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Thanks, Johnners - Jonathan Agnew

Wednesday 18 August 2010

Jonathan Agnew, known to his legions of Test Match Special fans as 'Aggers', has at long last written a personal tribute to his late colleague Brian Johnston, universally known as 'Johnners'.

The on-air incident in which Agnew's comment on Ian Botham's attempt to avoid stepping on his stumps - "He just couldn't quite get his leg over" - provoked prolonged fits of giggles from Johnston, and was voted in a BBC poll as "the greatest piece of commentary ever". It is said that traffic on British motorways came to a complete standstill as commuters were forced to stop their cars due to fits of laughter while listening to it on Radio 4.

This book is an affectionate account of a four-year friendship, including copious anecdotes from their time together in the commentary box and during their travels overseas.

Jonathan Agnew talks to Jim White about the book, commentating, the game itself and the Ashes below.

"Brian Johnston was a tremendous influence on my early years at Test Match Special. His wit, warmth, and great sense of fun was not only a feature of his cricket commentary, but also of the way he lived his life. Our friendship has been immortalised through the 'leg over' incident, but there was a much deeper bond between us than merely that hilarious broadcasting classic, and I am thrilled to share this with cricket lovers everywhere." Jonathan Agnew

AUTHOR DETAILS

Jonathan Agnew is one of the most recognised voices in broadcasting and this year celebrates twenty years of presenting Test Match Special and was named radio broadcaster of the year at the 2009 British Sports Journalism Awards. He played first-class cricket for Leicestershire between 1978 and 1990, playing three Tests and three One-Day Internationals for England.

PUBLICATION DETAILS

The book will be published by Blue Door in October