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Go to the Net
by Al StrachanPlayers and coaches of genius come along; rules and tactics and strategies evolve; careers ebb and flow. And the best way to see how the game changes is to look at the goals, the events that led up to them, and the way they change hockey history. From Canada's ultimate hockey insider comes the lowdown on the personalities, the dressing-room banter, the chalk-talk, the sweat-stained passion behind eight of the goals that changed the game.There are moments in hockey history that matter even more than the question of who won or lost, when a single goal can tell us about the game itself.Among the most famous and stirring in hockey lore was Paul Coffey's dramatic counter-attack in the 1984 Canada Cup against the USSR. Canadian fans were terrified of the dazzling Soviets, and were nervous about another drubbing like the 8-1 loss Canada had suffered the last time the two teams had played. Coffey's pass interception and rush up-ice is now the stuff of legend, but it was not only the defenceman's skill that won the day.Glen Sather was as mindful of the vaunted Soviet attack as any Canadian fan, and he put together a game plan with one objective: to keep the puck away from the Russians. Once Coffey got the puck into the Soviet zone, it was Tonelli's spadework along the boards and Bossy's refusal to budge from the crease that allowed Coffey's point shot to eventually find its way to the net. That goal beat the Soviets and changed the way the game was played forever.Other goals were equally shaped by their time. Think of Guy Lafleur's notorious "too- many- men- on- the- ice" goal in 1979, which effectively ended Don Cherry's career as a coach. Or Wayne Gretzky's overtime goal in Game Two of the Smythe Division finals in 1988 against the Calgary Flames, arguably the goal that marked the pinnacle of his career. Or Mario Lemieux's 1987 Canada Cup-winning goal. Or Brett Hull's disputed 1999 Stanley Cup-winner.Al Strachan, whose insider hockey connections are second to none, was witness to all these goals. He has been writing about the game we love for more than three decades. Chummy with the players, respected by coaches, and friends with the broadcasters and journalists, he knows what is going on in the dressing rooms and the board rooms, and he understands what is evolving on the ice. He has talked to the men who made the decisions, as well as to those who made the plays. In Go to the Net, he passes on, in the trenchant style of his famous columns, insights into the goals that tell us not only about the way the game has changed but also about the gritty soul of hockey that will never change.From the Hardcover edition.
Hockey's Hot Stove: The Untold Stories of the Original Insiders
by Al StrachanStories from behind the scenes of one of hockey&’s longest running and most popular broadcasts, Hockey Night in Canada&’s Satellite Hot Stove, from an insider who&’s seen it all.For more than twenty years, hockey fans tuned in during intermission on Saturday nights to watch one of the most popular segments in the game&’s long broadcasting history. They&’d hear news from around the league, the latest rumours and gossip, and—of course—some of the most controversial opinions of the day. No, we&’re not talking about Coach&’s Corner. The Satellite Hot Stove was a revolutionary show for talking about the game we love. Here, during the second intermission of the first game of every Hockey Night in Canada broadcast, pundits, and insiders would convene in studios across North America—in arenas and other locales—to discuss the biggest topics. Hot Stove was the best place to get news, opinions, and a good laugh. And Al Strachan was in the middle of it all. A bestselling author and award-winning sports journalist, he has been writing and talking about hockey for more than forty years. As a regular TV pundit on Hot Stove, he witnessed the most exciting and talked-about episodes in the modern game. And more than once, his unfiltered, say-it-as-it-is style added controversy of its own, too. In this new book, he relives the best stories of his long career, from working with some of the biggest personalities, on and off the ice, to the hijinks that went on behind the cameras. From embarrassing himself in front of Scotty Bowman, to cooking up a plan with Wayne Gretzky to save hockey, and frank conversations with Ken Dryden and hockey&’s elite, Hockey&’s Hot Stove delivers all new hockey stories you won&’t hear anywhere else.
