Top 3 best innings of Ian Botham in Tests

Sir Ian Botham is arguably one of the finest cricketers that England have ever produced. When it comes to the greatest all-rounders of all time, it’s hard to leave the English legend out of a list that includes Garry Sobers, Richard Hadlee, Kapil Dev, Imran Khan and Jacques Kallis. Botham was the top competitor of his time to outscore other all-rounders.

The 67-year-old was one of the few players in his era to have played 100 matches in both Tests and ODIs. The batting all-rounder has played 102 Test matches and has scored 5200 runs with an average of over 33. He has 14 centuries, one double hundred and 22 half-centuries in the longer format. In terms of bowling, the right-arm pacer has 382 wickets from 168 innings at a decent average of 28.40.

In this article, we look at the top three best innings of Ian Botham in Test cricket

1. 149* vs Australia (1981)

Mike Brearley and Co. clinched a thrilling 18-run victory in the third Test of Australia’s tour of England in July 1981. Had it not been for a heroic throw from Botham in the third innings, the hosts would have walked away with their heads down in Leeds. The visitors scored 401 in the first innings, and England was dismissed for 174, allowing Australia to enforce the follow-on.

It was the same story for England in their second innings as a poor batting performance by their top order left them in deep trouble. However, Botham came at No. 7 and produced another ODI-like innings to turn the match in England’s favor. His heroic 149* knock included 27 fours and 1 six, meaning he hit 114 runs through boundaries and batted at a strike rate of over 100.

2. 208 vs India (1982)

If the term ‘bazball’ was coined after Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes took over the reins of England cricket, Botham demonstrated it in 1982. His lone double-hundred came rapidly, as he was striking at more than 92 throughout the innings, blasting a strong Indian bowling attack all over the park.

The right-hander needed only 226 balls to score 208 runs, 100 of which came through boundaries (19 fours and 4 sixes). England scored 594 runs in the first innings, with Allan Lamb also scoring a century. However, the match was drawn as India also put up a fight, scoring 410 runs in the first innings.

3. 138 vs Australia (1986)

Botham scored his fourth-highest Test score of 138 during England’s tour of Australia in 1982. Batting first, England got off to a good start as apart from opener Chris Board, four other-top order batters scored half-centuries. However, their scoreboard got a boost when Ian Botham smashed a century, this time it was more like a Test innings as he brought it up from 174 balls.

England posted a total of 456 and restricted the hosts to 248 runs to take a huge first innings lead. The visitors enforced the follow-on and continued to dominate the second innings to win the match by seven wickets.