Following On: A year with English cricket's golden boys
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"A gem of a book." --Michael Atherton, The Times
"Terrific research that I hope is going to start an important debate." -- Matthew Engel (Financial Times), on Radio 4
"Poignant and true. This is an excellent book about people and their paths. It's well written and it cares about its subjects." --All Out Cricket
"Terrific research that I hope is going to start an important debate." -- Matthew Engel (Financial Times), on Radio 4
"Poignant and true. This is an excellent book about people and their paths. It's well written and it cares about its subjects." --All Out Cricket
Product Description
The end of cricket's first decade of the millennium; a landscape of money and glory stretching ahead. The Ashes, World Twenty20 and Indian Premier League written into the calendar, making it an exciting and lucrative time to be a successful English player. At the forefront of this explosion of opportunity should have been the men who in 1998 became the only male England cricket team to win a global trophy, when they lifted the Under-19 World Cup. Yet as they approached and turned 30, the supposed prime of sporting life, their careers were heading down varied paths. Graeme Swann and Owais Shah began 2009 in pursuit of England ambitions and were soon heading in opposite directions. Robert Key and new Twenty20 hero Graham Napier awaited their country's call, while others wondered whether their county careers would attract the loose change from the top end of the sport or fall victim to economic recession. Some, meanwhile, were back in the real world, combining Minor Counties and club cricket with jobs in sales, property and recruitment. One had returned to first-class cricket as its youngest umpire. From the packed stands of Lord's to the most rural of club grounds, Following On tells the stories of the fourteen World Cup winners against the backdrop of a historic year for their sport. There are Ashes heroics, clashes with county committees, fall-outs with selectors and even a campaign of death threats. The result is a fascinating insight into the cricketing profession, through those who were once the English game's golden generation.
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14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
A thoroughly enjoyable book that uses the 2009 season to show the ups and downs of the professional cricketer and the thin dividing line between success and failure. Just as interesting as following the meteoric rise of Graeme Swann and the failed England ambitions of men like Owais Shah, Rob Key and Chris Schofield are the stories of the guys who were once their peers, but whose careers sunk without trace for a variety of reasons. A good read for all those interested in the state of English cricket. Tossell has done a good job of 'Following On' from his last cricket book - 'Grovel', written about the West Indies tour of England in 1976 and well worth a read too if you haven't already. Both highly recommended.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
In the winter of 1998, the England under-19 cricket team won the U19 World Cup. Ten years on, David Tossell charts the subsequent progress of the players who took part in that victory. One might assume that being chosen for such a team and achieving this success would have led to many of them having long and successful county and international careers. While some have represented England, only Graeme Swann has done so with prolonged success, and even then after a gap of many years. Others, such as Owais Shah and Rob Key have long been on the fringes of the test and ODI teams, with some games here and there, but have not become firmly established. Paul Franks played a solitary ODI, but has had a long county career, while several others have made it as county pros. However, the stories of those who have not are among the most interesting; a mixture of restricted opportunities, lack of professional support, motivation and other factors emerge in a remarkable mix of tales, some sad, some inevitable, others surprising. The received view seems to be that cricket has changed a lot since these players were trying to make their way, and in some regards, such as the mentoring offered by the ECB, for the better. Overall, a fascinating read.
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