Peter Roebuck
Peter Michael Roebuck was born in Oxford and attended Millfield School in Glastonbury where his mother was a maths teacher and his father an economics teacher. He later went on to Cambridge University, where he won his cricket blue.
His cricketing ability was quickly recognised and he made his debut for Somerset Second Eleven at the age of 13. He made his first team debut in 1974 and went on to make over 17,000 runs, including 33 centuries, until he retired in 1991. He also captained an England XI in Holland and was one of Wisden's Cricketers of the Year in 1988.
He entered journalism and wrote his first cricket books while still playing the game. In the English winters he went to Australia where he played Grade cridcket for Waverley and taught at Cranbrook School in Sydney.
He is now a full-time writer and commentator while spending his time between Pietermaritzburg in South Africa and Sydney.
“Indian cricket, and the youngsters themselves, are dealing with issues inconceivable a few summers ago. Riches and all the attendant temptations are thrown at them before they have started shaving regularly. It's not their fault. It's no one's fault. That is the marketplace. Inevitably, though, it can distract attention from the long struggle towards mastery. Cricket does not give itself away; it expects players to apply themselves, to think and study and seek. It plays tricks, too, pretends that sixes and slower balls and the other shortcuts matter. Cricket sets traps, flatters players and calls them kings when they are barely princes.”