Peter Such was the archetypal shite English spinner of the 1990s.
Tony Lewis had a lovely little phrase he’d use when a spinner would come on. “So, we’re going to see the advent of spin in this match.”
I used to love when analyst Ray Illingworth, who was also an England selector, would come on and discuss the touring party for the forthcoming winter’s tour to Australia. He’d gruffly tell us about how he was confident that some spinner from Warwickshire, Shaun Udal or the like, would give the Australians something to think about, and you’d think to yourself “what fucking planet is this old man on?”, a bit like the Rugby After Dark discussions of around the same time where some lad from Waterpark or Sunday’s Well would be touted as the man we needed to beat the French in Paris after losing at home to Wales.
Medium swing was a euphemism for “the actual bowlers need a rest, go on there Boony/Waughy/AB and try not to bowl like your fuckin’ granny”.
Any boy born in Ireland between 1973 and 1983 who did not watch the final climb of the day on the Tour de France is a wrong 'un.
The English spin option would invariably be a comical fielder like Monty Panesar, a complete liability with the bat like Tuffers or some County journeyman making up the numbers like Shaun Udal. Warney’s backup Stuart McGill was better than England had for years. Ashley Giles, the king of Spain, got a cult following for being a somewhat competent spinner and obviously Swann was good until his Ashes meltdown.
It’s worthwhile listening to Phil Tufnell’s book which I am at present via borrowbox (for free). Read himself in full cockney wanka-ish, it’s half what you’d expect, but half is interesting. The English set up was an absolute shambles at the time. It’s amazing they didn’t get battered by more.
I’d actually recommend the audiobook.
Apparently warney, when he was staying in a hotel, would get ten or twelve keycards, and distribute them whilst out to attractive ladies. He loved a bit of rough and tumble, preferably with more than one lady at the same time.
