'There was a soft thud as a toilet roll landed beside me. It was the most humiliating batsman's entrance in the history of cricket'

JONATHAN Agnew has fond memories of his playing days at Chesterfield - and one nightmare.

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He once made what he describes as “the most humiliating entrance by a batsman in the history of cricket” in a game at Queen’s Park.

“It’s one of my favourite grounds,” said the former Leicestershire and England opening bowler.

“It was a lovely place to bowl - the wickets had pace and bounce - and it was picturesque.

“The only thing that spoiled the view was if Michael Holding was tearing in to bowl at you from the other end.”

That was the situation potentially facing Agnew when he went out to bat at Queen’s Park on Thursday, August 21, 1986, the second day of a three-day game against Derbyshire.

“Shortly before we had played Hampshire at Grace Road,’ he recalled.

“Peter Willey was captain and made me go in as nightwatchman with Malcolm Marshall bowling.

“The first ball was innocuous down the leg side. It went under my armpit through to the keeper without touching anything.

“Nobody said anything on the field but there was a sort of halfhearted appeal from the crowd.

“I thought that would do me and walked off. Peter Willey was furious.”

Leicestershire moved on to Queen’s Park and Agnew recalled his walk to the crease with Holding bowling thunderbolts.