Calling the Shots: The Captain's Story

For cricket fans this provides an excellent insight to the thoughts and duties an international captain has to go through, with all of the pressures it produces, both on and off the field. The book allows the reader to see into the mind of Vaughan at various stages of many of the memorable matches he's played in as England captain.

There's some very interesting information on the players and on other international players from other countries. At the end of the book, Vaughan has written a player profile on all of the England Ashes squad. This is followed by a glossary of results as captain and the scorecards in full from the 5 Ashes Tests.

A really enjoyable and interesting book.


England's Steel Captain Tells His Story   October 20, 2005
 13 out of 13 found this review helpful

Michael Vaughan does not hold back when something needs to be said in this book. There are a lot of people, famous people, who are taken apart in the pages of this book. In places I felt shocked that this apparently mild mannered England Captain was so strong. Vaughan's public persona is quite different to the man behind the man. Reading this book helps you to understand how Michael Vaughan has helped to galvanize the England team to victory in the Summer against the Aussies. Vaughan may not rant and rave in public like others, but he gets his point across and this book gives a unique insight into the methods Michael Vaughan employs. For example when Nasser Hussain gave up his captaincy during the South Africa series here in England and was out of sorts this book describes the decisive steps Michael Vaughan took. Also when the team spirit disappeared from the England squad during the tour of South Africa Vaughan again didn't sit back and let things fester, no he acted decisively. The falling out with South African captain Smith is handled firmly but fairly and one gets a different viewpoint to the one presented in the media serialization. The impression I did get though is that lots has been left out, and quite rightly too because he is still England Captain, but there is enough here to give a unique insight into this quiet man, with a rod of steel running through him.