Better Than He Knew: The Graham Barlow Story
Martin Chandler |Published: 2022
Pages: 256
Author: Hawkins, James
Publisher: Pitch
Rating: 4 stars
Until fairly recently Graham Barlow was not a man whose life I expected to read about it any detail, nor did I have any particular desire to do so. I remembered him of course, in his capacity as a member of the very successful Middlesex team that Mike Brearley put together in the 1970s, and one of the tiny handful of men who were every bit as good in the field as Derek Randall, but that was about it.
And then, last year, I heard Barlow on Graham Barratt’s splendid podcast, Once Upon a Time in the Ashes. I have only ever felt sufficiently motivated to contact a podcaster once and it was after that one, to enquire as to whether Graham was aware of any likelihood of a book appearing from Barlow, who by then I knew was retired and living in Queensland. It was a source of great relief to receive Graham’s reply to the effect that there was, and here it is.
Which of course begs the question as to why the life story of a man who played just six times for England (three Tests and three ODIs squeezed into 300 days in 1976 and 1977) is so interesting. That is not a terribly easy one to answer, as there are no great controversies or dramas in the Barlow back story. But he has led an eventful life and is clearly an educated and entertaining man who is genuinely pleasant and personable.
And that is where James Hawkins, a first time writer comes in. Way back in 1981 a young Hawkins had pitched up with a mate at Northampton to watch the second day of a Championship match with Middlesex when Barlow, not out overnight, offered the pair the opportunity to give him some batting practice before play began. It is no surprise that a lifelong interest in Barlow followed.
The story itself is not that unusual. Barlow came from humble beginnings but, with a talent, attracted attention from Middlesex. He missed the early 1970s in order to complete a degree course at Loughborough before coming back and having that dalliance with England, as short as it was largely being down to nerves.
A decade on in 1985 Barlow’s form was such that the England selectors might have given him another chance, but he was 35 by then and just a year later injury ended his career. After that Barlow left for South Africa, followed by New Zealand and, finally, Australia. His post playing career was primarily coaching and teaching, but there were other ventures as well as four marriages, so his story is never a dull one.
The book has clearly been written by Hawkins but Barlow himself contributes a great deal and whilst the book had all the potential to be something of a hagiography that is a trap that Hawkins does not fall into. Barlow is clearly not a man with an agenda of his own to push, and even if he were Hawkins’ research has brought him into contact with so many of Barlow’s contemporaries that he was always going to get a fully rounded picture of his subject. Contemporary accounts of the matches in which Barlow played have also been read as well, all this ensuring that no rose tinted spectacles were worn during the writing of this book.
As to how the book is set out that is essentially via the the tried and trusted method of a chronological journey through Barlow’s life and careers and for him that approach works perfectly well. Nicely designed and presented by publishers Pitch and with a decent index, full statistical appendix and a good selection of illustrations Better Than He Knew: The Graham Barlow Story ticks all of Cricketweb’s boxes for an excellent cricketing biography. This one is certainly recommended.
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