Ian Botham

Ian Terence Botham OBE, (born November 24, 1955 in Heswall, Cheshire) (nicknamed "Beefy") was one of England's best-ever cricketers and one of the best all-round cricketers of all time. In a Test career spanning 15 years from 1977, he scored 5,200 runs at 33.54, and took 383 wickets at an average of 28.40. Similarly successful at one-day cricket, he was a Wisden cricketer of the year in 1978.

On the field

A talented footballer as well as cricketer, Botham had to choose very early in his career whether to play professional football or cricket. Later on, to get fit after an injury, he played for Scunthorpe United.

Related Topics:
Football - Scunthorpe United

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Botham started his first-class career with Somerset in 1974. He left Somerset in 1985 as a protest against the sacking of his friends Viv Richards and Joel Garner, and played for Worcestershire between 1986 and 1991. In 1992, he joined County Championship newcomers Durham before retiring midway through the 1993 season, poignantly after Durham's match against the touring Australians. He also played for Queensland although his time there was tarnished by incidents in an aircraft, which also involved Allan Border and a passenger.

Related Topics:
First-class - Somerset - 1974 - 1985 - Viv Richards - Joel Garner - Worcestershire - 1991 - 1992 - County Championship - Durham - Queensland - Allan Border

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He made his Test debut for England on 28 July 1977 in the Third Test against Australia. He played 102 Tests, and was England captain for 12 Tests in 1980 and 1981. However, he was unsuccessful in that role, with 8 draws and 4 losses although in his defence, 9 of his matches as captain were against the best team of the time, the West Indies.

Related Topics:
England - 28 July - 1977 - Australia - Captain - Tests - 1980 - 1981 - West Indies

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His career coincided with the careers of several other great all-rounders, including Richard Hadlee, Imran Khan, and Kapil Dev. As a result, the 1980s is considered to be a golden era for the all-rounder. Botham's best world rankings were first and third in bowling and batting respectively.

Related Topics:
Richard Hadlee - Imran Khan - Kapil Dev

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Records

Ian Botham holds a number of Test records as an all-rounder, including being the fastest (in terms of matches) to achieve the "doubles" of 1,000 runs and 100 wickets, 2,000 runs and 200 wickets, and 3,000 runs and 300 wickets.

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He was the first player to score 5,000 runs and take 300 Test wickets, and the first to score a century and take 10 wickets in the same Test match. He scored a century and took 5 wickets in an innings in the same Test match on 5 occasions; no-one else has managed this feat more than twice.

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When he retired, he held the world record for the greatest number of Test wickets, although his tally has subsequently been passed by several players.

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During the 1981 Ashes (see below), Ian set a record of six sixes in a single Ashes Test Match at Old Trafford. That record remained unbroken until 7 August 2005 when Andrew Flintoff scored five in the first innings and four in the second innings of the second Test at Edgbaston against Australia.

Related Topics:
1981 - Ashes - Old Trafford - 2005 - Andrew Flintoff - Edgbaston

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"Botham's Ashes"

In 1980, Botham was the pre-eminent all-rounder in world cricket, and was appointed captain of the England team. However, his captaincy was not a happy one; he lost form and the team did not do well (see above). He resigned the captaincy after a loss and a draw in the first two Tests of the 1981 Ashes series; he was dismissed for a "pair" in the Second Test at Lord's. The Australian team was rated as second only to the great West Indies team of the time, and contained a formidable pace attack in the form of Dennis Lillee, Geoff Lawson and Terry Alderman.

Related Topics:
1981 - Ashes series - Lord's - Dennis Lillee - Geoff Lawson - Terry Alderman

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Mike Brearley, the captain Botham had replaced, took over the reins for the Third Test scheduled for 16 to 21 July, at Headingley. Australia won the toss and elected to bat. They batted all day Thursday and most of Friday, declaring after tea at 401 for 9, John Dyson having made 102 and Botham having taken 6 for 96. The England openers Graham Gooch and Geoff Boycott survived the remaining few overs, and England finished the day on 7 for no wicket.

Related Topics:
Mike Brearley - 16 - 21 July - Headingley - John Dyson - Graham Gooch - Geoff Boycott

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The next day, Saturday, was a disaster for England: Gooch was out in the first over of the day, and although Boycott and Brearley then attempted to dig in, they were both out before lunch. None of the other batsmen got going at all with the exception of Botham who top scored with 50 — his first half century since his first Test as captain 13 matches earlier. England were all out in the third session for 174. Australia enforced the follow on and piled on the pressure, Gooch was out for 0 on the third ball of the first over caught by Terry Alderman off the bowling of Dennis Lillee.

Related Topics:
Terry Alderman - Dennis Lillee

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By the close England has struggled to just 6 for 1, still 221 behind Australia.

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Sunday 19 July was a rest day, and the papers roasted the lamentable England team. Morale was not improved by the news that Ladbrokes were offering 500-1 against England winning the match. (Controversially, the Australian wicket keeper Rod Marsh and opening bowler Dennis Lillee both placed bets on England to win, claiming that 500-1 were silly odds on any two-horse race.)

Related Topics:
19 July - Ladbrokes - Rod Marsh - Dennis Lillee

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On Monday morning the odds began to look generous, as first Brearley, then David Gower and Mike Gatting all fell cheaply to reduce England to 41 for 4. Boycott was still anchored at the other end however and he and Peter Willey added 50 runs before lunch. In the afternoon however, Willey was out for 33 and England were in deep trouble at 105 for 5 as Botham walked out to bat. Matters did not improve as first Geoff Boycott and then Bob Taylor were soon dismissed. At 135 for 7 an innings defeat looked almost certain.

Related Topics:
David Gower - Mike Gatting - Peter Willey - Geoff Boycott - Bob Taylor

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By all accounts, both teams' players thought Australia would win the match. When Graham Dilley joined him at the crease, Botham reportedly said, "Right then, let's have a bit of fun...". With able support from Dilley (56) and Chris Old (29), Botham hit out and by the close of play was 145 not out with Bob Willis hanging on at the other end on 1 not out. England lead was just 124 but there was hope. On the final day's play there was time for just four more runs from Botham before Willis was out and Botham was left on 149 not out.

Related Topics:
Graham Dilley - Chris Old - Bob Willis

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Willis's real contribution was with the ball however, and after Botham took the first wicket, he skittled Australia out for just 111, finishing with figures of 8 for 43. England had won by just 18 runs, and it was only the second time in history that a team following on had gone on to win a Test match.

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The next Test match, at Edgbaston looked almost as hopeless for England. In a low scoring match (no-one made a score over 48), Australia needed 151 to win. At 5-105, things looked a little worrying for them, but an Australian win was still the most likely result. Botham then took 5 wickets for 1 run in 28 balls to give England the win by 29 runs. (Later, Brearley said that Botham hadn't wanted to bowl and had to be persuaded.)

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The Old Trafford Test was less of a turnaround and more of a team performance than the previous two Tests, but Botham again was England's hero, scoring 118 in what Lillee claimed was a better innings than his Headingley heroics. England won the match, then drew the last match at The Oval (Botham took 6 wickets in the first innings) to take the series 3-1.

Related Topics:
Old Trafford - The Oval

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Unsurprisingly, Botham was named man of the series, scoring 399 runs and taking 34 wickets. He was made BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 1981. He is one of only three cricketers to receive the honour, the others being Jim Laker in 1956 and David Steele in 1975.

Related Topics:
BBC Sports Personality of the Year - 1981 - Jim Laker - 1956 - David Steele - 1975

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