Over the Line: Wrist Shots, Slap Shots, and Five-Minute Majors
by Al StrachanBestselling author and Toronto Sun sportswriter Al Strachan shares more insider stories from his more-than-forty-year career covering pro hockey. Bestselling author and Toronto Sun sportswriter Al Strachan is a permanent fixture in the illustrious world of professional ice hockey. His opinion, backed by an extensive knowledge of the game and his sharp sense of humour, is read and enjoyed by millions of fans internationally. He has established unique and personal relationships with the biggest names in hockey from every generation and era and it is through these contacts that Strachan can step Over the Line to obtain exclusive access to information. Strachan has been writing about hockey for over forty years. He has experienced first-hand all that the game has to offer. From Stanley Cup victories, miraculous saves, and incredible goals to devastating hits and world class bouts, Strachan has been there to report on the most exciting, controversial, devastating, frustrating, humorous and talked-about episodes in the history of the game, whether it's Stanley Cup victories, miraculous saves, and incredible goals or devastating hits and world class bouts. In his latest adventure, he relives tales from the rink that will fascinate, amuse, shock, and entertain all fans of the game -- from dressing-room banter between player and coach to insider information on the League's revenue sharing program. It's all here, glorious page after glorious page of stuff that any fan of hockey must read.From the Trade Paperback edition.
Kings of the Road: How Frank Shorter, Bill Rodgers, and Alberto Salazar Made Running Go Boom
by Cameron StracherA &“lively, informative history&” of distance running&’s 1970s heyday—including the famous Falmouth Road Race—written &“with a true fan&’s contagious enthusiasm&” (Newsweek). It was 1978. Jimmy Carter was president; gas prices were soaring; and Americans were hunkering down to weather the economic crisis. But Jim Fixx&’s The Complete Book of Running was a bestseller. Frank Shorter&’s gold medal in the 1972 Olympic marathon had put distance running on the minds of many Americans. The odd activity of &“jogging&” became &“running,&” and America was in love. That summer, a junior from the University of Oregon named Alberto Salazar went up against Shorter and Boston Marathon champion Bill Rodgers at the Falmouth Road Race. Though he lost to Rodgers&’s record-setting 32:21, the competition set the stage for an epic rivalry among the three greats. Each pushed the others to succeed and, in turn, inspired a nation of couch potatoes to put down the remote and lace up their sneakers. &“[A] lively, informative history.&” — Newsweek/The Daily Beast &“Essential reading for runners both competitive and casual.&” —Kirkus Reviews &“Kings of the Road is about marathon legends. It&’s about running Fast. It&’s about Will. It&’s about the Real. It&’s about drama of the finest kind.&” —Bernd Heinrich, author of Why We Run and Racing the Antelope &“A rollicking, informed account of . . . how distance running helped define a generation.&” —John Brant, author of Duel in the Sun and coauthor with Alberto Salazar of 14 Minutes
The Rules: The Way of the Cycling Disciple
by Frank StrackRule #6: Free your mind and your legs will follow.THE VELOMINATI embrace cycling not as a pastime, but as a way of life, as obsessed with style, heritage, authenticity and wisdom as with performance.Rule #9: If you cycle in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.THE RULES is their Bible. It is an essential part of every cyclist's arsenal - whether you're grudgingly cycling to work in the rain or gearing up to be the next Bradley Wiggins, Chris Hoy or Victoria Pendleton.Rule #12: The correct number of bikes to own is n+1, where n is the number of bikes currently owned.
