Ian Bothom

Full name: Ian Terence Botham
Nickname: Beefy, Both, Guy
Born: November 24, 1955, Oldfield, Heswall, Cheshire
Major teams: England, Durham, Queensland, Somerset, Worcestershire
Height: 6.02 ft
Education: Buckler's Mead Secondary School, Yeovil
Relations: Son - LJ Botham


Batting style: Right-hand bat
Bowling style: Right-arm fast-medium
Other: Commentator

Test debut: England v Australia at Nottingham - Jul 28-Aug 2, 1977
Last Test: England v Pakistan at Lord's - Jun 18-21, 1992

ODI debut: England v West Indies at Scarborough - Aug 26, 1976
Last ODI: England v Pakistan at Manchester - Aug 24, 1992

BBC Sports Personality of the Year 1981
Walter Lawrence Trophy 1982
Walter Lawrence Trophy 1985
Awarded the OBE in 1992

PROFILE

Ian Botham was a genuine all-rounder who played for three county teams but most significantly for Somerset CCC.In a Test career spanning 15 years from 1977, he played in 102 matches, scoring 5,200 runs at 33.54; taking 383 wickets at an average of 28.40; and holding 120 catches. In first-class cricket, he scored 19,399 runs at 33.97, took 1,172 wickets at 27.22 and held 354 catches. He was a good limited overs player and was elected a Wisden cricketer of the year in 1978.

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.

Ian Botham was and remains a "larger than life character" and was very popular among many England sport fans. But, having said that, he also had his critics and there are many cricket fans, English as well as Australian and others, who insist that Botham was over-rated. This view is largely based on his lack of success against West Indies, which was the dominant team in cricket during Botham's career. Although Botham's performances against Australia in 1981 were spectacular, Botham did not produce anything like the same results against the more powerful West Indies team. Now he has settled into a calm-ish middle age as a TV commentator of some wit and sagacity.