Botham’s place not certain
NZPA-AFP London lan Botham is still not certain to tour Australia this winter, despite breaking one world record and equalling another in the drawn third test against New Zealand.
England’s captain, Mike Gatting, astonishingly cast doubt on Botham’s chances of being selected for the 16-strong tour party, even though the controversial Somerset star set a new world record wicket-taking total and equalled the mark for the number of runs scored in an over in a test match during his brilliant innings. Gatting acknowledged Botham’s inspired test comeback with bat and ball, although he was unable to stop England losing its first home series to the New Zealanders. But he added: “Whether
he’s done enough to go to Australia remains to be seen.
"We still have to pick the team and we will have to decide on the day whether he has done enough.” Gatting made his words look even stranger by saying that he was clear in his own mind who should be in the party when it is selected on September 8.
It seems incredible that Gatting should still question Botham’s right to tour after his whirlwind 59 not out off 36 balls on Monday, plus his three wickets on the opening day of the rain-wrecked test. In contrast, New Zealand’s captain, Jeremy Coney, celebrating his country’s third successive test series victory, made it very clear he rates Botham extremely highly.
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Press, 28 August 1986, Page 40
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236Botham’s place not certain Press, 28 August 1986, Page 40
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