On this day: Ian Botham scripts another golden chapter in ‘Botham’s Ashes’
The Ashes, time and again, has provided us with many iconic individual performances. The soaring rivalry and cut-throat competition often result in a player delivering a once-in-a-lifetime performance which is remembered by cricket fanatics for ages.
2nd August 1981 was the day when the world witnessed one such enthralling performance at Edgbaston when the flamboyant Botham turned the tables with his bowling display. The 1981 Ashes series was known as the “Botham Ashes” and Botham’s scintillating five-wicket haul at Edgbaston was just a part of his impressive Ashes campaign in that year.
England had only 151 runs to defend in the fourth Ashes Test at Country Cricket Stadium and the Aussies, led by Allan Border, were looking to cruise to the triumph and take 2-1 lead in the series. However, Botham had other plans as the zestful drama was yet to unfold.
The all-rounder, who had proved ineffective in the first two Tests, was itching to leave his mark either with the ball or the bat. In the third Test at Headingley, Botham finally fired in both the departments. He scalped six wickets and scored 50 for England in the first innings. He delivered in the second innings too with a blistering 149 before Bob Willis wreaked havoc on the Australian batting force to level the series.
With the series being 1-1, the world was yet to see Botham’s magical spell get unfolded in the fourth Test. Botham, however, managed to score 26 and three in his two innings; and with the ball, he took only one wicket in the first innings. With only 151 to defend, the English side was on the verge of a thumping defeat. But ‘unpredictable’ Botham ran down the Australian batting force and exhibited one of the best bowling spells in the history of the sport. He dismantled Australia by scalping five wickets in 28 balls while conceding only 1 run.
Rodney Marsh was Botham’s first victim as his middle stump went for a toss. On the very next delivery, Botham showed the exit door to Ray Bright by trapping him LBW. Botham missed the hat-trick but continued his wicket-taking spree by dismissing Dennis Lillee, who edged the ball to wicketkeeper Bob Taylor. Martin Kent tried to save the sinking ship but eventually got bowled off an in-swinging Botham delivery, with Australia slumping to 9/121. Botham had completely turned the match in a few deliveries as the crowd was on its feet to laud the prolific all-rounder’s heroics.
Botham, for his fifth and final scalp, landed another lethal in swinger which rattled the leg stump of Alderman. England won the match with 30 runs on the fourth day and Botham was the chief destructor behind the Aussie side crumpling in bits.
“The only explanation I could find was that they had bottled out. The psychological edge that we – and I – had got over them at Headingley was proving an insuperable barrier for them,” reacted Botham on his lethal spell after which he inscribed his name into the history books.
