England's mild-mannered all-rounder lifts the lid on a career of almost 400 international wickets in his new autobiography, The Wizard.
Chris Woakes has long carried the reputation of cricket's nicest man, but his new autobiography, The Wizard, suggests there is real steel underneath. The England all-rounder launched the book at an event in York, where he sat down for a long conversation about a career that has changed enormously since his first-class debut in 2006.
Woakes arrived on stage with just shy of 400 international wickets to his name, which gives the evening a certain weight. Teammates routinely describe him as the best colleague anyone could wish for, and the book digs into the grit and resilience behind that warm public image.
The night also produced a few surprises. One of Woakes's former teachers was in the audience, and he promptly reminded the player of the time he faked illness to skip school and enjoy a long weekend in Newquay with his mates. For a cricketer with such a clean-cut image, it was a neat glimpse of a rebellious teenager.
The story came too late to make the hardback edition, much like Warwickshire's title win this year, which also missed the book's print deadline. Fans hoping for the full picture of Woakes, from the schoolboy escapade to the international stage, will find plenty in The Wizard, with a few extra tales still waiting to be told.
