Product Description

Following Brian Johnston's death in 1994, Prime Minister John Major appeared to speak for the nation when he remarked that 'Summers will never be the same'. To an Englishman's ears, the sound of leather against willow will always be closely associated with the cheerful tones of Johnners' voice. But there was so much more in his life. From the high jinks of Eton and Oxford he graduated to being a city gent in the family coffee business. Later, as Technical Adjutant in the Grenadier Guards, he contributed to the war effort with his very own 'Dad's Army'. Once demobbed in 1945, he began a broadcasting career that introduced him to a gaggle of British eccentrics from places visited in Down Your Way, and eventually took him to the cramped, cosy and chaotic cricket commentators' box where gaffes, terrible jokes and gales of laughter were never far away. Along the way there was a marriage to 'a very attractive blonde' and five children. Lovingly edited by his eldest son, Barry, this is a wonderfully enjoyable compendium of three of Johnners' best loved books, the autobiographies "It's Been a Lot of Fun" and "It's a Funny Game", and "Rain Stops Play".

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #92861 in Books
• Published on: 2001-07-05
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 400 pages

Cricketer
'A high quality compilation ... beautifully presented and easy to read in every sense.'

About the Author
Brian Johnston will always be remembered as 'The Voice of Cricket'. He presented more than 700 episodes of Down Your Way, but was probably best known for his many years on Test Match Special.

Excerpted from A Delicious Slice of Johnners by Brian Johnston. Copyright © 2000. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved
We were doing history and Tuppy was talking about the wives of an historical figure called Henry - I forget which one. "His first wife died," said Tuppy, "and now let's talk about his second one, Henrietta," "Did he really?" I said quickly from the back of the class. Bad joke.'

'The instructor turned to me and said, "Johnston. You and your platoon are defending this ridge. Suddenly at the bottom of the hill you see a troop of German tanks advancing. What steps would you take?" "Bloody long ones, sir," I replied.'

'Trevor Bailey was discussing whether England should have taken more risks in their second innings in order to score more quickly. "It's very difficult to strike a happy medium," he said. "You could go to a siance," I butted in.'

'I am told I once welcomed listeners with "you've come over at a very appropriate time. Ray Illingworth has just relieved himself at the pavillion end."