Ricky Ellcock (SH.80-82) has released his autobiography Balls to Fly. The book covers his career, from his beginnings in Barbados, to becoming the first black captain employed by Virgin Atlantic. In between this is his time at Malvern and his career as a professional county and international cricketer.
Ricky covers the many hurdles he has faced in his career including his career ending injury on the cricket pitch, to four life threatening brain operations, as well as facing racial abuse at the top of each of his professions. He describes:
• How he used to be driven to school by the Prime Minister of Barbados
• How he went from bowling to his friends to earning a scholarship at Malvern College at 15 years of age
• The reaction of county team-mates when he turned up to make his first-class cricket debut 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
• How he faced biases, prejudices and racism throughout his two careers.
Speaking about the release of the book, Ricky told the Malvernian Society: "I feel so fortunate to have had two incredible careers. People pay a lot of money to do both of my careers as hobbies. If you ask most little boys what they want to do when older, I suspect the vast majority of them would say professional sportsman or pilot. I have managed to do both, and for that, I feel eternally privileged, grateful and blessed".
Why not purchase a copy of Balls to Fly here from the publisher’s website: : https://www.thenightwatchman.net/buy/balls-to-fly-out-now
You can also catch Ricky talking about his incredibly story of recovery, as well as his memories from Malvern during his interview with Simon Mann on Test Match Special:
Test Match Special - Brain surgeries, stress fractures and aviation: the Ricky Ellcock story - BBC Sounds