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, notably from Johnners, and was voted in a BBC poll as "the greatest piece of sporting commentary ever" by 75% of those who responded. 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 Four. 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 comments: "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 in the way he lived his life. Our friendship has been immortalized 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 have the opportunity to share this with cricket lovers everywhere." Aggers on Johnners is the holy grail of cricket books, a must-have for anyone who loves the noble game.

Thanks, Johnners: An Affectionate Tribute to a Broadcasting Legend

Agnew, Jonathan

Biographies & Memoirs

Harpercollins Pub, Ltd.

Perfect for cricket fans everywhere, Thanks Johnners is a warm and witty tribute to Brian Johnston and his time at the helm of Test Match Special.The Test Match Special on-air incident, in which Jonathan Agnew's comment on Ian Botham's attempt to avoid stepping on his stumps – "He just couldn't quite get his leg over" provoking prolonged fits of giggles, most notably from Brian Johnston, has been voted the greatest piece of sporting commentary ever. The friendship between "Aggers" and "Johnners" became immortalised through that broadcasting classic, but there was a far deeper bond between the two men, as this fascinating book reveals.Jonathan Agnew had grown up to the sound of Johnston, Arlott, and a young Martin-Jenkins et al on TMS as he followed his father around on the family farm, ear glued to the transistor radio, but the two men met formally only when Agnew joined the BBC team at Headingley in 1991.Thus began a great working partnership which, fuelled by a mutual passion for the noble game, bridged the generation gap and ended only with Johnston's sudden death in 1994. As this book demonstrates so convincingly, Johnners's wit, warmth and sense of fun was a feature not only of his cricket commentaries, but also in the way he lived his life. His influence on "Aggers" is clearly recognisable in the same amiable and informal manner in which his successor presents Test Match Special today.Thanks, Johnners is a rich blend of biography and anecdote, of antics and dramas on and off the pitch, in and out of the commentary box, its pages filled with stories about the great names of cricket including Fred Trueman, Geoffrey Boycott, Vivian Richards, Michael Holding and Ian Botham. Just as TMS is the sound of summer, so Thanks, Johnners is the fresh breeze rippling the long grass of remembered pleasures.

Sports & Outdoors

Biographies

Harpercollins

An inside account of England's Ashes triumph in Australia 2010/11. England's much celebrated Ashes win by two clear matches with three comprehensive innings victories must rank as one of the finest of any English cricket team from any era. It kept people at home glued to their televisions, computers and radios -- often all three at the same time -- long into the night as the bitter winter and a depressed economy were forced into the background by the sheer joy and exhilaration of giving the old enemy a trouncing. It had been twenty-two years since a touring side won three Tests in Australia and twenty-four since the Ashes were last won on Australian soil. The current England team bears worthy comparison with some of the legendary teams of the past, captained by greats like Brearley, Hutton and Jardine. Andrew Strauss with back-to-back Ashes wins can now sit amongst that illustrious company. From the first ball of the tour in Perth to a closing rendition of the infamous 'Sprinkler Dance' on the outfield in Sydney some two months later -- a clip that received some 250,000 hits in just three days -- one person was there throughout, BBC Cricket Correspondent Jonathan Agnew, better known to his legion of Test Match Special fans as 'Aggers'. Following the success of his last book Thanks, Johnners, Agnew has written a highly personal diary of his experiences in Australia. Whether he is sharing late night conversations in the bar with England coach Andy Flower, exchanging banter with new TMS recruit Michael Vaughan or keeping cricket junkies around the world sated with his daily Twitter feed, Aggers brings his unique sense of theatre and excitement to every day's proceedings. With additional contributions from the best BBC cricket bloggers and the resident TMS statistician, Aggers Ashes is the only companion you will need to relive those glorious days when history was made Down Under.

Aggers’ Ashes

As the BBC's cricket correspondent, Joanathan Agnew presents an upfront account of England's tests at home and abroad since 1991, and of his own metamorphosis from player to fully-fledged member of the "rat pack." He offers strong, sometimes surprising views on England's fluctuating fortunes during this period, and sheds light on some of the controversial issues of the day, such as ball-tampering and intimidatory bowling, and provides off-field anecdotes.

Over to You, Aggers

Gollancz

This volume gives full first-class results of the previous cricket season and is known for its detailed record of events, outspoken comments, illustrations and comprehensive statistics. It features reports from professional cricketers from around the world, covering England's test series victory over the West Indies, through every international series and up to the end of England's domestic cricket season in 2001. Also included are fact files on all the County Cricket Clubs.

Benson and Hedges Cricket Year 2001

Other Team Sports

Bloomsbury Pub Ltd

As the BBC's cricket correspondent, Joanathan Agnew presents an upfront account of England's tests at home and abroad since 1991, and of his own metamorphosis from player to fully-fledged member of the "rat pack." He offers strong, sometimes surprising views on England's fluctuating fortunes during this period, and sheds light on some of the controversial issues of the day, such as ball-tampering and intimidatory bowling, and provides off-field anecdotes.

Over to You, Aggers: Life as a BBC Cricket Correspondent

Orion Publishing

The world of cricket has seen many ups and downs since Jonathan Agnew's autobiography was first published back in 1997. This substantially updated edition of the book features Agnew on the Cronje bribery scandal; the loss of the BBC televised coverage to Channel 4; England's failures at the 1999 World Cup, in South Africa and against the Australians in 2001; and their successes against the West Indies and Pakistan (it includes the inside story on every tour and home series since the summer of '97) -- all written in Agnew's characteristic upfront, revealing and colourful style.

Over to You Aggers

Orion Pub Co

Eight days a week: Diary of a professional cricketer : the inside story of the 1988 season

INTERPET PUBLISHING

Thanks Johnners

Windsor

Which bowlers did Vaughan lose sleep over? Who played the best pranks on his fellow team-mates? Which member of the TMS team terrorised his teachers in the annual staff-pupil game? And what really happened the night after the 2005 Ashes...? Between them, Jonathan Agnew, Phil Tufnell and Michael Vaughan have probably watched more cricket than anyone alive, and they have many stories to tell, both as players and as commentators for Test Match Special. From their days as schoolboy cricketers, learning the ropes, to the shenanigans of the county circuit, and now their careers as commentators, the trio have seen it all. Joined by colleagues from TMS such as Isa Guha, Ebony Rainford Brent, Alison Mitchell, Carlos Brathwaite and Aatif Nawaz, Aggers, Tuffers and Vaughan share the highlights, mishaps and moments of brilliance and emotion that they have witnessed and experienced on pitches around the world.

Test Match Special: Tall Tales – Our favourite stories from the commentary box (and more)

Humor & Entertainment

Radio

BBC Books

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Agnew, Jonathan. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Agnew, Jonathan

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Agnew, Jonathan. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Thanks, Johnners: An Affectionate Tribute to a Broadcasting Legend

Thanks, Johnners: An Affectionate Tribute to a Broadcasting Legend

Aggers’ Ashes

Over to You, Aggers

Benson and Hedges Cricket Year 2001

Over to You, Aggers: Life as a BBC Cricket Correspondent

Over to You Aggers

Eight days a week: Diary of a professional cricketer : the inside story of the 1988 season

Thanks Johnners

Test Match Special: Tall Tales – Our favourite stories from the commentary box (and more)