Sir Alastair Cook memoir snapped up by Michael Joseph

Michael Joseph has signed the memoir of ex-England cricket captain Sir Alastair Cook, revealing the story of his landmark 33rd Test hundred and the “intimate tale of his life”.

World rights were acquired from Mike Martin of Paragon Sports Management and the hardback book will be published in Autumn 2019.

Cook, regarded by fans as the greatest batsman ever to play for his country, retired in 2018 at the age of 33. He ended on a high, scoring a century against India in his final Test.

The memoir will give a “close-up account” of that last hundred and reveal details of “the man he is today and the man he will be after cricket”.

Daniel Bunyard, head of non-fiction at Michael Joseph, said: “To achieve the kind of sporting success that Alastair has during his phenomenal career isn’t just rare, it’s truly exceptional. A record-breaker many times over and in many respects, he’s arguably the greatest cricketer and England cricket captain we’ve ever seen. His story, however, is also one of challenges and resilience, and as much about the art of captaincy and leadership as it is about playing. We’re immensely proud to be working with Sir Alastair on this definitive account of his life and career.’”

Cook said: “I’m excited by the opportunity to share my story with readers, as now seems a perfect time to pause and look back – especially in this landmark year for the game.”