Summer Reading (5)

Time to Declare by Michael Vaughan with Mike Dickson

Here, former England cricket captain Vaughan deciphers the high and low points of an illustrious career. Written in an honest and straightforward style, Vaughan comes across as a strong, intelligent leader whose success in bringing the Ashes back to England after 16 years in 2005 was the result of meticulous planning which included the removal of previous players who, in Vaughan’s view, had been "scarred" by a series of previous defeats. Often forthright, Vaughan is quick to reveal those players, coaches, and administrators who, in his opinion, did not help his cause as he battled to instil a more positive, attacking approach to winning Test matches. The first Lancashire born player to appear for Yorkshire, Vaughan comes across as a man who is keen to innovate, improve and inspire the chances of those in his charge, but he describes in an honest, almost confessional way, how his confidence gradually was drained as a result of a series of injuries which led to his retirement in 2009. Now an established member of the media, Vaughan’s voice is one that commands respect and this book is well worth a read for cricket fans.