BEING a Yorkshireman arriving Down Under too old to ever be more than a “paper” Australian, I was overjoyed to read Charles Hutchinson on Sir Geoffrey Boycott and Lord Aggers in Harrogate’s beloved Royal Hall (The Press, January 25).

Jonathan Agnew was guest commentator on the ABC’s Grandstand radio coverage of the Ashes. He was often landed with the tragic Kerry O’Keeffe (former Test player), who frequently succumbs to the exuberance of his own verbosity, this expressed in wheezing. Best news: his retirement.

Aggers’ diplomacy I admired when more than once finding himself obliged to say: “We won’t go there, Kerry.”

Long ago, here in Perth, I wangled a day off work in anticipation of seeing Sir G bat all day. Before I found my seat he was lbw to Dennis Lillee –yes, that long ago — for a duck. Later, when I was deskbound, our hero was 99 not out.

At our one brief meeting, as he signed a book for me in York, he explained, with a moment’s indignation in that lop-sided grin: “None of the buggers would stay with me.”

For me, the definitive cricket chat show would be Boycott (with cushion) & Blowers, the duo travelling, of course, in a red bus.

Ron Willis aka Bill Proude, Author: Cricket’s Biggest Mystery: The Ashes, First Avenue, Mount Lawley, Perth, Western Australia.