Ten years ago I was listening to the radio and I was sure I heard the lines, “Latchmere’s got a wave machine”. I wasn’t wrong. Recently I realised the band that sung it were none other than The Maccabees, their name derived from a pointed finger in The Good Book, all very Pink Floyd.

I came fairly late to ‘Tailenders’ but have been making up for lost time since and even made the Pilgrimage to Hammersmith around this time last year to see Isa bowl on stage etc. It was whilst in Warsaw that I first started listening to the Podcast. I just loved the little guitar “chirps” from the get-go.

From growing up in Wandsworth and going to school at Alleyns, there was a lot in this book that I could relate to. Even the University “experience” in Brighton with the recording studio I could well imagine. But head and shoulders above the rest, I empathised whole-heartedly with just being a Cricket Fan. It’s the place in the Heart. It is an unconditional love.

References to Elephant and Castle, Walworth Road, Echo and The Bunnymen, The Clash, Oasis. It’s all there. The devastating loss of his mother at the age of Seventeen; his Dad coming to see him ‘gig’ when he is backing Dylan in Spain; dating Florence from Florence and The Machine; all episodes told with flair.

There are several interviews related with his inimitable charming style, including : Athers ; Nass ; Adam Holliake ; Alec Stewart ; Ashley Giles ; Andy Flower ; Kumar Sangakkara ; Jos Buttler. Of course it culminates with the 2019 World Cup win, well you would wouldn’t you. It’s a beautifully written book. Paced to perfection. Encore!