Greg Chappell: Fierce Focus

Greg Chappell: Fierce Focus
Author: Malcolm Knox
Publisher: Hardie Grant Publishing
Total Pages: 264
Release: 2012-01-03
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 1742702368

Greg Chappell was the outstanding Australian batsman of his generation. Though he had an appetite for big scores, it was his calm brow and courtly manner that bowlers found just as disheartening. When he followed his brother Ian into the Australian captaincy, his feat of scoring centuries in each innings of his captaincy debut has been unequalled. After retiring he went into coaching, spending some time with South Australia and working as a consultant at Pakistan’s National Cricket Academy. In 2005 he was appointed coach of the Indian national cricket team on a two-year term—a stint that included a stormy public falling out with the captain, Sourav Ganguly. He has been Head Coach of Cricket Australia’s Centre of Excellence in Brisbane and in 2010 Greg Chappell was made Cricket Australia’s first full-time selector and National Talent Manager—a position of unequalled power. In this book Greg Chappell will reflect upon how things have changed since he grew up playing cricket in his backyard with his brothers Ian and Trevor; how Australia’s fortunes have see-sawed over the years; the great teams and the great players; the scandals and the opportunities. He has been a cricketer, captain, commentator and selector—he has seen it all.

The Art of Centuries

The Art of Centuries
Author: Steve James
Publisher: Random House
Total Pages: 306
Release: 2015-04-09
Genre: Sports & Recreation
ISBN: 1448170907

A century has always had a special resonance, in all walks of life, and none more so than in cricket. Scoring one hundred runs is the ultimate for a batsman. As former England captain Andrew Strauss admits, it's incredibly hard to do; for Ricky Ponting, it's a transformational moment in the career of a cricketer. Or in the words of Geoffrey Boycott, 'a century has its own magic'. In The Art of Centuries, Steve James applies his award-winning forensic insight to the very heart of batting. Through interviews with the leading run-scorers in cricket history and his own experiences, Steve discovers what mental and physical efforts are required to reach those magical three figures. Despite his own haul of 47 first-class tons, he himself felt at times that he was poorly equipped for the task. So working out how to score centuries is an art. And bowlers might not agree, but there really is no better feeling in cricket.

The Establishment Boys

The Establishment Boys
Author: Barry Nicholls
Publisher: eBook Partnership
Total Pages: 286
Release: 2024-12-02
Genre: Sports & Recreation
ISBN: 1801507805

Set during Kerry Packer's World Series Cricket revolution, this book tells the story of the Australian Test cricketers plucked from the backwaters of the domestic game to take on full-strength international sides. Some became cricketing greats. Others were lost in the footnotes of history. But all have important stories to share. From 1977/78 to the reconciliation, two Australian sides competed in parallel universes: World Series Cricket's glamorous rock star realm and the attritional reality of Test cricket fought by predominantly younger, poorly paid men honouring the baggy green. Friendships were broken, and new bonds formed, as the public first sided with the traditional game before backing World Series Cricket in greater numbers. Kerry Packer eventually won the cricketing war. However, Test cricket survived because of those who carried the Australian banner for the game. These players became known as the 'Establishment Boys' and until now they have barely been acknowledged.

Fierce Focus

Fierce Focus
Author: Greg Chappell
Publisher:
Total Pages: 384
Release: 2012
Genre: Cricket players
ISBN: 9781742703169

Greg Chappell was the outstanding Australian batsman of his generation. Though he had an appetite for big scores, it was his calm brow and courtly manner that bowlers found just as disheartening. When he followed his brother Ian into the Australian captaincy, his feat of scoring centuries in each innings of his captaincy debut has been unequalled. After retiring he went into coaching, spending some time with South Australia and working as a consultant at Pakistan's National Cricket Academy. In 2005 he was appointed coach of the Indian national cricket team on a two-year term - a stint that included a stormy public falling out with the captain, Sourav Ganguly. He has been Head Coach of Cricket Australia's Centre of Excellence in Brisbane and in 2010 Greg Chappell was made Cricket Australia's first full-time selector and National Talent Manager - a position of unequalled power. In this book Greg Chappell will reflect upon how things have changed since he grew up playing cricket in his backyard with his brothers Ian and Trevor; how Australia's fortunes have see-sawed over the years; the great teams and the great players; the scandals and the opportunities. He has been a cricketer, captain, commentator and selector - he has seen it all.

