BBC chief cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew attacks Beeb’s gender-neutral language push… comparing ‘The Men’s Ashes’ to referencing ‘The Men’s Battle of Hastings’

The BBC’s chief cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew has taken a look at gender-neutral terminology in the sport and insists their introduction is ‘sad’.

Agnew announced earlier this month that he will step down from his role at the end of the summer.

The broadcaster confirmed the news when he signed a four-year extension to remain as a commentator on Test Match Special.

Agnew, speaking to Sunday Timesadmitted his disappointment with the changing vocabulary surrounding the sport following the introduction of gender-neutral terminology.

This includes the use of ‘batter’ instead of batsman.

Agnew admitted his frustration at the use of the term ‘batter’ rather than ‘batsman’

The MCC announced back in 2021 that cricketers would be referred to as ‘batters’

“I hate ‘batting’, I always call a female batsman a ‘batter’,” Agnew said. ‘But why can’t a man playing a man’s game be a “batsman”?’

“I just think it’s sad, inclusiveness is great, but come on.”

The influential Marylebone Cricket Club announced in 2021 that cricketers would be referred to as ‘batters’.

The MCC said the move was a ‘natural progression’ and it changed the laws of cricket to make it ‘inclusive for all’.

It was argued that the decision followed the wider use of the terms ‘batter’ and ‘batters’ since the previous review of the Laws of the Game.

“The switch to ‘batters’ is a natural progression consistent with the terms of bowlers and fielders already within the laws,” the MCC said in 2021.

The changes had been dismissed as “woke” by some fans.

Agnew, who joined the BBC in 1991, also expressed frustration with the Ashes, which England and Australia have contested on the men’s side since 1882.

The two-year Test series between the teams was called ‘the Ashes’ after a fake newspaper obituary of the England team after Australia won on English soil for the first time.

A Women’s Ashes has been contested since 1998.

Agnew expressed his frustration as to why the ashes should be known as ‘men’s ashes’

The Women’s Ashes has been contested by England and Australian teams since 1998

“That doesn’t mean the ashes have to be ‘men’s ashes,'” Agnew said.

“People will call me an old fart, I suppose it’s an occurrence. It happened.

‘It’s not “Men’s Battle of Hastings”, is it?’

Stressing that he is a fan of the women’s game, the former England international said he had a ‘great time’ covering the Commonwealth Games tournament in Birmingham.

Agnew is to remain in the post as the BBC’s chief commentator until at least 2027 after signing his new deal with the corporation.

He will be going over his other broadcast and columnist commitments at the end of the summer.