Inside the Helmet
by Michael Strahan Jay GlazerFollowing a magical season that ended in Super Bowl glory, one of the NFL's biggest stars delivers a no-holds-barred, hardhitting hitting account of life in the league. Michael Strahan is one of the NFL's most talented players, and he is also one of the game's most vocal personalities. In Inside the Helmet, Strahan exposes all of the pressure, pain, and glory of life in the NFL, venturing into territory no previous football author has had the nerve to tread. Bringing the reader right into the middle of the action, Strahan recounts exhilarating victories and reveals the hair-raising details of the ruthless grit required for every win. He gives an honest account of the brutality on the field and the myriad injuries from which he continues to suffer. He describes the relationships among teammates (including an account of his well publicized feuding with Tiki Barber), the practical jokes players use to preserve their sanity and the violent blow-ups that occur when the pressure gets too intense, and the challenges of taking orders from head coach Tom Coughlin and his squadron of assistant coaches. Strahan also writes about dealing with the relentless media coverage, rabid and demanding fans, and the struggle to live up to a multimillion-dollar salary. Finally, in two new chapters for the paperback edition, Strahan writes about the ups and downs of a truly sensational 2007 season that saw the Giants overcome the odds to win the Super Bowl. For the millions of rabid NFL fans, Inside the Helmet is an all-access pass into the huddle, the locker room, and the minds of the warriors on the field.
The IF in Life: How to Get Off Life’s Sidelines and Become Your Best Self
by Michael Strahan Rashad JenningsIn his first ever book, The IF in Life: How to Get Off Life’s Sidelines and Become Your Best Self, NFL running back and Dancing with the Stars champion Rashad Jennings shares his inspiring story and experiences, imparts practical advice, and encourages readers to follow their dreams.As a kid, Rashad Jennings dreamed of one day playing in the NFL, but the odds were stacked against him—he was an overweight kid with glasses, asthma, and a 0.6 GPA. Today, Rashad is a record-setting running back who has played with the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Oakland Raiders, and the New York Giants.In The IF in Life, Rashad writes about the decisions that shaped his life. From overcoming injuries and setbacks to reaching goals and everything in between, Rashad’s transparency about his journey will encourage readers to hold on to faith in the midst of uncertainty and win big in life.Perfect for football fans of all ages, this book also features photos from Rashad’s childhood, college years, and professional career.
Surfing Life: Surface, Substructure and the Commodification of the Sublime
by Mark StrangerSurfing Life is a study of surfing and social change that also provides insights into other experience-based contemporary subcultures and the nature of the self and social formations in contemporary society. Making use of extensive empirical material to support innovative theoretical approaches to social change, this book offers an analysis of the relationship between embodied experience, culture and the economy. With its ground breaking theoretical contributions, and its foundation in an ethnographic study of surfing culture in locations across Australia, this volume will appeal not only to those interested in the social and cultural phenomenon of surfing, but also to anyone interested in the sociology of sport and leisure, the sociology of culture and consumption, risk-taking, subcultures and theories of contemporary social change.
Baseball Fantography: A Celebration in Snapshots and Stories from the Fans (No Ser.)
by Andy Strasberg Bob CostasA treasury of candid photos and behind-the-scenes trivia covering decades of baseball history. Baseball Fantography is a celebration of baseball through the eyes of fans, via photos they’ve taken of players, ballparks, and related subjects over the past nine decades, along with essays, sidebars, and quotes. The project originated when the author discovered an old 1960s snapshot of himself as a teenager with his idol, Roger Maris, at Yankee Stadium. Realizing that he couldn’t be the only one with these hidden photographic gems, he began collecting baseball photos taken by fans. The book contains: More than 250 never-before-published images of such players as Roberto Clemente, Mickey Mantle, Derek Jeter, and Josh HamiltonChapters on subjects like ballparks, spring training, broadcasters, dugouts, and baseball cardsContributions from baseball aficionados and notables like Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith, a 35-year veteran Topps baseball photographer, and a former president of the Baseball Hall of FameA foreword by Bob Costas
Canes vs. Gators: Inside the Legendary Miami Hurricanes and Florida Gators Football Rivalry
by Marty Strasen Brock BerlinAll parties seem to be in agreement that the rivalry between the University of Miami and the University of Florida is as nasty and historical as they come; going back to the thirties, it’s the state of Florida’s oldest major rivalry. Gators beat writer Pat Dooley described the vitriolic rivalry to the author simply as "vile.”History would prove that to be true. In Canes vs. Gators, coaches Urban Meyer, Howard Schnellenberger, Steve Spurrier, Larry Coker, and Ron Zook and several former notable players on both sides of the rivalry, along with key media members for both schools, offer their unique commentary on the intensity of the rivalry. For example, Schnellenberger recalled with anger that after his staff and team were pelted with frozen oranges in 1980, he kicked an extra meaningless field goal in a blowout victory . . . and he wished he’d called on his punter to take the ball and launch it into the Florida student section!Author Marty Strasen, who covered both schools for over a decade, brings to life the greatest moments of this historic rivalry. This book is the perfect gift for Florida college football fans!Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Sports Publishing imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in sports-books about baseball, pro football, college football, pro and college basketball, hockey, or soccer, we have a book about your sport or your team.Whether you are a New York Yankees fan or hail from Red Sox nation; whether you are a die-hard Green Bay Packers or Dallas Cowboys fan; whether you root for the Kentucky Wildcats, Louisville Cardinals, UCLA Bruins, or Kansas Jayhawks; whether you route for the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, or Los Angeles Kings; we have a book for you. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to publishing books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked by other publishers and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.
