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Full name Jonathan Philip Agnew
Born April 4, 1960, Macclesfield, Cheshire
Current age 48 years 154 days
Major teams England,Leicestershire
Nickname Spiro, Agers
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling style Right-arm fast
Other Commentator
Height
6 ft 4 in
Education Uppingham School
Batting and fielding averages
Mat
Inns
NO
Runs
HS
Ave
BF
SR
100
50
4s
6s
Ct
St
Tests
3
4
3
10
5
10.00
28
35.71
0
0
0
0
0
0
ODIs
3
1
1
2
2*
-
3
66.66
0
0
0
0
1
0
First-class
218
232
49
2108
90
11.51
0
2
39
0
List A
147
61
25
335
26
9.30
0
0
19
0
Bowling averages
Mat
Inns
Balls
Runs
Wkts
BBI
BBM
Ave
Econ
SR
4w
5w
10
Tests
3
6
552
373
4
2/51
2/97
93.25
4.05
138.0
0
0
0
ODIs
3
3
126
120
3
3/38
3/38
40.00
5.71
42.0
0
0
0
First-class
218
35388
19485
666
9/70
29.25
3.30
53.1
37
6
List A
147
6813
4624
158
5/30
5/30
29.26
4.07
43.1
2
2
0
Career statistics
Test debut
England v West Indies at The Oval, Aug 9-14, 1984 scorecard
Last Test
England v Australia at Manchester, Aug 1-6, 1985 scorecard
Australia v England at Melbourne, Feb 17, 1985 scorecard
ODI statistics
First-class span
1978 - 1990
List A span
1979 - 1992
Profile
Jonathan Agnew's career as the BBC's cricket correspondent has been so successful, it's easy to forget that he ever played the game. But, as a thrusting seam bowler in the 1980s, he played three Tests for England before taking up his position in the commentary box. Agnew embodies the authoritative, but endearingly juvenile approach of the Test Match Special team, and as a player he was always looking for the fun element of the game.
When conditions were in his favour, Agnew could be genuinely quick, although he abandoned out-and-out pace in favour of more control in 1987, and enjoyed his best season with 101 wickets for Leicestershire. The most consistent English pace bowler in county cricket in 1987 and 1988, he was ignored by selectors despite a dearth of fast bowling talent.
Agnew was drafted into the Leicestershire side in 1978 on the back of an excellent season for Uppingham (37 wickets at 8) and he took a wicket with his fourth ball in first-class cricket. In 1984 he won his first caps, against West Indies and Sri Lanka, and the following summer made his final appearance, against Australia. He struggled in all three games. In 1987 he began work as a sports producer with BBC Radio Leicester, in 1988 wrote an entertaining book on the life of a county pro - Eight Days A Week - and in 1990-91 covered England in Australia for the now defunct Today newspaper. Later that year he retired at the age of 30 on being appointed as the BBC's cricket correspondent.
He had one last day in the sun. In 1992 he answered a plea by an injury-strapped Leicestershire to appear for them in the NatWest semi-final; he took 1 for 31 in 12 parsimonious overs to help to his old side through to the final.
Martin Williamson
