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Full name Ian Terence Botham
Born November 24, 1955, Oldfield, Heswall, Cheshire
Current age 52 years 228 days
Major teams England,Durham,Queensland,Somerset,Worcestershire
Nickname Beefy, Both, Guy
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling style Right-arm fast-medium
Other Commentator
Height
6 ft 2 in
Education Buckler's Mead Secondary School, Yeovil
Relations Son - LJ Botham
Batting and fielding averages
Mat
Inns
NO
Runs
HS
Ave
BF
SR
100
50
4s
6s
Ct
St
Tests
102
161
6
5200
208
33.54
8565
60.71
14
22
621
67
120
0
ODIs
116
106
15
2113
79
23.21
2671
79.10
0
9
197
44
36
0
First-class
402
617
46
19399
228
33.97
38
97
354
0
List A
470
419
64
10474
175*
29.50
7
46
196
0
Bowling averages
Mat
Inns
Balls
Runs
Wkts
BBI
BBM
Ave
Econ
SR
4w
5w
10
Tests
102
168
21815
10878
383
8/34
13/106
28.40
2.99
56.9
17
27
4
ODIs
116
115
6271
4139
145
4/31
4/31
28.54
3.96
43.2
3
0
0
First-class
402
63547
31902
1172
8/34
27.22
3.01
54.2
59
8
List A
470
22899
15264
612
5/27
5/27
24.94
3.99
37.4
15
3
0
Career statistics
Test debut
England v Australia at Nottingham, Jul 28-Aug 2, 1977 scorecard
Last Test
England v Pakistan at Lord's, Jun 18-21, 1992 scorecard
Test statistics
ODI debut
England v West Indies at Scarborough, Aug 26, 1976 scorecard
Last ODI
England v Pakistan at Manchester, Aug 24, 1992 scorecard
ODI statistics
First-class span
1974 - 1993
List A span
1973 - 1993
Profile
Dominant and domineering, Ian Botham was not merely the top English cricketer of the 1980s but the leading sports personality. In an era of discreet footballers - before Paul Gascoigne and David Beckham - he commanded endless newspaper headlines as his career surged improbable heights and bottomless depths. Within a year of being elevated from Somerset to his England debut in 1977, he was undisputed as the country's leading all-rounder; within three years he was captain; within four, he had resigned (a minute before being sacked), his form shot to pieces.
Then began the most famous few weeks in English cricket history when Botham (under Mike Brearley's captaincy) led England to an astonishing Ashes victory with three performances - two with bat, one with ball - of mystical brilliance. Every one led to victory and between them they caused a boom in support for English cricket that reverberated through the decade. By the end of it, sober judges were wondering if Botham had done more harm by good by making all England believe, as he did, that cricket matches are won by inspiration not preparation.
Though he remained an international cricketer until 1992, the great days became fewer. As his weight increased, his outswing became less effective. He could still hit a cricket ball with enormous power, but never once did he pass the ultimate exam of his era: scoring a Test century against the West Indians. Still, he could be mystical. Banned by insistent newspaper demand in 1986 for taking cannabis, he was recalled at The Oval against New Zealand, and with his second and 12th balls took the two wickets he needed to equal and pass Dennis Lillee's then-world record of 355 Test wickets. "Who writes your scripts?" asked Graham Gooch.
His batting was based on sound principles and phenomenal strength; his bowling seemed by then to be more run-in-and-hope, but batsmen remained intimidated by his early reputation to the end. His apres-cricket activities were always turbulent, and often semi-public, yet his marriage to Kath has lasted 25 years-plus at odds that seemed greater of 500 to 1. Almost as improbably, he has settled into a calm-ish middle age as a TV commentator of some wit and sagacity.
Matthew Engel June 2007
Notes
BBC Sports Personality of the Year 1981 Walter Lawrence Trophy 1982 Walter Lawrence Trophy 1985 Awarded the OBE in 1992 Knighted in 2007