Making It Home: Life Lessons from a Season of Little League
by Teresa StrasserAn achingly heartfelt and surprisingly funny memoir about family, grief, and moving forward by an award-winning writer and TV personality. When her brother dies from cancer, and then her mother just four months later, Teresa Strasser has no one to mourn with but her irresponsible, cantankerous, trailerpark-dwelling father. He claims not to remember her chaotic childhood, but he&’s a devoted grandpa, so as her son embarks on his first season pitching in Little League, Teresa and Nelson form a grief group of two in beach chairs lined up behind the first base line. There are no therapeutically trained facilitators and no rules other than those dictated by the Little League of America, and the human heart. For Teresa and her father, the stages of grief are the draft, the regular season, and the playoffs. One season of baseball becomes the framework for a memoir about family, loss, and the fundamentals of baseball and life. They cheer, talk smack about other teams, scream at each other in the parking lot, and care way too much about Little League. Making It Home is a bracingly honest journey through grief, self-doubt, and anxiety armed with humor and optimism. After all, America&’s pastime may be just a game, but it always leaves room for redemption, even at the bottom of the lineup.
Close Out
by Todd StrasserIMAPCT ZONE The most dangerous part of the wave You gotta beat it...or you'll eat it. The summer is hot, and so is action out on the line-up. There's a big competition coming up, with some serious burrito money attached. All the brahs are in it for something. Lucas has his career and his reputation on the line. If Kai wins, he might be able to stay in Sun Haven and not have to hit the road again with his sketchy dad. For everyone it's a chance to close out the summer as a champion. Stoked.
Cut Back
by Todd StrasserImpact Zone: The most dangerous part of the wave You gotta beat it...or you'll eat it. Ever since he went up against the locals and broke into the lineup, Kai has had his own crew. Spazzy is a summer kid with a lot of fancy gear. He looks like a total shubee. But on the board he's good, really good -- despite everything going against him. The Spazz wants to be in the local competition, but he can't do it without Kai. Kai knows there's no way Spazzy can win against Lucas, the local hero. But Kai would never let a brah down....
Help! I'm Trapped in a Professional Wrestler's Body
by Todd StrasserJake and his friends have landed ringside seats for Wrestle Insanity! Andy foolishly switches bodies with Brainiac Bloom just before the match begins, and it's up to Jake to save him from Neutron Newman, the Human Bomb. <p> <p><b>Lexile Level: 610L</b></p>
Sidewayz Glory (Drift X #3)
by Todd StrasserThe cops cracked down on illegal races, and now the only street racing around is at the hottest casino on the strip. The casino owner is starting his own high-stakes, high-payoff drift team -- and there's little he wouldn't do to have Sin City's best drifter. Kennin's under pressure to quit the scene and get his life back on track. But when he's offered five grand to fix his ride -- and the promise of enough cash to take care of his problems -- Kennin knows exactly what he has to do. No matter what the catch.
