Book Review: Micky Stewart and the changing face of cricket by Stephen Chalke

It is always a delight to read a book by Stephen Chalke and this biography of Micky Stewart, one that has been a labour of love for the author for several years, is no exception.

Few cricketers can have seen such change in their professional lives as Stewart, a stalwart of Surrey through most of the 1950s and 60s. He led them through a difficult period in their history, when their outstanding side of the 1950s, one that had won seven successive County Championships, was breaking up. No side could survive the loss of such players as Bedser, Laker, Lock, Loader and May intact, yet Stewart oversaw a period of gradual improvement that culminated in championship glory in 1971, his final season as a player.

He led a pretty good side himself, of course. Geoff Arnold and Robin Jackman to open the bowling, Pat Pocock for off spin, Pakistan leg-spinning all-rounder Intikhab Alam and underrated all-rounder Stewart Storey made up an attack for all conditions, while Stewart, John Edrich, Graham Roope and Younis Ahmed ensured they rarely lacked runs.

Micky Stewart was an underrated cricketer, earning Test caps but never quite doing enough to cement a regular opening berth. Two half centuries in eight appearances perhaps did not reflect his true ability, although those old enough to remember his playing days will do so as much for the brilliance of his fielding close to the wicket. The Surrey side of the 1950s were renowned for catching what others wouldn't consider chances and, as Stewart explains, they fielded closer than anyone else, such was their confidence in the bowlers not to drop short and leave them in danger.

Stewart's passion for cricket shines through in the book and his return to cricket in a coaching role, first at Surrey and then with England, came as no real surprise to those who knew him. He introduced greater professionalism to the national team and memorably led them to success in Australia. It was a tour in which success was a result of forging strong individuals into a fine team, all of them coming to appreciate their role in and importance to the side. A subsequent tour was less successful, the off-field activities being highlighted by the infamous "Tiger Moth" incident featuring David Gower and Derbyshire's John Morris.

Nor were series against the West Indies especially successful, although given the strength of that nation's cricket at the time it was hardly a surprise. Yet Stewart and successive captains introduced new training methods and much of his work has become accepted practice in the modern game.

A fifty-year career is always going to witness change and Stewart's is no exception. Perhaps the greatest was around the role of the media. Things happened on tour and around the county circuit back in the 1950s and this book has plenty of amusing anecdotes that are always one of the delights of a book by the author. His question to a team mate about how to play during a follow on was met with amusement, before the realisation dawned that such was Surrey's dominance that in three seasons of the first-class game he'd never had to do so...

Characters abound, from former Surrey masseur "Sandy" Tait ("I could really hurt you with these hands, son...") through Jim Laker "...you heard the snap of his fingers then the zzzzzzz of the ball coming down the pitch"  to spectators "Call theself a selector? Tha couldn't pick a fine day..."

It is, yet again, a joy to read Stephen Chalke's work. While Stewart comes across as a man of cricket par excellence, the author makes you feel that you are sitting across a table in a local pub listening to him recount his tales, which is no mean feat. Having established a niche in cricket writing with his outstanding oral histories, Stephen Chalke has moved seamlessly into biography, this book following similar worthy efforts on Tom Cartwright and Bob Appleyard.

I have no hesitation in recommending it for a Christmas purchase.

Micky Stewart and the changing face of cricket is published by Fairfield Books and is available on Amazon for £15.66, as well as through all good book shops.