Saturday 25 October 2008

A fit of giggles

This is the famous radio clip when Brian Johnston and Jonathan Agnew got the giggles during a live broadcast in Test Match Special: England vs. West Indies, 5th Test, The Oval, 9th August 1991. It was voted the best ever sports commentary by Radio 5 live listeners (75%)!

Apologies to all you non-cricket lovers out there but it is very funny. Life and the weather seem a bit murky at the moment so I'm always looking for ways to alleviate the gloom. Thinking back to the non-glorious cricket weather which we did not have this Summer I thought of this!

There is a slight fault with the sub-titles it should be "Aggers" (short for Agnew) not "Angus".

The late great Brian Johnston was known as "Jonners" (I saw him give a talk, "An evening with Jonners", at the Richmond Theatre many years ago and I loved every minute of it). Test Match Special is still marvellous but not the same without him and the other very colourful cricket commentator, Henry Blofeld, (Ian Fleming pinched his name for James Bond's arch enemy) is known as "Blowers"...ah! the labyrinthine peculiarities of cricket. Just simply wonderful.

P.S. Hope the clip works OK. I've watched it before on You Tube (from where I downloaded it) and it was working fine. Things keeping going kaput on us like the speakers, my watch, my camera, my diving computer, the shredder (we are on to our fourth!) and much, much more...I need to start writing some letters..."Dear(ly) (beloved) manufacturer, we bought this item several hours/days/weeks/months/years* ago...."

*delete as appropriate

21 comments:

Ladybird World Mother said...

Laughed til tears came! Oh,isn't laughing just the best. Thank you! Will listen to that whenever am a bit down I think...so funny.

kari and kijsa said...

too funny!!

Happy Saturday blessings
kari & kijsa

Lindsay said...

We were watching the cricket on TV when that was broadcast over the radio - as you can imagine it was quickly picked up by the commentators on TV - really really funny.

Tim Atkinson said...

I've just read 'Over to you, Aggers' which describes the background to that incident. It's a good book for the close season, if you can find a copy.

Mickle in NZ said...

Thank you, thank you, was wonderful to hear this again - yes it has even featured over here.

Blowers hasn't been over for a few years, however he used to be a regular most summers. I remember his commetary from the Basin Reserve here in in Wellington - it is the middle of a huge roundabout. Henry was fascinated by our brightly and multicoloured buses!

NZ team currently in Bangladesh, doing apallingly, saved by the rain.

Huggles, Michelle in NZ

Troy said...

I think if you are going to start writing to the manufacturers you will need to learn Chinese rather than Latin.

Hadriana's Treasures said...

Ladybird world mum, K and K, Lindsay...happy that you agree. It's just one of those spontaneous incidents which makes life worth living I think!

I will look out for the book, The Dotterel, thank you for that. Nice to get more background!

Welcome Mickle in NZ to my blog...I feel a bit ashamed that I have neglected cricket of late. I try to listen to it when I can (we have not yet invested in Sky Sports) and although I love the radio commentary I like to have the pictures to go with it (at least some of the time). Hopefully we'll be able to rectify that before too long. Hubbie likes the rugby and cricket thankfully!

I fear that you are right Troy although we've found that the manufacturers these days just send a replacement item. It's worked so far for the toaster, the kettle and a small hi-fi. My fingers are crossed!

ADDY said...

And so terribly English too. I'd not heard this before, but it was lovely.

Lakeland Jo said...

I have plugged your blog on my blog so folk can check out the link. My mum will love the Jonny Wilkinson link

Gill - That British Woman said...

http://www.sitemeter.com/

that's the link for the site....it has to be idiot proof, as I was able to install it. I am not paying for anything, so just have the basic one, and it is a wealth of information.

Gill

Yorkshire Pudding said...

Is it possible that Aggers and Jonners were in a gay partnership? Hence, "Stop it Aggers!" There are clearly some advantages in "invisible" radio broadcasting but they may not be "cricket"!

Expat mum said...

Oh brilliant. It's first thing Monday morning here - great start to the week!

Hadriana's Treasures said...

Hi Rosiero, Yes...very English without a doubt! Thank you Lakeland Jo for the link and to Gill, for the information. I'm sure I will master it somehow! YP: I suppose cricket and public schools somehow go together!!! Expatmum, yes, it does warm the cockles of...er...the grim depths of a Monday morning...

Dumdad said...

I do miss my cricket living over here. In the early days of Paris living I used to zip over on Eurostar at least once a year to watch cricket live - at Lord's or in Canterbury to see my team Kent. But babies and stuff curtailed these activities for a while although every time I'm in the UK in the summer I stop at club cricket matches to watch this marvellous game.

Hadriana's Treasures said...

I got bitten my the bug, Dumdad, when I watched Botham & Co. in the Ashes 1981. I was completely captivated. So much so that I wanted to be a cricket commentator. It would have been nice to share a moment like that with Jonners!

Arthur Clewley said...

I think now you have to bake a cake for all the commenters in this box in traditional TMS style my dear - and just a warning, I like mine fruity...

Sandi McBride said...

Dammmmm...I couldn't get it to play and haven't seen a Cricket match in years...I'll try it again and see if it plays...but Im doubtful
Sandi

CeeDee said...

Hadriana,
Thank you, thank you, thank you! Cricket's the best ... TMS is the best ... I've been away toooo long!
x

Hadriana's Treasures said...

Salve Arthur...I'll have to keep practising with the fruit cakes...all the fruit keeps sinking to the bottom! (Sigh.) Sandi..hope it worked in the end! Cee...can't help but agree!

Tim Atkinson said...

You've been tagged, by the way!

Hadriana's Treasures said...

Hello The Dotterel...we've had a very busy half term but once life resumes its normal course I shall be on to it...