Take Off (Impact Zone)
by Todd StrasserImpact Zone: The most dangerous part of the wave. You gotta beat it... or you'll eat it.Kai is stoked when he gets to Sun Haven. He hasn't been on a board in a while. And SH has some primo waves. Screamers is the spot where you can regularly get tubed. Only it's patrolled by locals who keep it to themselves. They'll only let Kai into the lineup if he competes against one of them. This is everything Kai hates about surfing -- the competition, the commercialism. He's a free surfer at heart. But if he doesn't take the challenge, he'll lose what he lives for: da kine waves.
Sidewayz Glory
by Todd Strasser Craig PhillipsThe cops cracked down on illegal races, and now the only street racing around is at the hottest casino on the strip. The casino owner is starting his own high-stakes, high-payoff drift team -- and there's little he wouldn't do to have Sin City's best drifter. Kennin's under pressure to quit the scene and get his life back on track. But when he's offered five grand to fix his ride -- and the promise of enough cash to take care of his problems -- Kennin knows exactly what he has to do. No matter what the catch.
Slide or Die
by Todd Strasser Craig PhillipsA house at the beach. A bunch of hot strangers. A three-month party that's Off The Hook. Seven randoms cram into a house down the shore, and they've all got agendas. Curt wants a gig. Polly wants a life. Owen's jonesing for someone he can't have. And everyone's geared up for one wicked summer. Surfing all day, partying all night. Here's the real question: If your boyfriend's cheating but you're too busy hooking up, does it really count? And if people aren't who they say they are, does it really matter?
Backyard Brawl: Inside the Blood Feud Between Texas and Texas A & M
by W. K. StrattonIt happens once a year, creating a seismic divide throughout the country. It pits brother against brother. It breaks up business deals. It ruins relationships. And once it's finished, all both sides want is for another year to pass by so they can do it again. It is the Texas/Texas A& M football game. And in the football-obsessed state that is Texas, no single game resonates more. Every year during the Thanksgiving holidays, the two teams meet for something that has become much more than just a game. It's a blood feud that represents a tremendous cultural divide in the state. It's city against country, a rural agricultural school against an urban university. And yet both sides come from the same family, warring cousins who roll up their sleeves once a year in the backyard to settle the question of who's number one--at least for the time being. In Backyard Brawl, W. K. Stratton takes you through this rivalry and its history, covering the years when the game was postponed because the fans were just too violent, the branding of UT's beloved steer, Bevo, by a renegade Aggie, the kidnapping of A&M's beloved Reveille by boisterous UT students, the theft of UT's cannon, Old Smokey, and its unceremonious dumping into the murky waters of Austin's Town Lake, and the fistfights that broke out when celebrating UT fans rushed A&M's nearly sacred Kyle Field after Texas won the last-ever Southwest Conference title on the Aggies' home turf. Stratton also relates the more serious side of the rivalry, particularly the way both schools came together after tradition turned to tragedy in 1999, when the A&M bonfire collapse killed twelve students. And in a touching epilogue, he captures the angst that hit the College Station campus when officials decided to cancel the return of the bonfire in 2002. Stratton drew a bead on the 2001 season and followed both teams through their schedules leading up to the big clash in College Station. Taking you inside a renowned Aggie Yell practice and introducing you to fervid yet often zany orange-blooded Texas fans through their elaborate tailgating rituals, he creates revealing portraits of the two teams, including head coaches R. C. Slocum and Mack Brown, both of whom are legends in their own time, destined for the Hall of Fame. Backyard Brawl is a fascinating examination of the greatest war in college football, destined to become a classic for students of the game.
