Lillee bails out Botham

Press, 18 March 1988, Page 36

Lillee bails out Botham

NZPA-AAP Perth The Australian crricketing great, Dennis Lillee, came to the aid of his old adversary, lan Botham — to the tune of $5447.

A Western Australian police source confirmed Lillee had posted bail for Botham, who on Wednesday evening was charged with two counts of assault and one of disorderly conduct.

The charges followed an incident alleged to have occurred on a flight to Perth on Tuesday. Botham, a member of the Queensland cricket team to play in the Sheffield Shield final in Perth, was taken to the Federal Police headquarters in Perth for questioning and was later charged on Wednesday.

He was then taken to the East Perth lock-up and released on a $5447 personal bond and a similar surety. I

It is understood Botham contacted Lillee; after a Justice of the! Peace refused to accept a surety from outside Western Aus-! tralia.

Botham was to ’ap-[ pear in court yesterday. [

• The Australian captain, Allan and the Queensland cricket team management expressed regret at action taken by Federal Police against the English allrounder, lan Botham, over an incident on a flight from Brisbane to Perth. The Queensland team management yesterday released a statement on the issue. j [ “Without wishing to interfere further in the matter, they both expressed their surprise at Federal Police having to be involved in investigating an incident thought to have been dismissed,” said the statement.