Great upload even if the quality is a bit grainy. One forgets how good Botham was as an allrounder. Being an Australian I remember in the 1980s we were trying to manufacture a true allrounder like Botham, Hadlee, Imran Khan and Kapil Dev. We had a few capable players such as Simon O'Donnell, Steve Waugh and Greg Matthews. The one who went on to greater things was Steve Waugh who got there by focussing more on batting.
You wouldn't think it from watching him bat in this match, but Ian Botham's great days as a test match all rounder were already past him. His batting average of 38.80 for his first 51Tests was substantially higher than the 28.87 he managed in the remaining 51Tests he played. His decline as a bowler was even more marked. Botham's first 202 wickets came at 21.20 per wicket, while his final 181 cost on average 36.43 a piece. As a batsman and a bowler he was fortunate to begin his career at a time when WSC robbed test teams of their leading players. His figures were flattered by this. Ian Botham was a great all rounder, no doubt, but his career stats don't quite match the folk lore.
