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View Full Version : Rate a player: Ian Botham

Dry Rot
25-09-2007, 08:00 PM
The greatest allrounder of all time?

http://justgiving.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/botham_ian_19800530_gh_l_1.jpg

Botham made his Test debut for England on 28 July 1977 in the Third Test against Australia. He went on to enjoy a Test career spanning 15 years, in which he played in 102 matches. Botham finshed with 5,200 career runs at an average of 33.54; taking 383 wickets at an average of 28.40; and holding 120 catches. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Botham

Thought I'd bring back some memories of THAT nightmare Test. :D
GVGjr
25-09-2007, 08:06 PM
Against Australia he was just short of superman and against most other teams his averages are terrific but against the West Indies he was below average. Clever bowler, punishing bat and a great slipper. He played in an area of some great all rounders but he stacked up well against them.
Sockeye Salmon
25-09-2007, 09:34 PM
One of those guys who bowled short, full, wide and 15 other shades of crap.

And kept getting blokes out.

I never understood that.
GVGjr
25-09-2007, 09:41 PM
One of those guys who bowled short, full, wide and 15 other shades of crap.

And kept getting blokes out.

I never understood that.

He was most effective in picking up the tail enders but he could also bluff some of the Australian top order batsman.
The Coon Dog
25-09-2007, 10:02 PM
He wasn't a bowler who looked to contain. He was always looking for a wicket. He never bowled the same ball twice in an over. He'd bowl a bouncer down leg & get hooked for six. Two balls later he'd bowl another bouncer, over off stump & half a yard quicker, often taking a wicket.

I loved watching him play. He played cricket as I liked to watch it be played.

Remember the caught & bowled he took when someone smashed it back at him, he got a hand to it, deflected it up then seemed to do a double somersault with a one and a half pike grasping it inches from the turf?
southerncross
26-09-2007, 08:33 PM
I seem to recall Fred Truemans dry voice saying something like this after another Botham wicket.

"That man Botham has doen it again......and don't the crowd love it"
He put a bit of emoting into it.

Botham really did have the Australians measure.
Anyone remember the 60 minutes expose on the Botham and Chapelli confrontation? Till this day I don't think either guy has anything nice to say about the other.

I also recall Botham's son Liam was going to knock Ian into next week once he found out good old dad might have strayed a bit.