Supercat

by Simon Lister

the Authorised Biography of Clive Lloyd

192 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2007

Reviews

[Meo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clive Lloyd grew up in Guyana as the West Indies had become independent and were gaining a sense of identity in the wider world. Arguably one of the greatest cricket captains ever seen, this man forged a side which was barely beaten in a Test Series for over a decade. He retired from Test Cricket, still scoring runs, still fielding well, at 41 - phenomenally old for a high class batsman in the Test Arena.
This is no Botham-esque kiss and tell romp, however: it is a thoughtful account of a man who knew hardship and, through cricket, overcame it. Whilst it tells a serious story - how 17 blokes toured the world and beat all-comers with bat and ball, blazing a trail for their fledgling nations in the process - it is recounted with wit, humour and bonhomie. The picture painted of Lloyd himself by the many comrades and opponents may be a little too sickly sweet, but he comes across as a genuinely nice person who has worked hard for what he got, The chapter on cricket captaincy stands alongside Mike Brearley's tome The Art of Captaincy as a masterclass in leading men.