insightful and literate voices—writing for outlets such as the \u003cem data-start=\"111\" data-end=\"134\"\u003eSydney Morning Herald\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem data-start=\"136\" data-end=\"145\"\u003eThe Age\u003c\/em\u003e, ESPNcricinfo, and ABC radio—praised for his intelligence, clarity, and lack of national bias in his commentary\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"\" data-state=\"closed\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ms-1 inline-flex max-w-full items-center relative top-[-0.094rem] animate-[show_150ms_ease-in]\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Peter_Roebuck?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" rel=\"noopener\" alt=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Peter_Roebuck?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" class=\"flex h-4.5 overflow-hidden rounded-xl px-2 text-[9px] font-medium text-token-text-secondary! bg-[#F4F4F4]! dark:bg-[#303030]! transition-colors duration-150 ease-in-out\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"relative start-0 bottom-0 flex h-full w-full items-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"flex h-4 w-full items-center justify-between overflow-hidden\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"max-w-full grow truncate overflow-hidden text-center\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1058\" data-end=\"1219\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\"\u003eRoebuck held a double first in Law from Cambridge University, and blended intellectual depth with sporting passion. His writing was celebrated for elevating cricket coverage into literature, revealing character and human depth beyond statistics—often in elegant, articulate prose\u003c\/span\u003e. \u003cspan class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\"\u003eHis life, however, ended tragically in 2011 while under police investigation in South Africa—a loss deeply felt across the cricketing world\u003c\/span\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Clapping Pages","offers":[{"title":"Used","offer_id":45255608467642,"sku":"352L3AXVL-Used","price":89.0,"currency_code":"AED","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0713\/5576\/0826\/files\/pii.jpg?v=1761066544","url":"https:\/\/clappingpages.com\/products\/it-takes-all-sorts-celebrating-crickets-colourful-characters-by-peter-roebuck-rare-books","provider":"Clapping Pages","version":"1.0","type":"link"}