IT Botham/DW Randall, v New Zealand, Nottingham 1983

[@mrjones29]

The comforting commentary of Richie Benaud, the professionalism of Dickie Bird at the wickets, Ian Botham slogging the ball everywhere. Even as a die-hard West Indian cricket fan during this period, I loved English cricket on the old BBC tv coverage growing up and rushing back from school to see and hear this legend of the game.

[@simoncampbell3144]

Loved it mate, my nan always had the cricket on the telly , we'd go down to the rec in duckinfield on Tower Street by the cemetery and have the wickets as an oil drum , play all day , black Asian or white , brilliant times

[@mrjones29]

@@simoncampbell3144 Yeah awesome times, I just think cricket way back from yesteryear and all the characters was so special and vastly better than cricket today with all it's 20 different types of one day international and flavoured test cricket rules to understand. Me and old friends long gone also played street cricket with whatever items we found for stumps.

[@Ingens_Scherz]

Lovely comment. Shared memories, too :)

[@mark.lawrence]

13 years of age at trent bridge to watch pure theatre; botham & randall teeing off. still remember it like it was yesterday. & richie benaud, the voice of cricket. you are so missed. rip richie benaud.

[@kevinbird9194]

Randall was a great batsman but an even better fielder. Loved him when I went to trent bridge to watch Notts play. He would chat to you all the time

[@salamander981]

Great atmosphere in test cricket in those days, turn the telly on at 10am and listen to Benaud, Graveney, Laker, Tony Lewis etc. Good days

[@Goodie65]

In my opinion Derek Randall was treated appallingly by the English mis-management of the time. Consistently moved up and down the batting order and dropped at the first opportunity if he didn’t get a half decent score. Best fielder English cricket has seen. Deserved the ‘Arkle’ nickname. Would have revelled in the T20 game - tailor made for him.

[@GrahamS67]

I could not agree more. He was consistently the best best batsman in the championship, and performed well in the England middle order. Then they moved him to number 3 and dropped him when it isn't work.

[@g8ymw]

The trouble with Arkle at number 3 was Geoff Boycott, the times he ran Derek out!!! Also, Derek was one hell of a fielder, IMO equal to Jonty Rhodes. With Derek and David Gower in mid wicket and the covers, nobody dare try for a crafty single

[@dutchy777]

100% agree

[@nihilistcentraluk442]

I could not agree less. He played in 47 tests and averaged 33. Not good enough for a specialist batsman at the top level.He was a character but that isnt enough.

[@zaheerahmed1787]

@@nihilistcentraluk442 agreed with you.

[@markwilletts4984]

The name Derek Randall brings happy memories as a kid great player great guy

[@rahulbhat3354]

Randall the best fielder of his time

[@barryeva8862]

Do you remember when rabdell bowled

[@simonwolfendale1988]

He was tremendous in the field, good with the bat and reminded me of Pete Townesend. That guitar geezer out the Who

[@boxingjerapah]

Love Sir Ian, but Derek was a true British eccentric. Love him too !

[@dojufitz]

Here in Melbourne....I went to see Botham play many years ago at the MCG.....all I can recall was he hit the ball harder than any other batsman on the day.....the ball flew to the boundary off his bat......his timing was awesome.....it really stood out....

[@Ingens_Scherz]

........Cool.......

[@davidbrooks187]

During the 10 years between 1977 and 1987 Ian Botham was unsurpassed as the greatest all-rounder of all time with era defining performances against Australia New Zealand, India & Pakistan With the bat and ball. No one before or since had the presence on the pitch he had and the ability to turn games around When all was thought to have been lost. I also used to watch him regularly when playing for Somerset, Numerous times I saw botham and Viv Richards at the crease with batting displays have never been emulated.

[@andrewg6555]

Watched this on tv. One of the best days cricket I’ve seen

[@markoconnell2458]

Three of my favourite cricketers Botham Hadlee and Randall all greats

[@nishanthagooneratne5804]

Wow- lovely memories! Was at this match as a kid. Trent Bridge has always been a great place to watch cricket.

[@misfit2022]

Greatest all rounder of his generation in Ian Botham and greatest fielder Derek Randall

[@amitbasu8159]

Thanks for uploading the clip. At their best, as they were here, both players were a joy to watch. And apologies if anyone else has already made this observation, but remarkably given that he was only 27 and played test cricket for another 9 years, this was Botham's penultimate test match century, and his last one in England. It was also Randall's last test appearance at Trent Bridge.

[@cquilty1]

1:38. Only 'Rags' could get into such a tussle and emerge unfazed and unscathed! Derek Randall - a boyhood hero for many.

[@cotswoldcuckoo775]

I was at that game....the atmosphere Botham created when he walked in and while in full flow was tremendous.

