BOTHAM_RETIRES_17JUL93

Former England cricket star Ian Botham is to quit at the end of Durham's current match against the Australian tourists, which finishes on Monday July 19. The all-rounder was originally due to retire from first-class cricket at the end of the season in two months' time. Botham, aged 37, won 102 caps for England, including 116 one-day international appearances. He played for Somerset, Worcestershire and Durham and made his county debut in 1974. It is fitting that Botham's last opponents should be the Australians. During a Test career that saw him score 5,200 runs, including 14 centuries, and take 383 wickets, Botham always saved his brilliant best for the enemies he most loved to hate. In 1981, after a short and unsuccesful reign as England captain, Botham transformed the Ashes series with an innings of 149 not out at Headingley. England, already one down in the series, had been on the brink of defeat at the time, stranded on 135 for seven in their second innings and still 92 runs behind when Botham walked to the crease. Botham guided the side to 356 all out before pace bowler Bob Willis took over, taking eight wickets to bowl England to the most improbable of victories by 18 runs. Two weeks later, Botham took five wickets for one run to send the tourists crashing to defeat at Edgbaston, before another fine innings by him at Old Trafford settled the Ashes victory. His slip fielding will also long be remembered. His reactions were so quick that he always stood yards closer to the bat than the rest of the in-fielders, regularly pulling off astonishing catches. He took 120 Test catches in all. His best career bowling figures were an eight wicket haul for 34 runs for England against Pakistan in 1978 at Lord's, while his highest innings, 228, came for Somerset against West Country rivals Gloucestershire in 1980. Botham, always a larger than life figure, compensated for continuing back and shoulder problems during the final years of his career by diversifying into pantomime appearances and ambitious charity events -- which included a crossing of the Alps by elephant, tracing the steps of the Carthaginian leader Hannibal. He raised millions of pounds through marathon walks, but, on the pitch, the pace was beginning to tell. Botham was to undergo ten operations to keep him in the game, although he continued to argue until the very end that he should still be in the England side. His abilities as a genuinely quick swing bowler had declined, however, although he remained one of the most dangerous middleorder batsmen on the county circuit. In one sense, though, Botham was right, for England have still not been able to replace him with a genuine top-class all-rounder. His one remaining ambition, however, to play in the same first-class team as his 16-year-old son Liam who is on Hampshire's books, will now never be fulfilled. (Thanks to Vasa)

I listened to BBC NewsHour this morning. It was reported that Ian Botham is still available for Sunday league games. (Thanks to Vicky)