Deadly is the first-ever biography of Kent and England cricketing legend Derek Underwood. It includes exclusive interviews with friends and team-mates.

From renowned cricket author Mark Peel, winner of the Cricket Society Award and twice shortlisted at the British Sports Book Awards.

This compelling book:

• Profiles Underwood as a child prodigy who became the youngest ever bowler to take 100 wickets in a season
• Charts his rise to national prominence two years later when he bowled England to victory against Australia at the Oval in the closing minutes, as well as other great feats while playing for his country
• Reveals the reasons behind his signing for Kerry Packer’s World Series Cricket and the England rebel side to South Africa in 1982 and the controversy that ensued
• Examines his unique style of bowling and why he was so destructive on certain types of pitch
• Celebrates Underwood’s huge contribution to the great Kent side of the 1970s
• Covers Underwood’s committee and charity work in retirement, culminating in his presidency of MCC

Deadly brings you the inside track on Underwood’s life and career, uncovering the secret of his phenomenal success and the endearing qualities that made him such a much-loved figure.

"An engrossing read."

‘’The author’s best yet - this one gets five stars. It is a masterful tribute to one of English cricket’s all-time greats."

"The narrative flows smoothly from Underwood’s early days to his current status as an elder statesman of the game. This is essential reading for cricket lovers, offering a definite account of a player who dominated English cricket for over two decades."

"A book by Mark Peel will always be a testament to long hours of diligent research. This time 86 books and 31 newspapers and periodicals are listed in the bibliography with many individuals having given further verbal accounts of one of England’s best loved players. One has grown to expect from this accomplished biographer an easy read – good plain English without striving for literary accolades. This is certainly a good book... no purchaser will be disappointed."

"Peel produced biographies of Ray Illingworth, Ken Barrington and Douglas Jardine. This examination of the life of one of England's most popular cricketers rates among his best."

Mark Peel has written 17 other books including England Expects: A Biography of Ken Barrington (winner of the 1993 Cricket Society Award), Ambassadors of Goodwill (shortlisted for the MCC/Cricket Society Book of the Year 2018), Playing the Game? (shortlisted for the Daily Telegraph Cricket Book of the Year 2018) and Never Surrender: The Life of Douglas Jardine (shortlisted for the Sunday Times Sports Book Awards 2021).