Author Description

Alec Stewart reflects on a tumultuous cricket year, from his appointment as England captain in the spring of 1998, followed by a stunning Test series victory against the mighty South Africans in the summer, and concluding with an Ashes tour to Australia.In the first part of this book, Stewart sets out his credentials for the England captaincy and explores the mental approach needed to lead your country at the highest level in sport.He gives a candid appraisal of Mike Atherton’s resignation after the West Indies tour of 1997/98, his appointment and the qualities needed for the job, how he manages to combine the unique role of captain, wicketkeeper and leading batsman, and he reveals how England overcame all the odds to win his first series in charge against South Africa 2-1.The remaining part of the book is devoted to Stewart’s day-by-day dairy account of the Ashes tour to Australia – featuring the team’s physical and mental preparation for one of the toughest tours in the game, along with a fly-on-the-wall insight into the players and management, both on the field and in the dressing room.