Editing Ian Botham (section)

===Somerset and England (1977–78 to 1979–80)===
{{BLP sources section|date=February 2019}}
[[File:Ian_Botham_batting_vs_NZ_-_February_1978.jpg|thumb|Ian Botham vs NZ, [[Basin Reserve]] February 1978]]
England were in Pakistan from November 1977 to January 1978, playing three Tests and three LOIs. Botham was almost fully recovered from his foot injury but did not play in any of the Tests. He took part in all three LOIs and in some of the first-class matches against club teams. From January to March, England were in New Zealand for a three-match Test series under the captaincy of Geoff Boycott. Botham impressed in a first-class match against [[Canterbury cricket team|Canterbury]] at [[Lancaster Park]], scoring 126 not out in the second innings against an attack including [[Richard Hadlee]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/37/37821.html |title=Canterbury v England XI, 1977–78 |publisher=CricketArchive |access-date=8 May 2017 |archive-date=16 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160316022725/http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/37/37821.html |url-status=live }}</ref> and was selected for the first Test at [[Basin Reserve]]. Botham had an indifferent game there and England, twice bowled out by Hadlee, lost by 72 runs.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/37/37839.html |title=New Zealand v England, First Test, 1977–78 |publisher=CricketArchive |access-date=8 May 2017 |archive-date=8 April 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110408184517/http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/37/37839.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In the next match at [[Carisbrook]] against [[Otago cricket team|Otago]], Botham achieved a 10wM with seven for 58 (his career best return to date) in the second innings, enabling the England XI to win by six wickets.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/37/37859.html |title=Otago v England XI, 1977–78 |publisher=CricketArchive |access-date=8 May 2017 |archive-date=13 October 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151013013508/http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/37/37859.html |url-status=live }}</ref> 

England won the second Test at Lancaster Park by 174 runs after an outstanding all-round performance by Botham who scored 103 and 30 not out and took five for 73 and three for 38. He also held three catches.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/37/37876.html |title=New Zealand v England, Second Test, 1977–78 |publisher=CricketArchive |access-date=8 May 2017 |archive-date=14 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171214160917/http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/37/37876.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In the second innings, promoted up the order to get quick runs before an overnight declaration, he was responsible for calling for a risky run that led to the run-out dismissal of acting-captain Geoff Boycott: Botham's own published autobiography alleges that this was deliberately done, on the orders of acting vice-captain Bob Willis, because Boycott was scoring too slowly.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/604169.html |title=Rewind to 1978: Botham to Boycott, "I've run you out, you ****" |publisher=ESPNCricInfo Magazine |access-date=27 August 2019 |archive-date=27 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190827013612/http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/604169.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The final Test was played at [[Eden Park]] and was drawn, the series ending 1–1. New Zealand batted first and totalled 315 with Geoff Howarth scoring 122. Botham took five for 109 in 34 overs. England replied with 429 all out ([[Clive Radley]] 158, Botham 53). New Zealand then chose to bat out time and Howarth scored his second century of the match (Botham none for 51).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/37/37894.html |title=New Zealand v England, Third Test, 1977–78 |publisher=CricketArchive |access-date=8 May 2017 |archive-date=1 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201061435/http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/37/37894.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Botham's form in New Zealand cemented his place in the England team.
[[File:Ian_Botham_batting_vs_NZ.jpg|thumb|Ian Botham vs NZ, [[Basin Reserve]] February 1978]]
In the 1978 English season, Pakistan and New Zealand both visited to play three Tests each and Botham featured in all six matches. Having scored exactly 100 in the first Test against Pakistan at Edgbaston, England winning by an innings and 57 runs, Botham in the second at Lord's scored 108 and then, after none for 17 in the first innings, achieved his Test and first-class career best return of eight for 34 in the second, England winning by an innings and 120 runs.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/38/38175.html |title=England v Pakistan, Second Test, 1978 |publisher=CricketArchive |access-date=8 May 2017 |archive-date=22 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180322021145/http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/38/38175.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The third Test was ruined by the weather and England won the series 2–0. Against New Zealand, Botham did little with the bat but his bowling was outstanding. In the second Test he took nine wickets in the match as England won by an innings and then a 10wM in the final match at Lord's with six for 101 and five for 39.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/38/38522.html |title=England v New Zealand, Third Test, 1978 |publisher=CricketArchive |access-date=8 May 2017 |archive-date=28 February 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090228195504/http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/38/38522.html |url-status=live }}</ref> England won the series 3–0.

Due to his England commitments, Botham appeared infrequently for Somerset in 1978. His best performances for them were a return of seven for 61 against Glamorgan and an innings of 80 against Sussex in the Gillette Cup final at Lord's. This was Somerset's first limited overs final and they lost by five wickets despite Botham's effort.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/38/38558.html |title=Somerset v Sussex, Gillette Cup Final, 1978 |publisher=CricketArchive |access-date=8 May 2017 |archive-date=13 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161113040528/http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/38/38558.html |url-status=live }}</ref> They were involved in a tight contest for the JPL title and were placed second on run rate after tying with Hampshire and Leicestershire on 48 points each. Somerset did quite well in the County Championship, finishing fifth after winning nine matches, and reached the semi-final of the B&H Cup.