[@DIUA-vb6gi]

Me to. You can’t explain to those who never saw him around that time. One of my great cricketing memories.

[@rafflesxyz4800]

It wasn't too bad when he came back in neither!

[@garyfaulkner1480]

Great days as a kid watching cricket like this all day...just about to watch England vs west indies as i type this in 2024

[@lomax343]

Derek Randall's Nottinghamshire team-mates once bet him a pint that he couldn't stand still for ten minutes. After thirty seconds he gave up, saying he wasn't thirsty.

[@adamv600]

There was something boyishly uninhibited and joyful about the way Beefy gave every shot the full swing of the bat, almost flinging his arms right through the shot. Great to watch. The only other batsman who played with such a full swinging arc was Lara.

[@beefy1986]

That attempted caught and bowled at 1:45. Man Richard Hadlee was such a good athlete. People sometimes forget that aspect of his. All the all rounders were naturally gifted athletes first and foremost.

[@tenburywellsmartin7576]

God how i miss those 5 day matches,proper cricket,Tavare taking all day to score 40 runs....it was great........hate the limited over stuff of today....

[@lizarddronedude3617]

Can't believe I've found my only ever day at a Test mach here on KZbin I remember it like it was yesterday I seem to remember Randall creaming 3 successive cover drive boundaries of Hadlee in the middle of one over tho its missed on here. sheer joy. He was a wreck when he started his innings but once settled in a joy.

[@ianwilson2007]

I was at this test, 14 yrs old. Randall was considered a God at Trent Bridge by Notts fans.

[@jaxcoss5790]

He was a god!

[@ganeshsovani081]

Yes, Randall was not properly handled by ECB ! He was a great asset and an ebullient fielder

[@dogsnads5634]

He got a road named after him in his home town..and managed to spot Alastair Cook and recommend him for the National Academy (not that he was hard to spot..)

[@mark.lawrence]

yes

[@barrycashin5366]

I was a kid. These two were total legend heroes. ITB showing how to reverse sweep twenty years before others had supposedly invented the stroke!

[@TheJonkerr7]

I saw Kim Hughes play it against India, in Australia in the early 80's, commentators said it was a risky stroke but showed his skills...he was on 100+ at the time!!! Mike Gatting played it too, although pilloried for getting out to it in the 87 WC final v Aus

[@geoffreygibson5992]

Wonder who first played the shot?

[@simoncampbell3144]

Derek Randall was a fantastic cricketer

[@brianhaskard1042]

I was there, Rags, Botham & Hadlee. Trent Bridge is heaven.

[@robbie007]

Two great cricketing characters of their time. The best all rounder and best outfielder England have ever had. Plus floppy sun hats.

[@johnhanson5943]

Great memories. I was 15 back then. Shortly before O’Levels! Thank you.

[@Kuhrt1000]

One of my favourite batting partnerships of all time. As someone wrote at time 'Laurel and Hardy could not have produced better entertainment'. Shame Randall was always so easily dropped by the selectors. Sad to think it was his penultimate Test Match in England. Sad also to think it was Botham's final Test hundred in England despite playing for another nine years.

[@andrewkennaugh6329]

Yes,but he only appeared in the last Test in'86,didn't play in '88,because of a back op.,'90 he wasn't selected,'91made comeback in last Test at the Oval and '92 only played in first two Tests and was never chosen again!😊By 1987 the strain of being relied upon for so long was beginning to show...😕😦😥

[@simonorton8209]

Spot on analysis

[@jonread1983]

Ive always thought that 77-80 were his entry years, 80 to 84 his Hollywood years, 84 to 87 his Vegas years (Tim Hudson, helicopters, 85 ashes very much cameo participation) and finally 87 to 92 his "opening school fetes" years.This doesn't mean to say he wasnt effective in the Vegas years at certain points in matches, of course he was [occasionally] but his bowling had lost its zip with his increasing back problem and his batting efforts made him into a caricature of himself. You were gutted when he was dismissed but never really surprised.Coming back to your point on 1983, true he didn't have a great year, it should have been the continuation of the golden period from mid 81 to mid 82 (as described elsewhere). He was neutralised in the 82/3 Ashes by Greg Chappell who was a better captain than Kim Hughes and an opportunity was missed for him to win England the World Cup the following summer.Finally I loved watching this as I refused a day trip during the school/college holidays with the family to stay in watch this and was rewarded with this partnership. Great memories

[@andrewspencer5220]

Randall was always moved around the batting order to accommodate other players. He batted everywhere from opening, down to no.7.The Australians and West Indians rated him as the best no. 6 in the world, but the England selectors hardly ever gave him the chance there.

[@PaulCarew-j9j]

Great to finally see this. I was in Majorca on holiday and we didn't have a VCR at the time so only took 40 years to view.

[@LD-bv1pm]

Botham power, Randall timing. Loved them both.