Boxing Shadows
by W. K. StrattonReaching the top in any sport requires a long, hard climb. But when you start with the baggage of years of family dysfunction and incarceration in a hellish mental hospital, the climb is especially steep. Yet even with such weights to carry, Anissa Zamarron won not one, but two, world championships in women's boxing. Her story, as dramatically intense as the Clint Eastwood film Million Dollar Baby, is one of tremendous courage and determination to overcome the odds against her as a Latina and as a woman working through mental illness and addiction-a fight in which Zamarron has been as powerful and successful as she has been in the boxing ring. In this compelling biography, acclaimed author W. K. "Kip" Stratton collaborates with Zamarron to tell the story of her unlikely rise to the pinnacle of women's boxing. With searing honesty, Zamarron describes how the chaotic breakup of her childhood family caused her to develop "demons" that drove her to aggressive behavior in school, an addiction to self-destructive habits, including cutting, and eventually to a corrupt for-profit mental hospital in which she spent eighteen months tied to a bed. She explains how boxing became her salvation as an adult; she learned how to turn her anger and aggression into motivation to train hard and excel at her sport, not only becoming the first woman to fight as a professional in a sanctioned fight in New York, but also fighting more ten-round fights than any other woman in history. A gripping account of Zamarron's 2005 upset win over Maribel Zurita to claim her second world championship caps the book.
Floyd Patterson: The Fighting Life of Boxing's Invisible Champion
by W. K. Stratton"Stratton offers boxing fans a solidly researched, popularly written study of a complex, good man. A clear winner." —Library Journal (starred) "Stratton’s attention to detail is impressive, and he seems to have uncovered every little tidbit about Patterson's life both in and out of the ring, making this warm biography a must for boxing fanatics. An engaging, breezy portrait of an underappreciated boxing giant." —Kirkus Reviews A "deftly written autobiography...Stratton reminds us of Floyd Patterson's remarkable talent, mortality, and determination."—Publisher's Weekly "An even-handed, surprisingly readable account of one of America’s neglected sports figures."—Booklist "A well-researched and overdue tribute to Floyd Patterson. Like one of Patterson's reliable left hooks, Stratton sharply recounts the life of an important, but often forgotten, two-time world heavyweight champion." —Gary Andrew Poole, author, PacMan: Behind The Scenes With Manny Pacquiao—The Greatest Pound-for-Pound Fighter in the World "Stratton provides some fascinating insight into, surely, the most inscrutable heavyweight champion we've ever had. His book about Floyd Patterson is comprehensive and sensitive, as it seeks to help us understand a man who seemed so temperamentally in contradiction to his profession." —Frank Deford, author of Over Time and Everybody's All-American "Floyd Patterson was one of the more beguiling and hypnotic figures to stride across the stage of twentieth-century boxing. W. K. Stratton tells the story of this proud and mannered man with insight and artful compassion." —Wil Haygood, author of Sweet Thunder: The Life and Times of Sugar Ray Robinson "W. K. Stratton's Floyd Patterson revives the life of a boxer who was larger outside the ring than within it, a boxer who had a heart and humanity (and courage) beyond what his fight record revealed. He overcame obstacles and persevered in a manner that his more ferocious opponents did not." —Gay Talese, author of A Writer's Life and The Silent Season of a Hero "The extant literature on Floyd Patterson had heretofore been the province of often-fawning admirers, but with Floyd Patterson, W. K. Stratton has managed to produce a refreshingly honest and even-handed deconstruction of the owner of the uneasiest head to wear a crown this side of Henry IV." —George Kimball "A knockout biography of the best boxer in 1950s and early 1960s America. From winning an Olympic Gold medal to developing the peek-a-boo stance that influenced Muhammad Ali, Patterson was a monumental influence on the boxing profession during its Cold War era heyday. Highly recommended!" —Douglas Brinkley, bestselling biographer and professor of history at Rice University —
Andrew Strauss: Coming into Play - My Life in Test Cricket
by Andrew StraussOn May 21, 2004, playing against New Zealand, Andrew Strauss wrote his name into the record books when he became only the fourth batsman to score a century at Lord's on his Test debut. He made 112 in the first innings and was only denied a historical second hundred when he was run out on 83 by Nasser Hussain. England went on to beat New Zealand 3-0 before returning to headquarters to welcome the West Indies, Strauss scoring 137 as the hosts laid the foundations for another whitewash. He then raised the bar again when touring the country of his birth, making three centuries in England's first win in South Africa in 40 years. This sensational start to his international career has ensured that he has been celebrated as a world-class opening batsman, and was voted Wisden's Cricketer of the Year 2005. In THE STORY SO FAR, Andrew Strauss looks back on his early cricketing days and astounding first year in Test cricket, and gives the inside story on what it is like to be part of an incredible England side fighting to overtake Australia as the number one cricketing nation. THE STORY SO FAR also includes his personal story of how England beat Australia in the 2005 Ashes Series, in which he played a major part.
Andrew Strauss: Winning the Ashes Down Under
by Andrew StraussIn November 2010, Andrew Strauss faced the ultimate challenge for an England cricket captain: winning the Ashes on Australian soil, a feat that had not been achieved for 24 years. By the end of a series that gripped the nation, he had led his team to an overwhelming victory - inflicting an unprecedented three innings defeats on the old enemy. Winning the Ashes Down Under is the captain's story of a tour that exceeded all expectations. It not only reveals what went on behind the scenes as Andrew Strauss and coach Andy Flower put together their team of winners, but also paints a very personal picture of day-to-day life on tour. It is an inspiring tale of how hostile conditions, injury and intimidating reputations were overcome by leadership, planning, a slice of good fortune - and extraordinary performances from the likes of Alastair Cook and Jonathan Trott with the bat, and James Anderson and Chris Tremlett with the ball. Ranging from reverse swing to the sprinkler dance, from referrals to sledging, from despair at Perth to triumph at Sydney, this is the definitive account of a series that will live long in the memory.
Andrew Strauss: In Pursuit Of The Ashes
by Andrew StraussTESTING TIMES is the 2009 Ashes-winning captain's personal account of a remarkable two-year period in world cricket. When Strauss went out for his second innings in the Napier Test of March 2008, everyone thought -- including the man himself -- he was one false stroke from the end of his England career. With extracts from his diary Strauss gives a unique insight into the torment which many Test cricketers go through. Taking the reader behind the scenes, Strauss describes his momentous experiences, such as Kevin Pietersen's captaincy, the dramatic events of the Stanford Twenty20 series, the shocking terrorist attack in Mumbai, his feat of becoming the first England batsman to hit two centuries in a Test in Asia, his sudden appointment as England captain, and his team being dismissed for 51 in his first Test. Both revealing and forthright, TESTING TIMES captures all the excitement of the 2009 Ashes triumph in which his magnificent batting and calm leadership played such a role: the agonising last day at Cardiff, England's first Ashes victory at Lord's for 75 years, the horrors of Headingley, and finally the joy at the Oval of regaining the Ashes.
Andrew Strauss: An incredible rise of prominence in Test cricket
by Andrew StraussOn May 21, 2004, playing against New Zealand, Andrew Strauss wrote his name into the record books when he became only the fourth batsman to score a century at Lord's on his Test debut. He made 112 in the first innings and was only denied a historical second hundred when he was run out on 83 by Nasser Hussain. England went on to beat New Zealand 3-0 before returning to headquarters to welcome the West Indies, Strauss scoring 137 as the hosts laid the foundations for another whitewash. He then raised the bar again when touring the country of his birth, making three centuries in England's first win in South Africa in 40 years. This sensational start to his international career has ensured that he has been celebrated as a world-class opening batsman, and was voted Wisden's Cricketer of the Year 2005. In THE STORY SO FAR, Andrew Strauss looks back on his early cricketing days and astounding first year in Test cricket, and gives the inside story on what it is like to be part of an incredible England side fighting to overtake Australia as the number one cricketing nation. THE STORY SO FAR also includes his personal story of how England beat Australia in the 2005 Ashes Series, in which he played a major part.