John Barclay looks back on the summer of 1981, his first as captain of the Sussex cricket team. Against the backdrop of a remarkable Ashes series and a royal wedding, they go all out to win the county championship for the first time in their history. From pre-season planning in Australia to the bowling of the last ball, he recounts with a gentle humour the story of the summer, not just the cricket matches but their way of life as they travel around England, and he reflects on what it all meant. In a foreword to the book, the late David Sheppard, Bishop of Liverpool, writes: "John Barclay takes us inside the life of the team. That includes tense dressing room moments, when a close finish is being fought; also the wet days that drag, journeys and meals together, and the spirit that sustained a long campaign. The characters came alive for me as I read John's account. It made me laugh out loud more than any book has achieved for years."
- ISBN13 9780953119660
- Publish Date 1 June 2002
- Publish Status Out of Print
- Out of Print 25 January 2021
- Publish Country GB
- Imprint Fairfield Books
- Format Hardcover
- Pages 160
- Language English