Agnew remembers Johnston
At a time when cricket commentary has degenerated into loud and cliched utterances set to the monotonous frenzy of Twenty20 cricket, Jonathan Agnew of Test Match Special looks back at the magical era of his predecessor as BBC's cricket
Nitin Sundar
25-Feb-2013
At a time when cricket commentary has degenerated into loud and cliched utterances set to the monotonous frenzy of Twenty20 cricket, Jonathan Agnew of Test Match Special looks back at the magical era of his predecessor as BBC's cricket correspondent - Brian Johnston. Andrew Pettie of the Telegraph catches up with Agnew, whose tribute to Johnston - Thanks, Johnners - is now for sale.
Johnston was describing a curious dismissal in which Ian Botham’s inner thigh had brushed his stumps, dislodging a bail. ‘He just didn’t quite get his leg over,’ chipped in Agnew mischievously. Cue Johnston, a lover of schoolboy innuendo to rival Frankie Howerd, erupting in a Krakatoa of snorts, whimpers, sneezes and, finally, uncontrollable laughter. Listeners were similarly afflicted; motorists had to pull on to the hard shoulder to wipe away the tears.
The ‘Leg Over’ has since become a commentary classic. But, at the time, Johnston was aghast. ‘He thought he’d been unprofessional,’ says Agnew. ‘It was only the next day when we listened to it that we realised it was very funny.’
Nitin Sundar is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo