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Not The News Thread
Discussion started by Bagpuss , 16 February, 2014 19:04
Not The News Thread
Bagpuss 16 February, 2014 19:04
Every so often I come across something crickety that doesn't fall into the 'news' category, doesn't warrant its own thread, but is just, well, nice. Or thought-provoking. So I thought I'd start a separate thread. Quite happy if you amalgamate it with another thread though Mr G.

Re: Not The News Thread
Bagpuss 16 February, 2014 19:07
Jonathan Agnew was a friend of the late Roger Lloyd Pack aka Triger in Only Fools and Horses. After attending his funteral this last week he got permission to reproduce this, by his son Louis,

Cricket in Heaven.

[www.jonathanagnew.com]

Re: Not The News Thread
Loyal of Lhasa. 16 February, 2014 21:16
Lovely stuff - I think a lot of us have dreams like that.

A claim to fame for me is that, while discussing with my local barber some of his more interesting clients, he named Arthur Smith and Corin Redgrave, only for the latter to walk into the shop. Two weeks later he was dead and so I can say I witnessed his last visit to the hairdresser.

(and I've since heard from St Peter that on arrival upstairs CR's first words were "I had my haircut with that LoL the other day")



LoL

Sixty-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter

Re: Not The News Thread
Bagpuss 17 February, 2014 18:42
Who's your favourite TMS commentator? Chances are, for a few of you at least, it will be the one ex-TMS producer Peter Baxter describes on his blog

[aftertms.blogspot.co.uk]

Re: Not The News Thread
SheptonPaul 17 February, 2014 21:18
Always Arlott for me; followed by CMJ.

Sharing last place: Blofeld, Mosey, Bailey and Trueman.

I see Swanny's joining the ranks...

Re: Not The News Thread
Bagpuss 17 February, 2014 23:15
Arlott retired at around the time I started watching/listening to cricket, so although I recognise the voice, I don't recall the commentary. Johnners for me, and CMJ.

I think you have to differentiate between the commentators and the summarisers, although the latter are prone to butt in to the commentators 's every pause for breath, blurring the distinction.

Of the current commentators I confess to liking listening to Aggers, even though I don't always agree with all he says outside of commentating. I also think Charles Dagnell wa very good during the Women's Ashes and the ODI/T20 series.

As for the summarisers, I grade them on a scale of zero to Vic Marks. Boycott doesn't come out too well.

Re: Not The News Thread
Bobstan 18 February, 2014 08:46
Agree almost totally, SP, although I didn't mind Bailey. I didn't like Fred's assumption that players from the past were always better than current players.

Re: Not The News Thread
SheptonPaul 18 February, 2014 10:01
Fair point Baggy, in that I haven't recognised the difference between commentators and summarisers. In my defence, it's not always obvious to me which is which, though smiling smiley

Arlott just had a great tone to go with his accent, never too up or too down, and always recognising that the players were doing their best - in my view, the opposite to the likes of Trueman and Boycott.

I don't like that Blofeld will go for ages without telling you the score and he has too much upper-class-twittishness for me. Like you, I don't mind Aggers, if I don't always agree with him - he's at least not offensive, though it does bother me that, as BBC's senior Cricket Correspondent, he seems to know nothing about the county scene and only shows up for Test matches.

Re: Not The News Thread
Sloop John B 18 February, 2014 10:17
Arlott was lyrical with his Hampshire burr too. A prince among commentators.

He seemed to be grounded too. Not above himself. He even did an LP with the Yetties on cricket - a mix of songs and Arlott stories -lovely.

I will always remember the day he retired with a typically low-key 'And after X it will be Y'. Word got out to the middle and the game stopped and they all turned and applauded him. Great moment.

Re: Not The News Thread
Bobstan 18 February, 2014 14:05
All other commentators except Alan Gibson were and are prose commentators. Arlott was a poet.

Re: Not The News Thread
Frome Exile 18 February, 2014 16:59
I find myself in the same position as Bagpuss, having come to the great game just too late to properly appreciate Arlott; so it's Johnners and CMJ for me too, although Aggers is only marginally behind either.
If I absolutely had to pick one, I think it would be CMJ.
Of the overseas guests, Tony Cozier stands head and shoulders above all others, although Jim Maxwell and Jeremy Coney I also particulary enjoy.

