Book of the Week

Fire in Babylon: How the West Indies Cricket Team Brought a People to its Feet by Simon Lister
Recommended by Rahul de Silva

The West Indian cricket side of the late 1970s and 1980s is arguably the greatest cricket team of all time, but how did this come to be? What was the background behind the side and what was the social impact of the team?

Simon Lister’s Fire in Babylon explores these facets and explains how Clive Lloyd managed to unite the West Indies team. Lister is widely regarded as an authoritative journalist, and his awe of Lloyd and his team is apparent throughout. The book is rich in fact, with first-hand accounts by the main protagonists.

Readers are shown the truly humble origins of the team’s members, as well as the team spirit, inspiration and cohesiveness instilled by Lloyd, which played as great a role in their success as the team’s individual abilities.

The social status of black people, particularly in some of the countries that the West Indies toured, meant that they encountered discrimination. When the West Indies were abroad in these countries, and beating the home sides, a message of equality was sent out, making crowds take notice and allowing those of Afro-Caribbean origin, living in places like England, to gain greater self-esteem.

From a social perspective, the struggle for equality plays a big role in the book. Through cricket, equality in pay between black and white men was shown, especially in Kerry Packer’s World Series where players were paid based on their ability. So, while the book is obviously interesting for fans of cricket, it has a much wider appeal if you are interested in social issues too.