Author:Steve James
In 1999, England slumped to a new low in their tumultuous cricket history. Defeat at home by a mediocre New Zealand team saw them fall to the bottom of the world Test rankings, below even Zimbabwe. Yet only just over a decade later, England reached the top. It was a remarkable and profound transformation, brought about largely by two men with an insatiable desire to succeed, Duncan Fletcher and Andy Flower.
In The Plan, Steve James tells the story of the renaissance of English cricket from a unique perspective. As the former batting partner of ECB managing director Hugh Morris, a player under Fletcher at Glamorgan and Flower's closest confidant in the press corps, James is the perfect analyst of this period in cricket history. From crucial choices of captain to innovative coaching and a complete overhaul of training and preparation for matches, it is the tale of a refusal to be second best.
And in examining Fletcher and Flower's background in Zimbabwe, where James himself played, he uncovers the continental shift behind the turnaround. It is the story of how English steel was melded with African fire to create the most potent combination in world cricket.
The most insightful cricket book of the year
—— Paul Newman , Daily MailExcellent
—— Mike Atherton , The TimesAn excellent book and courageous in the way it revisits and interrogates the opinions of the moment, including the author's own, in light of subsequent developments. As well as knowledge there is a rare warmth and sympathy to his portraits of men who are probably easier to respect than truly to know. The Plan is rich in unfamiliar detail and even the sideways glances are penetrating. The cricket points are well made, the personal judgements astute. Like his subjects James has made a good plan and stuck to it
—— Gideon Haigh , The CricketerFine detail... a persuasive account of the renaissance of English cricket, and no one is better qualified to tell it. [Steve James] has become a member of an influential new British school of cricket writing
—— The EconomistJames' quiet excellence, uncomplicated style and informed perspective make his Sunday column a "don't miss". The Plan is more of the same... Compelling
—— Sam Collins , CricinfoA hugely enjoyable and engrossing read... highly recommended
—— The Reverse SweepUnrivalled insight and captivating analysis... James has peerless knowledge of Fletcher and Flower - he argues his view brilliantly
—— www.cricketweb.netI commend to you The Nowhere Men by Michael Calvin – brilliant book, great journalism
—— Ian Herbert , The IndependentA hugely insightful read
—— FourFourTwo MagazineTop sports writer Michael Calvin lifts the lid on the talent scouts
—— Sunday ExpressIt's superb, one of the best of the year. One of those books where you learn something every couple of pages.
—— Iain Macintosh , co-author of Football Manager Stole My LifeA must-read for all soccer fans
—— ChoiceLucidly researched
—— David Miller , The OldieThe unlikely true story of two US ex-pros who travelled to Rwanda with visions of creating Africa’s first world-beating professional cycling team
—— Simon Usborne , IndependentThis book is an entertaining account taking in everyone from stage winners and former yellow jerseys who couldn’t hang on, to a breakaway leader who stopped for a bottle of wine and then took a wrong turn, to a doper whose drug cocktail backfired
—— Bike RadarWe know the winners of the Tour de France, but Lanterne Rouge tells the forgotten, often inspirational and occasionally absurd stories of the last-placed rider
—— Miss Dinky
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