The Keepers

The Keepers
Author: Malcolm Knox
Publisher: Penguin Group Australia
Total Pages: 399
Release: 2015-10-21
Genre: Sports & Recreation
ISBN: 1760140791

The cricket field is a unique stage, where the player at the centre is the most easily overlooked. Yet the wicketkeeper, always at the heart of the action, knows the game better than almost anyone else on the pitch. Wicketkeepers are able to anticipate a bowler, read a batsman, interpret a pitch, advise on a team's strategy, carry and lift it's spirit and even change the course of play. And in modern times, wicketkeepers have had to hold their place amongst the top six batsmen. From the revered Jack Blackham to the determined Brad Haddin, wicketkeepers are a unique breed and something of a club. And more than any other aspect of the game wicketkeeping is steeped in its own history, knowledge passed down from keeper to keeper. Each keeper has built upon honed skills, developed techniques and offered something unique to the game. And each keeper has come to represent the spirit of a team, from Marsh's gruff resilience to Healy's combative chippiness to Gilchrist's overabundance of talent. In doing so, our keepers have not only shaped the character of Australian cricket – flinty, determined, world-beating and a little bit larrikin – but have helped shape our national sporting character. Wicketkeepers are the closest eyewitnesses to cricket's story. In The Keepers, award-winning journalist and writer Malcolm Knox re-examines the history of Australian cricket through the eyes and narratives of the talented, resilient men at the heart of the play. 'One of this country's best writers and keenest cricket minds.' Inside Sport

Eleven

Eleven
Author: Ashley Alexander Mallett
Publisher: Univ. of Queensland Press
Total Pages: 196
Release: 2001
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 9780702232589

The best of the best, these are the greatest players of the 20th Century playing in the same side. Former Test cricketer and author Ashley Mallett describes the agony and ecstasy in selecting the best Eleven of the past 100 years. From the short list to the final selection, he provides the reason and argument towards achieving the perfectly balanced side. The outcome is a team with great batting depth - nine players who have scored Test Centuries, and specialist batsmen who are courageous, consistent and adaptable. There are one batting all-rounder and two bowling all-rounders. The attack is a potent mix of genuine pace bowling, complemented by two brilliant spinners- one a leg-spinner, the other an off-spinner. This Eleven would beat any combination - anywhere and at anytime.

Golden Boy

Golden Boy
Author: Christian Ryan
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Total Pages: 323
Release: 2009
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 1741760968

Shedding new light on the 'club' of Lillee, Marsh and the Chappells, 'Golden Boy' examines the most tumultuous era of Australian cricket through the lens of the story of flawed genius, Kim Hughes. Kim Hughes was one of the most majestic and daring batsmen

Sticky Wickets

Sticky Wickets
Author: Glen Humphries
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 227
Release: 2023-08-31
Genre: Sports & Recreation
ISBN: 1923009206

The story of cricket is littered with big stories, like Bodyline, underarm balls and tycoons changing the game. But, like Tony Greig checking out the pitch with his keys, sometimes things fall through the cracks. Sticky Wickets takes a look at stories both big, small and perhaps forgotten. From bees and their dislike of cricket to a storm caused when a cameraman criticised a Test player's fielding. It's perfect to pick up when rain delays play.

Playing It My Way

Playing It My Way
Author: Sachin Tendulkar
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Total Pages: 625
Release: 2014-11-06
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 1473605199

'I don't think anyone, apart from Don Bradman, is in the same class as Sachin Tendulkar.' -Shane Warne Readers are in love with Sachin Tendulkar's autobiography: 'A must read for anyone who knows cricket' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'An idol . . . An inspiration' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'A great book by one of the all time greats' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Brings back so many wonderful memories'⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'This book has made me feel proud to be a lover of the game and has inspired me to succeed in everything I do.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The story of the greatest cricket player of all time, told in his own words. __________ The greatest run-scorer in the history of cricket, Sachin Tendulkar retired in 2013 after an astonishing 24 years at the top. The most celebrated Indian cricketer of all time, he received the Bharat Ratna Award - India's highest civilian honour - on the day of his retirement. Now Sachin Tendulkar tells his own remarkable story - from his first Test cap at the age of 16 to his 100th international century and the emotional final farewell that brought his country to a standstill. When a boisterous Mumbai youngster's excess energies were channelled into cricket, the result was record-breaking schoolboy batting exploits that launched the career of a cricketing phenomenon. Before long Sachin Tendulkar was the cornerstone of India's batting line-up, his every move watched by a cricket-mad nation's devoted followers. Never has a cricketer been burdened with so many expectations; never has a cricketer performed at such a high level for so long and with such style - scoring more runs and making more centuries than any other player, in both Tests and one-day games. And perhaps only one cricketer could have brought together a shocked nation by defiantly scoring a Test century shortly after terrorist attacks rocked Mumbai. His many achievements with India include winning the World Cup and topping the world Test rankings. Yet he has also known his fair share of frustration and failure - from injuries and early World Cup exits to stinging criticism from the press, especially during his unhappy tenure as captain. Despite his celebrity status, Sachin Tendulkar has always remained a very private man, devoted to his family and his country. Now, for the first time, he provides a fascinating insight into his personal life and gives a frank and revealing account of a sporting life like no other. __________

Class

Class
Author: Paul Fussell
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 212
Release: 1992
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 0671792253

This book describes the living-room artifacts, clothing styles, and intellectual proclivities of American classes from top to bottom.