We all need something to believe in, whether it's God, money -- or naked table tennis. But has anyone actually cracked the secret of how to live a happy life?Meet acclaimed comic bloggers Tom Fordyce and Ben Dirs, two men in search of meaning in a meaningless world of work, Facebook and microwave meals for one. It's time to become 'karma chameleons' and try some very different ways of living. What follows is a weird and wonderful year sampling life as silent monks in the far north ...

Boxing Day, Melbourne 2010: a packed house of over 80,000 sits down to watch the crucial fourth Test unfold. Three days later, only 12,000 remain - and it's just the Barmy Army, celebrating as England retain the Ashes. They run through their full repertoire of songs, cheering on England's success. Meanwhile, the England players salute those who have made the effort to be there, spending thousands of pounds to support their side, inspiring them to another great victory.What was it l...

Chris Eubank, with his jodhpurs and gold-topped cane, who lisped in his posh accent about his distaste for the business of 'pugilism', could not have appeared more different from Nigel Benn, 'The Dark Destroyer', the Essex boy who had battled with his demons to reach the top of the boxing world. Their boxing style was just as contrasting, and it was inevitable that they would have to settle their differences in the ring.Their first bout for the WBO world middleweight title, in Birm...

Wayne Barnes - one of the most-experienced international referees in history and criminal barrister to boot - uniquely lifts the lid on a lifetime of trying to keep the biggest names in the sport on best behaviour.There aren't many people who can say they've been the thirty-first man on the pitch during a World Cup humdinger, Grand Slam decider or Premiership and European Cup final; listened to the sobs of a 20-stone prop as he tries to belt out his national anthem; heard the crunc...

Wayne Barnes - one of the most-experienced international referees in history and criminal barrister to boot - uniquely lifts the lid on a lifetime of trying to keep the biggest names in the sport on best behaviour.There aren't many people who can say they've been the thirty-first man on the pitch during a World Cup humdinger, Grand Slam decider or Premiership and European Cup final; listened to the sobs of a 20-stone prop as he tries to belt out his national anthem; heard the crunc...

Ben: Do you ever worry you’ll die without having left a mark?Tom: What about when you won that 3 a.m. break-dancing battle with the overweight Australian girl?Ben: It’s not enough. I want to go down in history.Tom: You’re called Ben Dirs. You will.Finely-tuned triathlete Tom Fordyce and hopeless smoker Ben Dirs have made a living blogging for the BBC about the triumphs and tribulations of sport at its highest level – but t...

In this exclusive ebook-only edition, Phil Tufnell, aka 'Tuffers', the Sunday Times bestselling author of Tuffers' Cricket Tales, shares a selection of the most outrageous and hilarious cricket stories he has received from his Twitter followers.

Welcome to the weird and wonderful world of "Bumble", the legendary SkySports cricket commentator who's one ball short of an over and delivers madcap moments galore in this ebullient, endearing and hilarious book.David "Bumble" Lloyd is a legend in our living rooms, a genuine "good bloke" all cricket fans feel they know inside out because of his infectious, larger-than-life personality and that distinctive Lancashire burr.Bumble has become the one constant for passionate En...

Sean Long is one of the finest rugby league half-backs to ever pick up the oval ball. Long started his pro career at his hometown club Wigan Warriors and, after a short stop-over at Widnes, he was signed by St Helens in 1997 to fill the boots of another Saints legend, Bobby Goulding. It wasn't long before the Knowsley Road faithful took Longy to their hearts. Long has won every major honour in the game at club level and is the only player in Challenge Cup history to win the Lance Todd Trop...

Forget Torres, Rooney, Beckham and the like. This is what football is really about. One man’s story of a career in the lower leagues.Chris Hargreaves has been a professional footballer for twenty years. Having started out as a youth team player at Everton he made his debut for Grimsby Town in 1989 and was earmarked as their first million pound sale.It never happened.Instead he went on to play for Scarborough, Hull City, West Brom, Hereford United, Plymouth Argyle, N...

From Gower to Flintoff, Waugh to Vaughan, Cronje to Pietersen, Paul Nixon has shared a dressing room with some of the most evocative names in international and domestic cricket – and often enraged them on the field of play. The wicketkeeper, known as his sport's most prolific 'sledger', has amassed more than 20 years of stories from his career at the heart of the game and now reveals them in typically outspoken style. From 'Fredalo' to match-fixing, Nixon has experienced s...

Love him or loathe him, Ricky Ponting is one of the biggest names in cricket, having been at the heart of so many memorable Ashes and Test encounters over the years. Coinciding with the end of Ponting’s spectacular career, ‘At the Close of Play’ is a must-read for all cricket fans.For so long the scourge of English cricket, Ricky Ponting – unarguably one of cricket’s all-time greats – looks back on the story of his remarkable life and career.With his customary honesty and ca...