Pack Your Bags, Brother - The cricketing journey of Mark Alleyne

 

Pack Your Bags, Brother - The cricketing journey of Mark Alleyne

Mark Alleyne was one of the most successful captains in the history of county cricket, leading the little-fancied Gloucestershire to seven trophies in six years. Now he has returned to Gloucestershire as Head Coach, the county winning a further trophy in his first year back. Here in Pack Your Bags, Brother, he talks about his life and shares the story of those successes: from his formative years in Barbados and the ground-breaking Haringey Cricket College, to becoming Gloucestershire’s youngest centurion, playing alongside Courtney Walsh and Jack Russell, then leading the county in those golden years. A deep thinker, interested in sports psychology, he reflects on his life story, the characters he has known, the nature of successful teamwork and the way the game has changed in the forty years since his county debut: the greater role of the coach and the impact of franchise cricket. The uplifting and thought-provoking story of a special and most popular cricketer, it also includes a wealth of thoughtful reflections on fellow players, developments within the game and lessons learned from a distinguished cricketing career on and off the field. Buy from Fairfield Books using coupon code FF2520 to get 20% off the RRP*.  *20% discount excludes p&p charges.

Ben Stokes On Fire My Story Of England's Summer to Remember

 

At the end of a phenomenal England Test cricket career (ended by theatrics at Trent Bridge) and (it seems) the dramatic end of Bazball, it's worth taking a look back, on this book blog, at only the second cricket book I ever read, 'On Fire' by Ben Stokes The narrative backbone of the book relies on two monumental events in English cricket: the dramatic 2019 World Cup Final at Lord's and the miraculous third Ashes Test at Headingly.

Ben's narrative takes the reader inside England's dressing room and onto the pitch, breaking down the tactical decisions and raw emotions behind his match-winning performances. His writing (assuming it's not ghostwritten?) essentially mirrors his playing style; honest, intense, and unfiltered- but it appears less muscular, less bullish, although not shying away from the immense mental burden of these high-stakes off-field moments. The book offers a more vulnerable look at what it means to wear an England test shirt and the national expectations that accompany it. Stokes also offers insight into his legendary 2019 teammates and the collective culture built under Eoin Morgan's captaincy. He frames his personal redemption not as an isolated achievement, but as a byproduct of a supportive group dynamic. Reading this gives an insight into the mentality that grew Ben into becoming one of the most successful England test captains of all time. 

Although only my second-ever cricket book, I was enamoured by the ball-by-ball tension, tactical insights, and the chance to learn about an England World Cup win I'm yet to watch. For your casual reader, I think this is a universal story about overcoming adversity, what sportsmanship really means, and the pride of being an England cricketer. As Stokes now faces a future out of the England test team set-up, and this book now being seven years old, can we expect a new book for the Christmas market covering 2019 - 2026; Bazball, the 2025 Ashes failure, and a rather chaotic end to a phenomenal all-rounder and cricketing career? I'd hope so!

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If you want to send me a cricket book to read, email: ryanoxleywriter@gmail.com