[@fossilmatic]

Martin Snedden signals four when it just touched the rope evading his save. He congratulates Botham on his century well-played after dismissing him from a huge partnership. Back when a good sport meant appreciating your opposition as much as competing against them.

[@farooqzafar9390]

Ian botham was the best all-rounder England ever produced with out helmet facing bowler like Richard Hadley it shows the quality of that man botham and my favourite player

[@harrycallahan3391]

Jesus, Botham batting without a helmet against Hadlee, one of the greatest test bowlers of all time! 😯

[@VK.Babu1]

Hadlee was not a fast bowler compared to westindies pacers

[@harrycallahan3391]

@@VK.Babu1 - I still wouldn't have liked to face him without a helmet!!

[@robinstephenson8337]

Botham without helmet treating a great bowler like Hadlee with utter disdain. Too many batsmen today rely too much on helmets, thigh pads, arm guards , body protection etc and have forgotten how to bat properly.

[@bartlettbigx]

Fair enough against Hadlee I think but as for the rest of the New Zealand attack I don't think you'd need to wear anything at all.

[@paulcaswell2813]

Controversial he may have been, but Boycott helmetless against the likes of Holding and Lillee... As he himself said, helmets encouraged batsmen to be more casual at the crease. Far more have been hit since helmets were introduced than previously.

[@soccer1970-f5f]

Not true. Batsmen have a far wider ranger of batting techniques. Stronger and fitter too.

[@krishnakumars.p8876]

Botham is legendary all time great. Derek is sharper in the field and a solid middle order batsman ❤

[@quietenglishman4179]

Goodness nearly forty years ago. Remember when test cricket was on the TV, free to view before wretched Sky infected the airways? Happy days. The country is so disconnected from sport now. Benaud and Laker commentating: still the best. Very nice to watch again.

[@Eleventhearlofmars]

It’s sad isn’t it? It was refreshing to see C4 put England’s current Indian tour on terrestrial television, apart from England’s last 4 batting efforts lol. The bbc has gone right down the pan as far as sport goes. They used to be so good with test matches, rugby, horse racing ( especially the grand national and Cheltenham) and athletics. Now all you get from the bbc is repeats of bargain hunt and reminders to pay your tv license letters, even though you get f all for said license.

[@DIUA-vb6gi]

I was 14 years old and was lucky enough to be there that day with my dad. Still remember the ovation Botham got when he got out. Also remember Randall cutting Hadley three times in one over for four. You can’t buy memories like that.

[@lizarddronedude3617]

Thought they were cover drives but it was a long time ago

[@DIUA-vb6gi]

Too long ago! You could be right.

[@lizarddronedude3617]

hi mate it was my only day at a Test in my life and I'm now 62 I get lucky

[@IvanaDrake]

I was a kid. I loved Randall, very badly managed by the England management. Slightly off-kilter, and in those days that meant 'problem'.

[@johntate5722]

Interesting comment Ivana. I too loved Randall as he weas a breath of fresh air in a fairly staid atmosphere of batting and bowling for England - he had a quality of unpredictability, real dash and of course talent. A bit like Tony Greig or John Snow. Yes I think he was dropped too often. You have to keep someone like that on board.

[@JP1234815]

@@johntate5722 Anyone who saw him play in the '85 Natwest final where he almost won Nottinghamshire the game from a seemingly dire situation will realise he was dropped by England too quickly. If he had let a wide delivery go by - who knows? Cricket is full of ifs and buts though.

[@paulcaswell2813]

Randall and Gower in the field - point and square leg. The number of runs saved by those two over the years - not to mention spectacular catches. Two of the greatest outfield cricketers England has known - and both forgotten, being remembered for their batting only.

[@g8ymw]

@@paulcaswell2813 Agreed, Arkle was brilliant in the field. As you said about Derek and David, when they were in the field, no-one dare try for the "crafty single" Nobody spoke about Derek's fielding skills but they did with Jonty Rhodes and I see Derek in Jonty's fielding especially the throw-ins demolishing the stumps (and yes both were twitchy fidgets)

[@paulcaswell2813]

Agreed 100%

[@KeefsCattys]

Unique talents that would transpose easily to our generation.. Superb watching Thanks

[@David_F579]

Thx for uploading. I remember it well - hard to believe it is > 30 years ago.

[@jshaers96]

Although Botham was (not unfairly) accused of slogging, his technique was highly orthodox and correct. Those big hits over the top were usually struck pretty crisply.

[@markbailey1970]

Incredible as it seems, this was Botham's last century in England and Randall's penultimate test in England.

