fastest bowlers in the land, Ellcock’s hopes of playing Test cricket for England were cruelly thwarted by
injury. Plunged into depression and forced to pursue another career, a childhood interest in aviation was
to be his salvation. Ellcock relocated to the USA and qualified as a commercial airline pilot, becoming
the first black captain with Virgin Atlantic.
Ellcock’s autobiography is unsparing and hard-hitting, revealing as it does a lifetime spent overcoming
biases, prejudices and racism, not to mention being saved from death by receiving four life-saving
brain operations in the space of eight weeks. Balls to Fly charts one man’s extraordinary story of
determination, endeavour and resilience.
The book is a fascinating journey through the ups and downs of Ellcock’s singular story, describing how • He used to be driven to school by the Prime Minister of Barbados • He rapidly went from bowling a cricket ball to his friends to earning a scholarship at one the UK’s
most prestigious public schools at just 15 years of age • The reaction of county team-mates when he turned up to make his first-class cricket debut whilst
wearing school uniform • The cruellest of luck with injury sabotaged his hopes of playing Test cricket for England • The dedication involved in retraining as an airline pilot and the pride in becoming Virgin Atlantic’s
first black captain, as well as being in US airspace just before the 9/11 terrorist attacks • How he was saved from death by four brain operations within eight weeks • Biases, prejudices and racism, Ellcock is often excoriating and unflinchingly honest
By:
Ricky Ellcock Imprint: Fairfield Books Country of Publication: United Kingdom Dimensions:
Height: 234mm,
Width: 156mm,
ISBN:9781915237323 ISBN 10: 1915237327 Pages: 240 Publication Date:20 November 2023 Audience:
General/trade
,
ELT Advanced
Format:Hardback Publisher's Status: Active
Ricardo Ellcock became an airline pilot after his career as a thrillingly fast bowler for Worcestershire and Middlesex was prematurely ended by recurrent injuries.