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James Knight

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James Knight is a veteran Australian cricketer whose best---and only---performances for his country came while he was asleep. Although his childhood dreams of wearing the Baggy Green cap didn't become a reality, he still went on several tours with the Australian cricket team during the 1990's. That is, as a television reporter and a more than willing net bowler.


James was raised on a farm in Gunnedah, country NSW. With a bag pipe-playing vet as a father and a poetry writing painter as a mother he had a colourful childhood that dashed between calved cows, charcoal thumbprints, and many, many words. He entered the media as a cadet journalist and sports commentator for Radio 2DU, Dubbo in 1988. Three years later, whilst also playing grade cricket he began his first Sydney media job as a journalist/news reader at radio 2SM. In 1992 he joined Channel Ten Television as a news and sports reporter/presenter. During eight years with the network he travelled extensively, primarily with the Australian team to the Indian subcontinent, South Africa, the West Indies and England.

In 1999, he left full-time television to concentrate on his life-long dream of becoming an author. After gaining further experience as a cricket reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald, he wrote two cricket biographies: Lee2 (Shane and Brett Lee at the beginning of his career); and Mark Waugh. Since then, he has written four other books: The Dragon's Journey, an inspirational account of the life of Vietnamese boat person Duy Long Nguyen, who now lives in Australia; Just Doing My Job, a collection of short biographies about people in Australia's Police, Ambulance and Fire Services; A Theory of Moments, which recalls a year-long backpacking adventure James took his wife, Clare through South America and Africa; and together with Brett Lee, an autobiographical account of the former test cricketer's world from childhood to the present: My Life.

James continues to work part-time in television as a long-form producer. He is also a popular public speaker.


Away from work he is an avid runner who has completed eleven marathons and also The North Face 100 (100 kilometres), considered one of the toughest one day endurance runs in the world. During this event, James raised nearly 10 thousand dollars for the Steve Waugh Foundation. He is also an ambassador for the international charity, Room to Read.

James lives in Sydney with Clare and son Iggy and, their dog Tango.

Books by James Knight

Brett Lee - My Life

The much anticipated autobiography of one of cricket’s greatest fast bowlers.

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