An Olympic random thread for small things that don't really etc etc etc

[Deano]

Do you remember Michael Holding?

Only in clips. I saw Curtley and Courtney bowl against England at Headingley, though, and I remember them far more than the poor sods England sent out to face them.

[Wowbagger]

I've just been reading Wikipedia. According to the entry, the celebrated Johnners quote "The bowler's Holding, the batsman's Willey." is Urban Myth. I bloody well remember it, and my dad's reaction to it: he nearly fell of his chair he was rolling around so much. Henry Blofeld also says he remembers it, at the Oval in 1976. That's certainly good enough for me.

[clarion]

They've played it on the radio a few times, too.  I didn't hear it at the time, but I am absolutely sure it did happen.

[Wowbagger]

Johnners used to rehearse these lovely snippets. There was another, which the commentators speculated about, and fortunately it happened under Johnners' watch: Lillee caught Dilley bowled Willey.

It was, however, John Arlott who was responsible for "It's Holder to Knight. It sounds more like a Tom Jones pop record, but I assure you that this is the 3rd test from Edgbaston."

Edit: the Wikipedia entry on Johnners descibes these bons mots as "gaffes", including the clearly deliberate "There's Neil Harvey, standing at short leg, legs wide apart, waiting for a tickle". I suppose it was entirely accidental that Johnners also called his corgi Larwood, on account of it having four short legs and swinging its balls both ways.

[Arch]

Talking about the Paralympic Torch Relay, I've heard a couple of media reports say that the flame would be kindled in the traditional way, "by rubbing flints together".

Good luck with that....

[Peter]

 

[Bledlow]

Talking about the Paralympic Torch Relay, I've heard a couple of media reports say that the flame would be kindled in the traditional way, "by rubbing flints together".

Good luck with that....

About as effective as rubbing two boy scouts together innit?