Botham's first tour of Australia was in 1978–79. England, defending the Ashes they had regained in 1977, played six Tests under Mike Brearley's leadership. Australia had what was effectively "a reserve team" because their leading players were contracted to [[World Series Cricket]] for the season.<ref name=DB320>Birley, p. 320.</ref> The difference in standard was evident on the first day of the first Test at [[the Gabba]] as Botham, [[Chris Old]] and [[Bob Willis]] bowled them out for only 116 in just 38 overs, England going on to win easily enough by seven wickets.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/38/38681.html |title=Australia v England, First Test, 1978–79 |publisher=CricketArchive |access-date=8 May 2017 |archive-date=24 April 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170424013113/http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/38/38681.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Apart from a surprise defeat in the third Test, England were never troubled and won the series 5–1. Botham's performance in the series was satisfactory but there were no headlines and only modest averages. He took 23 wickets at 24.65 with a best return of four for 42. He scored 291 runs with a highest of 74 at 29.10. He held 11 catches.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Events/0/England_in_Australia_1978-79/t_England_Batting.html |title=England Test Batting & Fielding, 1978–79 |publisher=CricketArchive |access-date=8 May 2017 |archive-date=2 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201102064231/https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Events/0/England_in_Australia_1978-79/t_England_Batting.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Events/0/England_in_Australia_1978-79/t_England_Bowling.html |title=England Test Bowling, 1978–79 |publisher=CricketArchive |access-date=8 May 2017 |archive-date=29 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171029020934/https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Events/0/England_in_Australia_1978-79/t_England_Bowling.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Botham played for England in the [[1979 Cricket World Cup]] and was a member of their losing team in the final.<ref name=CAWCM/> He was again an infrequent member of the Somerset team because of the World Cup and the Test series against India. It became a memorable season for Somerset as they built on their form in 1978 to win both the Gillette Cup and the JPL, their first-ever senior trophies. Botham played in the Gillette Cup final at Lord's, in which they defeated [[Northamptonshire County Cricket Club|Northamptonshire]] by 45 runs, thanks to a century by Viv Richards.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/39/39691.html |title=Northamptonshire v Somerset, Gillette Cup Final, 1979 |publisher=CricketArchive |access-date=8 May 2017 |archive-date=8 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170208034206/http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/39/39691.html |url-status=live }}</ref> They slipped to eighth in the County Championship. In the B&H Cup, however, they were expelled from the competition for bringing the game into disrepute after an unsporting declaration, designed to protect the team's run rate, by team captain [[Brian Rose (cricketer)|Brian Rose]].{{citation needed|date=November 2021}}

The England v India series in 1979 took place after the World Cup ended and four Tests were played. England won the first at Edgbaston by an innings and 83 runs after opening with a massive total of 633 for five declared. Botham scored 33 and then took two for 86 and five for 70.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/39/39446.html |title=England v India, First Test, 1979 |publisher=CricketArchive |access-date=9 May 2017 |archive-date=22 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170822181759/http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/39/39446.html |url-status=live }}</ref> On the first day of the second Test at Lord's, Botham swept through the Indian batting with five for 35 and a catch off [[Mike Hendrick]] to dismiss them for only 96 in 56 overs. Surprisingly, however, India recovered to salvage a draw.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/39/39552.html |title=England v India, First Test, 1979 |publisher=CricketArchive |access-date=9 May 2017 |archive-date=4 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160404033042/http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/39/39552.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In the third Test at Headingley, it was Botham the batsman who did the business, scoring 137 from 152 balls in England's first innings total of 270 (the next highest innings was 31 by Geoff Boycott). The match was ruined by the weather and was drawn.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/39/39606.html |title=England v India, First Test, 1979 |publisher=CricketArchive |access-date=9 May 2017 |archive-date=19 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161019144614/http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/39/39606.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In the final Test at [[The Oval]], England opened with 305 (Botham 38); India replied with 202 (Botham four for 65); and England with 334 for eight declared (Botham [[run out]] for a duck) extended their lead to 437 with four sessions remaining. Thanks to a brilliant 221 by [[Sunil Gavaskar]], India came agonisingly close to pulling off a remarkable last day victory but ran out of time on 429 for eight (Botham three for 97), just nine runs short, and so England won the series 1–0 with three draws.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/39/39662.html |title=England v India, First Test, 1979 |publisher=CricketArchive |access-date=9 May 2017 |archive-date=30 July 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170730212335/http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/39/39662.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

The shambolic state of international cricket at the end of the 1970s was illustrated by the panic resulting from a hastily convened settlement between World Series Cricket and [[Cricket Australia|the Australian Board of Control]]. Although they had visited Australia only twelve months earlier to play for the Ashes, England were persuaded to go there again and play another three Tests, but with the Ashes not at stake. As ''Wisden'' put it, the programme did not have the best interests of cricket at heart, particularly Australian cricket below Test level, which had been "swamped by the accent on Test and one-day internationals, neatly parcelled to present a cricketing package suitable for maximum exploitation on television".<ref name=W79>{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/69697.html |title=England in Australia and India, 1979–80 |date=25 April 2007 |publisher=WisdenOnline |access-date=9 May 2017 |archive-date=24 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170824065253/http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/69697.html |url-status=live }}</ref> 

The matches were widely perceived to be semi-official only and received "a definite thumbs down".<ref name=W79/> Botham was a member of the England team and played in all three matches which nevertheless count towards his Test statistics. England were largely faithful to the players who had toured Australia the previous winter and [[Derek Underwood]] was the only World Series player they recalled; they did not recall [[Alan Knott]], for example, while [[Tony Greig]] was beyond the pale.<ref>Birley, p.&nbsp;319.</ref> Australia recalled [[Greg Chappell]], [[Dennis Lillee]], [[Rod Marsh]] and [[Jeff Thomson]], fielding a team that was a mixture of old and new. In the first match, played at the [[WACA Ground]], Botham had match figures of eleven for 176 but to no avail as Australia won by 138 runs. Having excelled with the ball in that match, Botham did so with his bat in the third one, scoring an unbeaten 119 in the second innings of the third.<ref name=ITBTests/> Australia won all three matches of a series best forgotten for all its attendant politics, but Botham had enhanced his reputation as a world-class all-rounder.<ref name=W79/>