IAN
BOTHAM
Few can argue
that Ian Botham
has caught
the publics'
imagination
in a way no
other cricketer,
past or present,
can match.
He will go
down as the
supreme cricketing
folk hero
of any age.
Ian Terence
Botham was
born 24 November
1955 in Cheshire
and educated
at Bucklers
Mead Secondary
School Yeovil.
His Father,
a fine golfer,
represented
the Royal
Navy and Fleet
Air Arm at
cricket and
his Mum played
for the VAD
Nursing Staff
- so cricket
was in his
blood from
day one!
Ian started
as a ground
staff lad
at Lords and
went on to
join the Somerset
Second XI
in 1971. He
debuted for
England in
1977 and kept
the crowds
captivated
until his
retirement
from First
Class cricket
in July 1993.
He was Captain
of England
12 times and,
in his career,
he batted
an average
of 33.54.
Whilst Ian
was leading
Somerset he
met his Wife
Kathy and
they now have
three children,
Liam, Sarah
and Rebecca.
Liam has already
played for
England’s
under 15's
at cricket
and Hampshire
Second XI.
Ian Botham
is not "simply"
a cricketer
- he is an
accomplished
golfer with
a handicap
of 7, he shoots,
fishes and
he also holds
a helicopter
pilot licence.
He has become
a television
favourite
with appearances
on Question
of Sport and
he was also
a subject
on This Is
Your Life,
he has appeared
in pantomime.
He has now
released his
official biography
called simply
"Botham".
He won the
hearts of
the British
public with
his walks
covering 2700
miles raising
£2.7
million for
Leukaemia
Research.
Even after
a career such
as Ian's,
he does have
one or two
ambitions
left - to
one day play
first class
cricket alongside
his Son Liam,
to be good
enough to
play golf
on the Masters
Circuit, to
find more
winning horses
when having
a bet, and
to enjoy more
time in his
lovely Ravensworth,
North Yorkshire
home with
his family.
He also admits
that he would
like to see
comprehensive
school kids
given a better
chance of
making "a
go of it in
cricket!"
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