Simon Hughes (cricketer)
Encyclopedia
Simon Peter Hughes is an English
cricketer
and journalist
. He is the son of the actor
, Peter Hughes
, and the brother of the historian Bettany Hughes
.
(where he was a contemporary of Hugh Grant
), he was an outstanding fast medium bowler of away-swing and captained the school XI successfully. He went on to study general arts at Durham
, and played for the university.
He joined Middlesex CCC in 1980 and played for them for 12 seasons, culminating in his benefit season of 1991. He subsequently spent two seasons (1992-1993) playing for Durham CCC. Hughes also played for Northern Transvaal
in South Africa
during the winter of 1982-83, and the Grafton United Cricket Club in Auckland in the 1987/88 season.
and The Daily Telegraph
, and for the BBC
. He has written several books, including the autobiographical A Lot of Hard Yakka (for which he won the William Hill Sports Book of the Year
in 1997), Yakking Around the World (which deal with his experiences as a county cricketer during and between cricket seasons), Jargonbusting (a guide to cricket terminology) and Morning Everyone: An Ashes Odyssey.
He is perhaps best known for his work as "The Analyst" on Channel 4
's cricket coverage (from 1999 to 2005), where he spent matches in a VT trailer, watching replays and drawing viewers' attention to particular details. He is currently a commentator/analyst on Cricket on Five with Geoffrey Boycott
and Mark Nicholas
(with whom he worked on Channel 4). He has signed up for the programme from 2006 to 2010 when the deal expires with the ECB
.
On England's December 2007 Test match tour of Sri Lanka he was a summariser on the BBC's Test Match Special
, and a commentator for the ODI series against the West Indies in 2009. In 2010 he again joined the Test Match Special team commentating on the tour of Bangladesh
and the One Day Series against Australia
. He has also been confirmed as an analyst for ITV4's coverage of the 2010 Indian Premier League.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
cricketer
Cricketer
A cricketer is a person who plays the sport of cricket. Official and long-established cricket publications prefer the traditional word "cricketer" over the rarely used term "cricket player"....
and journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
. He is the son of the actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, Peter Hughes
Peter Hughes (actor)
Peter Hughes is an English actor.Hughes has extensive film, television and theatre experience as a character actor. In the 1950s he was a stalwart of the Richmond Theatre repertory company with actress Anne Ridler...
, and the brother of the historian Bettany Hughes
Bettany Hughes
Bettany Hughes is an English academic historian, author and broadcaster.Hughes' father is the actor Peter Hughes and her brother is the cricketer and journalist Simon Hughes...
.
Cricket career
At Latymer Upper SchoolLatymer Upper School
Latymer Upper School, founded by Edward Latymer in 1624, is a selective independent school in Hammersmith, West London, England, lying between King Street and the Thames. It is a day school for 1,130 pupils – boys and girls aged 11–18; there is also the Latymer Preparatory School for boys and girls...
(where he was a contemporary of Hugh Grant
Hugh Grant
Hugh John Mungo Grant is an English actor and film producer. He has received a Golden Globe Award, a BAFTA, and an Honorary César. His films have earned more than $2.4 billion from 25 theatrical releases worldwide. Grant achieved international stardom after appearing in Richard Curtis's...
), he was an outstanding fast medium bowler of away-swing and captained the school XI successfully. He went on to study general arts at Durham
Durham University
The University of Durham, commonly known as Durham University, is a university in Durham, England. It was founded by Act of Parliament in 1832 and granted a Royal Charter in 1837...
, and played for the university.
He joined Middlesex CCC in 1980 and played for them for 12 seasons, culminating in his benefit season of 1991. He subsequently spent two seasons (1992-1993) playing for Durham CCC. Hughes also played for Northern Transvaal
Northerns cricket team
Northerns cricket team has played first-class cricket in South Africa since December 1937....
in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
during the winter of 1982-83, and the Grafton United Cricket Club in Auckland in the 1987/88 season.
Journalism
Since retiring from cricket, he has worked as a journalist for The IndependentThe Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
and The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
, and for the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
. He has written several books, including the autobiographical A Lot of Hard Yakka (for which he won the William Hill Sports Book of the Year
William Hill Sports Book of the Year
The William Hill Sports Book of the Year is an annual British literary award sponsored by bookmakers William Hill. It claims to be "the world's richest sports book prize" at £22,000...
in 1997), Yakking Around the World (which deal with his experiences as a county cricketer during and between cricket seasons), Jargonbusting (a guide to cricket terminology) and Morning Everyone: An Ashes Odyssey.
He is perhaps best known for his work as "The Analyst" on Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
's cricket coverage (from 1999 to 2005), where he spent matches in a VT trailer, watching replays and drawing viewers' attention to particular details. He is currently a commentator/analyst on Cricket on Five with Geoffrey Boycott
Geoffrey Boycott
Geoffrey Boycott OBE is a former Yorkshire and England cricketer. In a prolific and sometimes controversial playing career from 1962 to 1986, Boycott established himself as one of England's most successful opening batsmen...
and Mark Nicholas
Mark Nicholas
Mark Charles Jefford Nicholas is a cricket commentator and former player. He played for Hampshire from 1978 to 1995, captaining them from 1985 to his retirement....
(with whom he worked on Channel 4). He has signed up for the programme from 2006 to 2010 when the deal expires with the ECB
England and Wales Cricket Board
The England and Wales Cricket Board is the governing body of cricket in England and Wales. It was created on 1 January 1997 combining the roles of the Test and County Cricket Board, the National Cricket Association and the Cricket Council...
.
On England's December 2007 Test match tour of Sri Lanka he was a summariser on the BBC's Test Match Special
Test Match Special
Test Match Special is a British radio programme covering professional cricket, broadcast on BBC Radio 4 , Five Live Sports Extra and the internet to the United Kingdom and the rest of the world...
, and a commentator for the ODI series against the West Indies in 2009. In 2010 he again joined the Test Match Special team commentating on the tour of Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
and the One Day Series against Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. He has also been confirmed as an analyst for ITV4's coverage of the 2010 Indian Premier League.