Re: Not The News Thread
Clarence Parker 18 February, 2014 17:58
Donna Symmonds for me.

Shame that her visits to these shores were few and far between.

Re: Not The News Thread
cricketharris 18 February, 2014 18:26
Yes, I agree. Donna Symmonds is the best in many ways. I used to like Roebuck, too, on his occasional commentaries but not on TMS.

Re: Not The News Thread
geordie moonraker 18 February, 2014 19:09
Arlott, because he always made it sound like high class village cricket, followed by Johnners and Donna Symonds.

Re: Not The News Thread
SheptonPaul 18 February, 2014 19:52
Yes, "high class village cricket" - great phrase, Geordie. I agree re Tony Crozier...

Re: Not The News Thread
Slow left 18 February, 2014 20:00
Ed Smith is one of my favourites.

Tufnell is also very good, when he's not overplaying the "aren't I a daft ordinary bloke" card.

Re: Not The News Thread
Loyal of Lhasa. 19 February, 2014 12:00
Quote:
Bobstan
All other commentators except Alan Gibson were and are prose commentators. Arlott was a poet.

Anything Bobstan says on this matter is bound to be right.

Blofeld is indeed an upper-class twit, but he knows it and has a gift for communicating that he is really enjoying what he is paid to do. CMJ was not immune from making patrician remarks, such as referring to an excited crowd as a bunch of prep school boys. The insertion of "prep" told you everything about the world he inhabited.

I am a great fan of Dagnell, save for his too frequent reference to musical beat combos of which only he (and, of course, Bobstan) has heard.



LoL

Sixty-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter

Re: Not The News Thread
Bobstan 19 February, 2014 16:19
Does the Berlin Philharmonic qualify as a popular beat combo?

Re: Not The News Thread
Grockle 19 February, 2014 16:32
Probably in Berlin



(Sm72)

Re: Not The News Thread
Bobstan 19 February, 2014 19:10
They sell out the Festival Hall every year for 2 or 3 concerts at prices so ridiculous that I wouldn't dream of taking out a mortgage to see and hear them.

So some people must rate them.

Re: Not The News Thread
Bagpuss 26 February, 2014 15:34
This has absolutely nothin to do with cricket - but I thought so many of you would enjoy so had to share

[twitter.com]

Re: Not The News Thread
Frome Exile 26 February, 2014 15:42
Excellent!

Re: Not The News Thread
Bagpuss 14 March, 2014 23:39
The Cricket Clubs who could be West Indian Pace Bowlers XI

[www.espncricinfo.com]

Re: Not The News Thread
Bagpuss 19 March, 2014 22:32
If golf is a good walk spoiled, is cricket a good picnic enhanced?

I enjoyed reading this and for once the comments are worth reading too

[adomesticghost.wordpress.com]

Re: Not The News Thread
Sloop John B 20 March, 2014 08:44
A superb observational piece Baggie. And, as you say, the added comments are well thought out too.

Re: Not The News Thread
Bagpuss 22 April, 2014 14:49
I don't agree with everything but there is an awful lot of sence in this by Neil Burns

[www.espncricinfo.com]

Re: Not The News Thread
Frome Exile 25 April, 2014 10:27
On reflection, it seems a little incongruous for Burns to rail against the "South Africanisation" of county and England cricket, when arguably his own most significant contribution to the England cause is the development of a South African-born batsman.

Re: Not The News Thread
AGod 25 April, 2014 11:11
Surely the "South Africanisation" if, by that, he means Kolpaks, and so forth, of English cricket is largely a thing of the past?

Re: Not The News Thread
Loyal of Lhasa. 25 April, 2014 11:45
Whether it's about Kolpakism or not, one cannot ignore the fact that, for example, six of our team that played against Yorkshire were born in South Africa. That is not a value judgment, just a fact.



LoL

Sixty-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter

Re: Not The News Thread
Frome Exile 25 April, 2014 12:08
I assume you have not read the article, as it speaks to a wider issue than Kolpak.

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