Stephen J Speak

Author, Cricket Player, Soccer Coach, Teacher, Guinness-Lover, Father and Friend

Stephen J. Speak is a cricketer from the village of Blackrod in Bolton, Lancashire. He has travelled the world playing the game from grassroots to elite level, even representing Lancashire and the Unites States national team. There have been a diverse range of experiences along the way that he is keen to tell. Here he provides a funny and fascinating insight into cricket across four continents, drawing on over 30 years in the game.

The stories move along chronologically from his roots in the tough Lancashire leagues, progressing to Australia, Hong Kong and finishing at his new home of America, where he currently resides. This book combines a unique narrative of meeting homeless cricketers to mixing with a variety of celebrities, even breaking a world batting record along the way!

Cricket Mercenary makes for an amusing read of a cricket life well travelled, and highlights cricket as a pivotal tool in drawing cultures together.

Lancs festival at Old Trafford 1987

I batted for 12 hours in 1999 and raised $2,000 for US junior cricket and the Lord's Taverners. I faced 5,579 balls with 10 minutes off every hour," he said.

"This time I'm doing it properly and Guinness will only allow me one 15 minute break every eight hours.

"I'll be wearing pads, a helmet and gloves and will have what the Americans call a 'camel back' - a rucksack containing water with a tube for hands-free dinking."

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