Over two glorious summer months in 2005, England's cricketers secured one of the greatest triumph in the nation's sporting history, by reclaiming the Ashes from Australia after eighteen years. One man, as inspirational team captain, master tactician and world-class batsman was the central figure behind England's victory. That man was Michael Vaughan.

Calling the Shots: The Captain's Story is Vaughan's very personal account of his first three years at the helm of the English side. Since he inherited the captaincy in 2003, Vaughan has been instrumental in transforming England from perennial underachievers into a team capable of taking on - and beating - the best in the world. Under Vaughan's captaincy, England achieved a record-breaking eight successive test match victories during 2004, beating New Zealand 3-0, the West Indies 4-0, and winning the first match of the winter tour to South Africa. Of course, all this was eclipsed by the Ashes series that followed it - a thrilling contest that captured the imagination of millions around the world.

Focusing on the art of leadership, Calling the Shots takes us inside the mind of the Test captain, exposing the highly pressurised world of international cricket like never before. Michael Vaughan shares for the first time his thoughts on tactics, decision-making and man-management, granting the reader unprecedented access to the England dressing room as Vaughan's men achieved their remarkable run of success. With the insider's account of England's victorious 2005 Ashes campaign at its heart, Calling the Shots is the definitive, inspiration story of how English cricket was made great again.