Ian Botham Photos, Images and Pictures

Ian Botham - Legendary English All Round Cricketer

Ian Botham is one of the greatest all-rounders to play the game of cricket. He represented England in 50 over and test match cricket from 1976 until 1992, taking a record 383 test wickets in 102 test matches (a record since passed by James Anderson and Stuart Broad). He scored 5200 test match runs and became only the second player to score a century and take 10 wickets in a test match. He was also an outstanding slip fielder taking 120 catches in his test career. These impressive statistics do not tell the whole story when looking back at Ian Botham's cricketing career - it was his ebullient nature, his electrifying charisma and his swashbuckling cricketing performances that so entertained crowds and made him a true legend of the game. Our Ian Botham pictures are available in a range of photo product options - print only, framed and on canvas.

England's Ashes Hero

It was Ian Botham's performances in the Ashes that he will be most fondly remembered, the 1981 series, nicknamed "Botham's Ashes" in particular. Australia were 1-0 up and after bagging a pair at Lords' Ian Botham resigned the captaincy. Things worsened further for England in the 3rd test at Headingley where England, having been forced to follow on, fell to 135 for 7 an innings defeat looked a certainty with some bookmakers offering 500-1 odds against an England win. What followed is the stuff of sporting legend and represents one of the all-time great sporting comebacks. Ian Botham hit a blistering 145 not out to give England a slender lead of 130. Bob Willis put in a career-best performance taking 8-43 to secure the most unlikely of wins by 18 runs. The photo of Ian Botham enjoying a cigar "Botham Cigar" in the dressing room at Headingley is one of the most iconic sporting photos and a best seller in our cricket photos category. An Ian Botham-inspired England then went on to win the next 2 tests at Edgbaston and Old Trafford to take a winning 3-1 series lead. Ian Botham was named Man of the Series with 399 runs, 34 wickets and 12 catches. The best 1981 Ashes pictures can be found in our cricket gallery along with a comprehensive selection of cricket prints covering the world of cricket over the last century.