Playing first-class cricket the Macclesfield-born Agnew took 666 wickets at an average of 29.25 and won three Test caps for England, as well as playing three One Day Internationals in the mid-1980s.

While still playing he began a career in cricket journalism and commentary and, since his retirement, he has become a familiar voice on radio as the BBC Radio cricket correspondent and as a commentator on Test Match Special.