Duckers & Diving: Stumped by Famous Commentary

A LOVER of sporting chance, Duckers this week delves into that great British tradition that is Test Match Special, particularly the (in)famous ‘leg over’ commentary.

A desperate – and I suspect in vain – plea from Test Match Special’s Jonathan Agnew this week to all cricket lovers not to keep voting the ‘leg over’ incident the best ever piece of sporting commentary.

Especially as he nicked the line from Sun correspondent John Etheridge.

You may remember that the whole thing had his co-commentator, the late Brian Johnston in hysterics, and Agnew played the excerpt to the audience at the latest Karl Ward Sporting Lunch in Birmingham’s Opus restaurant.

It remains as funny as ever.

In a review of the day, Johnston was describing how Ian Botham – a man with a certain reputation with the ladies – while batting, had overbalanced and tried, but failed, to step over his stumps.

Botham was consequently given out hit wicket and Agnew’s comment on this action was: “He just didn’t quite get his leg over.”

The comment led to Johnston, a lover of schoolboy innuendo, erupting in a Krakatoa of snorts, whimpers, sneezes and, finally, uncontrollable laughter.

Johnston tried to continue his summary, despite being almost unable to speak, tears rolling down his face. He did manage to say “Aggers, for goodness’ sake, do stop it” between convulsions of mirth. The incident was heard by thousands of commuters driving home from work, many of whom were forced to pull over because they too were laughing so much.

But Aggers revealed to the Opus audience that he wasn’t even commentating at the time of Botham’s dismissal – during a 1991 Oval Test against the West Indies.

Instead he was walking round the ground where he bumped into Etheridge – who declared that the next day’s headline had already written itself – ‘Botham cocks up by not getting his leg over’.

Agnew recalled: “I stole the line from John.”

Fourteen years later, in 2005, it was voted “the greatest sporting commentary of all time” by listeners to BBC Radio 5 Live beating the likes of Kenneth Wolstenholme’s “They think it’s all over – it is now!” and Ian Robertson’s “This is the one. He drops for World Cup glory … It’s up! It’s over! He’s done it! Jonny Wilkinson is England’s hero yet again”.

Both of which Agnew insisted were far better. “Please don’t vote for me next time,” he implored.

Indeed Johnston was apparently mortified the following day believing the whole thing to be unprofessional though eventually coming round to the view that it was actually something of a classic by the sheer weight of viewer response and the incredible demand for bootleg tapes being knocked out by commercially astute BBC engineers.

And the lunch was topped off by very amusing second speaker, former Lancashire and England batsman, Graeme “Foxy” Fowler.

I thought he looked quite smart but apparently he arrived in Birmingham so scruffy that they had to kit him out in suit, shirt and tie.

A total of £60 from Asda supposedly.

One wonders at the quality of the suit!

Next up after the summer hols is Nobby Stiles – details to come.