Stephen Fleming - Balance of Power

By Richard Boock
(Hodder Moa Beckett, 2004)
Review by Kit

Stephen Fleming - Balance of Power is Stephen Fleming's official biography, authored by New Zealand Herald cricket writer Richard Boock.

Rather than providing a straight chronological narrative, this book takes a thematic look at Fleming's cricketing career to date, with chapters on technique, captaincy and coaches, amongst others. The book deals explicitly with some of the controversial points of Fleming's career, including marijuana, match-fixing and the Players Association conflict of 2002. Also included are the usual statistics, and Fleming's selections for a New Zealand v Rest of the World contest.

Writing in close consultation with Fleming and those close to him, Boock is able to offer a degree of personal insight often lacking in sports biographies. Fleming's mother Pauline and partner Kelly feature prominently in the first chapters of the book, while other chapters consider some of the friends, coaches and fellow players Fleming has known over the years.

Boock's text is supplemented by numerous quotations from Fleming, and plenty of full-colour photographs spanning Fleming's childhood and personal life to his greatest moments on the cricket field.