By Peakfan: John Barclay was a teenage prodigy who perhaps never lived up to that early promise. He first played for Sussex at the age of 16 and played for England Young Cricketers in the same side as our own Geoff Miller. Both went on to give sterling service to their counties, although Miller's off spin developed more and he had the international career that never came Barclay's way. The latter developed into a gritty opening batsman and bowled his off spin well enough to take over 300 first-class wickets. The self-doubt that perhaps acted as a barrier to progress runs through this book, as does an endearing, self-deprecating style that sees him never take his life too seriously, though hinting at bouts of depression that have been more commonly acknowledged in recent years. Barclay's strength was as a captain of considerable flair and skill, who got the best out of his team and was prepared to be unconventional and innovative to do so. He was, in short, a cricketer of considerable intelligence, who went on to become a respected administrator of the game; all of which makes the quality of this book no real surprise. Source: Derbyshire Cricket, Read More<<<<
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