Steve James (cricketer)
English cricketer, rugby union player & journalist
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Stephen Peter James (born 7 September 1967) is an English journalist and former cricketer.
Lydney, Gloucestershire, England, UK
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Stephen Peter James | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 7 September 1967 Lydney, Gloucestershire, England, UK | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Right-handed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling | Right-arm medium | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National side | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Test debut | 18 June 1998 v South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Test | 27 August 1998 v Sri Lanka | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Domestic team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1985–2003 | Glamorgan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1989–1990 | Cambridge University | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1993–1995 | Mashonaland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: Cricinfo, 11 July 2020 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Cricket career
James played for Glamorgan County Cricket Club for 17 seasons, captaining them for final three, before injury forced his retirement in 2004 at the age of 36.[1]
He played a total of 245 first-class matches, making 15,890 runs, including 47 centuries, at a batting average of 40.63. His highest score of 309 not out against Sussex in 2000 set a record highest score for a Glamorgan player. This record stood until 2022 when Sam Northeast scored 410 not out against Leicestershire.[2]
He scored more than 1,000 runs in a season nine times, with his two most prolific seasons coming in consecutive years: 1,766 runs in 1996, followed up with 1,775 runs in 1997. He was subsequently selected for the England A team tour of East Africa and Sri Lanka that winter. He graduated to Test level the following season, playing two Test matches for England,[3] making 71 runs in four innings.
As captain, he guided Glamorgan to first place in Division 2 of the 2001 Norwich Union League, and led them to the Division One crown the following summer.
James also played two seasons of domestic cricket in Zimbabwe for Mashonaland in 1993/94 and 1994/95.
Rugby career
James was also a successful rugby player with Lydney R.F.C. mainly at the full back position. In a career spanning the 1985/86 to 1995/96 seasons he scored 140 points, including 31 tries, in 81 games.[4]
Writing career
Since retirement, he has made a career as a journalist, initially covering cricket and rugby for The Sunday Telegraph and occasionally writing for The Daily Telegraph.[5] He was removed by the paper just before Christmas 2016,[6] and now writes for The Times.
Personal life
Publications
Books
- James, Steve (2004). Third Man to Fatty's Leg: An Autobiography. First Stone Publishing. ISBN 978-1904439158.
- James, Steve (2012). The Plan: How Fletcher and Flower Transformed English Cricket. London: Bantam Press. ISBN 978-0593068335.
- James, Steve (2015). The Art of Centuries. London: Bantam Press. ISBN 978-0593072929.
- Hoult, Nick & James, Steve (2020). Morgan's Men: The Inside Story of England's Rise from Cricket World Cup Humiliation to Glory. London: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 978-1911630937.
