From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jonathan Agnew England (Eng)
Batting style	Right-handed batsman (RHB)
Bowling type	Right arm fast bowler
	Tests	ODIs
Matches	3	3
Runs scored	10	2
Batting average	10.00	N/A
100s/50s	0/0	0/0
Top score	5	2*
Overs bowled	92	21
Wickets	4	3
Bowling average	93.25	40.00
5 wickets in innings	0	0
10 wickets in match	0	n/a
Best bowling	2/51	3/38
Catches/stumpings	0/0	1c
As of 29 April 2005 Source: Cricinfo.com

Jonathan Philip Agnew (nicknamed "Aggers") is an English cricket broadcaster and former professional cricketer. He was born in Macclesfield, Cheshire on April 4, 1960 and educated at Uppingham School. Agnew had a successful first-class career as a fast bowler for Leicestershire taking 666 wickets at an average of 29.25 , and winning three Test caps for England.

Contents 1 Playing career 2 Broadcasting career 2.1 The Johnners incident 3 Teams 3.1 International 3.2 English county 4 Career bests 4.1 Tests 4.2 One-day internationals 4.3 First-class 4.4 List A Limited Overs 5 External links

Capable of bowling quickly in suitable conditions, Agnew made his first-class debut for Leicestershire in 1978 after impressing in local club cricket. He took 101 wickets in the 1987 season for his county. His best first-class bowling figures were 9 for 70 and six times he took ten wickets in a match from 218 matches.

He was selected as one of five Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1988 as reward for a fine season for Leicestershire, although by this stage his England career had ended after disappointing in the three Test matches and three one-day internationals he'd played in the mid 1980s. His last Test was only 12 months after his first and his last one-day international was only one month after his first. He can perhaps be considered somewhat unlucky to make his debut during the summer of 1984 where the England cricket team was probably at one of its lowest ebbs - having just been "blackwashed" 5-0 by the West Indies.

With his height and pace, he had the attributes of a fine fast bowler, but his book 8 days a week (1988) was testament to the huge workload faced by county fast bowlers during the 1980s. It's almost certainly the workload placed on him by county cricket that limited his international appearances and ended his career very early - he retired at the age of 30.

Agnew began to gain experience as a journalist while still playing cricket, taking off season employment with BBC Radio Leicester as a sports producer. After retiring at a relatively young age at the end of the 1990 season, he had a stint as cricket correspondent of Today, a short-lived national newspaper, before being appointed the BBC's cricket correspondent in 1991, though in 1992 he answered an emergency call to an injury-strapped Leicestershire and played in the Natwest Trophy semi-final, taking a creditable 1-31 off 12 overs.

As a commentator Agnew is regarded as a cheerful and easy-going character (although even he gets testy when asked to broadcast from an underground carpark [1]), and he has continued to work for the BBC on Test Match Special (where he is known as "Aggers") and other programmes ever since. He remains a respected figure in the field of cricket commentary despite a very short international career.

One commentary that he performed with Brian Johnston for an England vs West Indies Test Match in August 1991 was voted on the BBC Radio 5 Live to be the "greatest commentary ever" [2]. He was commentating on Ian Botham reeling after receiving a ball and trying, but failing, to step over the stumps. Botham was consequently given out hit wicket. Agnew's comment on this action was: "He just couldn't quite get his leg over." This was followed by laughter by both Johnston and Agnew as they realised what Agnew had just said, with Johnston imploring "oh do stop it, Aggers" between convulsions of mirth (listen to mp3). In England, to "get one's leg over" is a euphemism for sexual intercourse, something Botham had quite a reputation for [3].

Another on-air giggling fit was provoked by Eleanor Oldroyd's comment "One good bit of news for England is that Ian Botham's groin is back to full strength" [4]

• England

• Leicestershire

Test debut: vs West Indies, The Oval, 1984
Last Test: vs Australia, Manchester, 1985

• Agnew's best Test batting score of 5 was made against West Indies, The Oval, 1984
• His best Test bowling figures of 2 for 51 came against West Indies, The Oval, 1984

ODI debut: vs India, Nagpur, 1984-1985
Last ODI: vs Australia, Melbourne, 1984-85

• Agnew's best ODI batting score of 2 not out was made against Australia, Melbourne, 1984-1985
• His best ODI bowling figures of 3 for 38 came against India, Nagpur, 1984-85

• Agnew's best first-class batting score was 90
• His best first-class bowling figures were 9 for 70

• Agnew's best List A batting score was 26
• His best List A bowling figures were 5 for 30

• Test Match Special official site
• Cricinfo player profile of Jonathan Agnew
• HowSTAT! statistical profile on Jonathan Agnew
• Jonathan Agnew at Internet Movie Database

Persondata
NAME	Agnew, Jonathan Philip
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Aggers
SHORT DESCRIPTION	Cricketer
DATE OF BIRTH	1960
PLACE OF BIRTH	Macclesfield, England
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH