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Gibbs's book a sell-out

Pieter Redelinghuys

Cape Town – It is definitely controversial but the former Proteas batsman Herschelle Gibbs says he has no regrets about what he wrote in his autobiography, To the Point.

The book was launched this week at a function attended by several journalists, friends, sponsors and a few of the top batsman's previous national team-mates.

The current Proteas team is playing an ODI series against Pakistan in Dubai but it is doubtful whether players like Graeme Smith, Jacques Kallis and Mark Boucher would've attended the event if they had been in the country.

A few of Gibbs's former national team-mates are deeply unhappy about some of the things said about them in the book.

The 36-year-old Gibbs openly talks about the drinking and partying with women while on tour but one has to read between the lines to figure out who he is referring to as the participants are not mentioned by name.

Gibbs gave a short speech in which he jokingly said some "speed readers" would quickly run through the book. "But I was always better at fast relationships," he added to great laughter.

Steve Smith, former editor of Sports Illustrated and fellow writer of To the Point has said he is stunned by the fuss made about the book.

"What I have read in newspapers and on the internet about the book are only specific extracts. It is regrettable that these few sensational excerpts from the book are taken so badly out of context."

"What the book is really about, is the career of a truly remarkable sport star who enriched the lives of millions of cricket lovers world-wide," said Smith.

The first print run of 15 000 copies were sold out within two days.

"There is interest in India, Australia and England in selling the book there," confirmed Marlene Fryer, publisher at Zebra Press.

Order your copy HERE

Click HERE to stand a chance of winning one of five signed copies of the book

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