The Wicked Cricket Column

‘Grizzly - My Life and Times in Cricket’ - A Book Review
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The Chris Adams book is as good as I’d hoped. There are few disappointments. Well written by Bruce Talbot, its flow though is affected by a number of chapters on his International career which jar when compared with Adams great success as a county cricketer. Where one realises early on that as a player he was a county batsman through and through admitting that the leap up to the international arena was a huge step and one he had difficulty embracing.

A major disappointment for the Sussex supporter is that out of 18 chapters only 4 are primarily devoted to his time at the club for there is great fact made by Adams, and quite rightly, that although he gained most of his success by the sea, his career has been far more encompassing.

We learn that Adams was bullied at school as a youngster; his parents divorced when he was 7 years-old; he could have chosen a career as a footballer but cricket was his passion; and when he joined Derbyshire as a 17 year-old professional, he was paid the princely annual sum of £3k.

The Adams legend is partly about money when joining Sussex and the media tosh is firmly squashed when Chris verifies that far from being paid £150k after his £37k at Derbyshire, Sussex offered him a three year contract worth £75k a year along with a car and free house rental income for a year. Should we blame ‘The Evening Argus’ for such preposterous exaggeration?

Vehemently against signing Mushy



These tit-bits of tabloid titillation are very enjoyable. Below are a few further examples.

: Adams mentions the £50k ‘bung’ that Mark Arthur, then CEO of Notts, offered in cheque form, when trying to persuade him to join Trent Bridge over Hove.

: John Snow who sat on the ‘Sussex Committee’ back in 2003 was vehemently against Mushy joining the club but it was John Barclay with his eccentric poetic wiles that persuaded the majority to say “Yes”. The £50k salary being a major sticking point.

: Adams makes much play of his stormy relationship with Shane Warne where two strong wills battled it out on the playing field and in the media. Did you know that Warne nicknamed Matt Prior ‘Watermelons’ due to his confident stride to the pitch? The ‘Big Cheese’ came later.

: Adams fondness for Peter Moores which led to a glowing forward in the book describing Chris as “fiercely ambitious”. Moores then passes on a wise piece of advice to young coaches. “You watch a lot to say a little.”

A great fondness for Peter Moores



Critics argue Adams as a Captain was too emotional, strong-headed, spoke before his brain engaged and was in regular conflict with the committee mentality. His supporters would say Adams is a passionate man, who holds strong beliefs, and knows the right way, citing instinct as his ally.

For, what comes over throughout the book is that Adams has never fitted in to the governing county cricket mindset. He believes he is misunderstood but the juxtaposition of the book is this. While he was a county cricketer and not an international one, as a coach he fits more comfortably into the international arena.

Adams is a winner - always has been - always will be - whereas county cricket can be more about the cosy environment and melding to the Committee way. Simply put, Adams doesn't fit and could be viewed as an outsider. After failing to gain a staff position at Sussex when retiring in 2008 he says: “I felt that some of the Sussex committee wanted to make a clean break from the Adams era… where would this strong character who had been a powerful figure at the club for more than a decade, fit into the future? I was very disappointed when I realised there was nothing for me.”

Lester was instrumental in signing Chris Adams



Perhaps, a poignant comment given the recent supporter upsets at Sussex’s relegation aimed at both the club coaching staff and committee. Adams good friend and confederate
at Sussex during the noughties was the then Chairman David Green. When Green suffered a series of heart-attacks and forced to step down in the summer of 2008, the club door was seemingly shut from then on.

Meantime, there is a fascinating passage about his decision to join Yorkshire and then the reasons for his sudden backdown. While, after joining Surrey as their coach - what some describe as a poisoned chalice - even though in 2011 he won the club their first trophy since 2003 and gained them promotion that same year - he recounts the day news came through of Tom Maynard’s death and before that his bid to take RHB away from Sussex.

A hugely enjoyable read my bias towards Adams remains.

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The book can be bought via Amazon, 'all good bookshops' or direct from the publisher ‘Pitch Publishing’
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