One Hell of a Life

WISDEN BOOK OF THE YEAR FOR 2024Brian Close was one of the most remarkable characters of post-war English cricket. Known for his great bravery against fast bowling and for his fearless close fielding, he led both Yorkshire and England with great success, yet in controversial circumstances he was sacked both times from the captaincy. In 'One Hell of a Life', Stephen Chalke draws on conversations over the past 25 years, both with Brian Close himself and with team-mates, opponents and family, many of them, like Close, no longer living. The result is a fascinating portrait of an unusual man, one who might have reached greater heights if he had adopted more of a safety-first approach to life - but then he would not have been Brian Close: daring, defiant and at times daft. An outstanding leader, he lived his life as he drove his cars: fast and reckless, with many a prang along the way. The story of Brian Close is a tale like no other in cricket, rich with humour but at times hauntingly sad. His loss of the England captaincy is set in the context of the social attitudes of the time, with cricket still run by an amateur class distrustful of a single-minded Yorkshireman who played always to win.