The Hard Yards

Mike Yardy is one of only 11 English cricketers to reach the absolute pinnacle of his profession. In 2010 he was a member of the team which won the T20 World Cup, England's only triumph in a global tournament. Having led Sussex to two titles in his first year as captain in 2009, he was an established member of England's one-day side. Yardy was at the top of his game, but all the time he was riddled with self-doubt. Was he good enough? Did other people believe in him? How long would the good times last before his world came crashing in? Without fully recognizing the symptoms, Yardy had been suffering from depression since 2008, and three years later, when he should have been preparing for a World Cup quarter-final, he admitted defeat and sought treatment for his illness. The Hard Yards is a sporting autobiography with a real difference—the story of a courageous sportsman who confronted his problems head-on and now, having retired in 2015, is helping other sportsmen learn to live with mental illness through his ambassadorial work with the mental health charity MIND.