da spicy bet： Andrew McGlashan looks back at some of his most memorable moments from a stunning career

da dobrowin： Andrew McGlashan24-Nov-2005

A young Botham makes his mark against India in 1979 © Getty Images
1974 – Benson and Hedges Cup Quarter-final
An 18-year-old Botham overcame taking a bouncer from Andy Roberts straight in the mouth – resulting in four lost teeth – to guide Somerset to a one-wicket victory. Batting at No. 9 he arrived with Somerset in tatters at 113 for 7 and was soon left spitting blood after an early encounter with a West Indian quick that was a precursor of challenges to follow. But he added 63 in 13 overs with Moseley before smacking a cover drive to seal the win. Botham later admitted he should have left the field but as reported he “was wildly cheered by a crowd of 6,500.” But much larger crowds were awaiting him.1977 – Test debut
Little did the Australians know that the 21-year-old who took 5 for 74 in his first Test would dominate them for a decade. At one point Botham produced a spell for 4 for 13 in 34 balls as he gained prodigious swing, helping to dismiss Australia for 243, and set up a victory that enabled England to take a 2-0 lead in the series. His first wicket came when Greg Chappell dragged a short, wide ball into the stumps – Botham would continue with the happy knack of taking wickets with all kinds of deliveries for the next 15 years. For good measure he improved on his debut effort with 5 for 21 at Headingley before missing the final Test through injury. But the mark had been made and the Australians had been warned.

Botham doing what he did best © Getty Images
1979 – Make mine a double
Within the space of two Tests Botham broke two records. At Lord’s he became the fastest player to 100 wickets after two years and nine days in his 19th Test. He dismissed a suitably top-class batsman to reach the landmark when Sunil Gavaskar was superbly caught at slip by Mike Brearley, low to his left. The Botham-Brearley combination would come to the fore again two years later. But Botham wasn’t finished in this summer. At The Oval, in his 21st Test, he became the quickest to reach the 1000 runs/100 wickets double when he reached 3 in the first innings. He beat the record of 23 matches held by Vinoo Mankad1980 – The ultimate Test match performance?
Not a bad four days’ work for Botham, especially considering that England had just been beaten 3-0 in Australia (although the Ashes were not at stake). The Golden Jubilee Test should have been renamed as India v Botham as he became the first player to take a 10-wicket match haul and score a century in the same match. He helped himself to 13 wickets – the best match figures in England-India history – and still found himself having to rescue England from the mire of 58 for 5. No problem, he just struck 114, adding 171 with Bob Taylor.

Another six on his way to a career best 208 in 1982 © Getty Images
1981 – That Ashes series
After the events of last summer this rubber may, finally, have a challenger when it comes to the most talked about Test series ever. However, it will forever be known as ‘Botham’s Ashes’ and for good reason. Never mind Headingley, that was just a bit of fun (even according to Botham himself), there was Edgbaston with his spell of 5 for 1 and if that wasn’t enough a scintillating hundred at Old Trafford. He always saved his best for the Aussies, but this series was special even by Botham’s standards.1982 – In the runs
A magical series against India with the bat where he crashed 403 runs in three innings against a weak attack carried by Kapil Dev. Botham got better as the series progressed, starting with 67 at Lord’s, then 128 at Manchester before adding the grandstand finish with 208 at The Oval. At the time his double-century was the third fastest in terms of time – 268 minutes – by an Englishman. “The Indians found it virtually impossible to bowl to him as he drove with rare ferocity, one straight six of [Dileep] Doshi leaving its mark for posterity in the shape of a hole on the pavilion roof.”For good measure Botham then added 18 wickets in the following series against Pakistan. His efforts that summer made his the quickest to 2000 runs and 200 wickets, in 42 matches.

On top of the world: Botham takes his 356th Test wicket © Getty Images
1986 – Comeback against New Zealand, becomes leading Test wicket taker
“Who writes your scripts?” asked Graham Gooch when Botham snapped up Bruce Edgar with his first ball back following his drugs ban. Gooch had tried his best to grass the chance, but the wicket lifted him level with Dennis Lillee on 355 scalps, and whoever did create Botham’s storylines hadn’t finished there. With the last ball of his second over he trapped Jeff Crowe lbw to jump to the top of the tree. It was a rare highpoint for England in a miserable summer, but just another memorable moment in Botham’s career.1987 – Final Ashes party
England might not have been able to bat, bowl or field during the early part of their 1986-87 tour down under, but they still had Botham. On the second day of the first Test at Brisbane he tore apart the Australian attack with a magnificent 138 – his final century for England (he was to pass fifty only once in the next five years). Never mind blasting them with the bat, he also tormented them with the ball – and he was only half fit to boot. Coming into the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne he was rated as very doubtful with an intercostal strain. They usually take six weeks to heal; Botham had injured his three weeks earlier. But he played and proceeded to take 5 for 41, setting up the Ashes clinching win. It was another Ashes nightmare for the Aussies, who had thought the influence of Botham was beginning to wane. In truth it was, but he made sure he left one final mark on the Ashes.

He does tireless work for charities, including visiting Sri Lanka after the tsunami © Getty Images
1992 – But he still had one left for the Aussies
While 1986-97 was Botham’s last significant mark on an Ashes series, he still had one surprise left for the Australians – and in their own backyard as well. England had formed a formidable one-day side for the 1992 World Cup, consisting of some sprightly young players, but Botham was certainly one of the senior stars. That didn’t matter when he was faced with the green and gold and he rolled back the years by taking 4 for 31, then clubbing 53 for good measure. It was the highpoint of Botham’s World Cup – and his last great showing in an England shirt – and couldn’t have come against more fitting opposition.1985-present – Charity work
Botham did not save his great deeds purely for the cricket pitch. He has raised huge sums of money for charity through his marathon walks including Land’s End to John O’Groats and trekking over the Alps with an elephant. He began while he was still in the middle of his playing career and carries on today – he completed his 11th such walk in 2006, at the age of 50.