Supercat: Awesomely powerful
Wed, Feb 6, '08
book review by LAWRENCE ROMEOAs beautifully constructed yet still awesomely powerful as its main subject's sublime batting.
"Supercat," the authorized biography of Clive Lloyd written by Simon Lister, traces the former West Indian captain's cricket career from its humble beginnings when he was a skinny lad growing up in Georgetown, Guyana to his career as a respected match referee and revered elder statesman of the game.
Lister writes with a style that is thoroughly enjoyable and refreshing, and even though I, a Queenstown boy myself, who counted Clive Lloyd as one of my early heroes, and followed his career closely it was still a refreshing read, filled with glorious detail and yet as exciting and page turning as any of Stephen King's finest efforts.
I have read many cricket biographies and this has to rank up there as among the finest. My only complaint being that it was not long enough, checking in at only 224 pages, inclusive of the index.
The author moves the story along by alternating between direct quotes and anecdotes from Lloyd himself, and draws on interviews from many cricketing greats who were Lloyd's contemporaries, teammates and friends.
Lister does not fail the reader in describing the difficulties of Lloyd's career. From his back injury that almost short-circuited a nascent career, to the machinations of Lloyd's President, the controversial Forbes Burnham to bring Lloyd back into the fold when he had all but given up on playing for the West Indies; it is covered in detail.
Lister also provides great insight into Lloyd's views on slavery and race and the role that played in him building one of the most dominant teams in any sporting pursuit out of a scattered population of about 5 million who at the best of times were split by insularity.
Not just for fans of West Indies cricket, but all cricket fans and cricket curious alike, Supercat offers much to the reader. It should be part of any cricket fan's book collection.
* ISBN 978 0 9544886 7 3