[@davidbrooks187]

It was tough for Botham batting at number six or seven in the order. There are many occasions where alhe would come into the crease when he knew that he wouldn’t have a run out of partners or they were playing till the end of the day and then declaring et cetera so I believe that hinders Botham‘s batting average overall. But botham leads the world in era defining performances with the bat and also bowling, time and time again he did it during the era between 77 and 87 turning matches around from the brink of defeat.

[@crispybug]

Chris Tavare out for 4 runs So that probably took about an hour and a half to achieve!

[@mark.lawrence]

it did. i was there. gower in at no. 3 was wonderful. struck on the head but went on to make a stylish & effortless contribution of 72. those were the days. was there a more pleasing cover drive than gower?

[@bazzatheblue]

That looks a great days cricket,a full house,everyone is clearly enjoying it,the team are playing well,lovely.

[@Sreeprayag]

Great getting to see this video. Thanks for sharing Sean

[@exceltraining]

I know that technically they are probably a million miles away but Richard Hadlee's bowling action always seemed as beautiful as Dennis Lillee's

[@douglasporter3865]

I don't know about "a million miles away" - Hadlee was a high-class act and deserved to be mentioned in the same breath as Lillee. Someone said, I forget who, that batting against New Zealand at that time was like facing Lillee at one end and the Minor Counties at the other. But NZ were starting to get a bit of traction by the 1980s and these days of course they turn out plenty of good bowlers.

[@lightningleaf23]

Douglas Porter Graham gooch said words to that effect

[@douglasporter3865]

And to be honest, he'd the pedigree to be able to tell - he faced the highest quality quicks for getting on for 20 years.

[@kennethcrowther2277]

Oh simply bowlers of equal quality! Hadlee and Lillee! They approached bowling for the majority of their careers a little differently from each other. Lillee was a bit more about pace and intimidation for a bit longer in his test career. Hadlee went to his shorter run up before the half way point of his career although he didn't lose much pace and could still produce a thunderbolt when he wanted to. In fact that was one of his great and somewhat unmentioned assets - his ability to bowl the surprise quicker delivery aswell as the slower one. The result of being able to bowl so well within himself as the saying goes, ie not at full stretch all the time. Both fantastically great fast bowlers though, with consumate skill and control. Hadlee in fact always said that Lillee was his idol growing up, (Lillee being a little earlier although ofcourse their careers overlapped be a good few years with some great duels between the two of them) and that he modelled his action largely on Lillee's hence the apparent similarity. Very similar career stats also, except that Hadlee developed into a truly great genuine allrounder too. What a cricketer!

[@MrT67]

@@lightningleaf23 Gower said facing NZ was like facing Hadlee with the Illford second 11 at the other end.

[@captpicard6894]

Take out Gower, Lamb, and Botham and this really was a piss poor England side in 1983.

[@richardperry7834]

Remove three of the top six of any team has the same effect.

[@Yankeescouser]

I was there that day - on my honeymoon (she is a cricket fan) on our way to London!! ... this is the only footage i have found of it so thank you and please never take it down ... Cheers :-)

[@simongleaden2864]

I was there that day too, in the lower tier of the West Wing stand, to the left of the pavilion as you look towards the Radcliffe Road End. It was a great partnership to watch.

[@stinkycricket]

05:10 a reverse sweep eh! Back in 1983. Botham's in it years before the rest.

[@g8ymw]

Later on, he dragged a reverse sweep onto his stumps and got pilloried for it, conveniently forgetting how many runs he got

[@markweighell7894]

great upload Sean. Imagine if Botham had the fanatical dedication of Imran Khan who just got better and better as the years progressed. But he can still rightly claim legend status as surely Derek Randall can yep he too was my boyhood hero as a 10yr old I coudnt understand why the England selectors didn't understand the value of Randalls World class fielding batsmen would hesitate if he was in the covers he was next level. Batting wise never good enough as an opener but a superb no6. so always add minimum 10runs an innigs for his fielding and plus how it galvanises bowlers to see fielders flying through the air to pluck a catch out of the sky!! That's why De Villiers bats no6 in my world 11

[@gwynmaverickjames6098]

I met dickie bird in Asda Barnsley years ago,great character Richie benauds commentary and of course Ian botham on strike brilliant to watch

[@jandekker6055]

Trent Bridge almost unrecognisable in its pre-development state.

[@davel4708]

This was the series where NZ won their fist test in England. Ended up losing the series 3-1. Of course NZ came back in 1986 and won that series.

[@Eleventhearlofmars]

Imagine botham if he would of had the bat technology of today, no team would of stood a chance lol

[@eswaraprasadasarmamalladi1542]

Randall A VERY VERY LIKABLE PERSON in EVERY EVERY SENSE. Remembering his FAMOUS WORDS after the CENTENARY TEST in AUSTRALIA DENNIS LILLEY BOUNCERED AT HIM.

[@chrisl9620]

Randall...best fielder of his era..imo

[@g8ymw]

Equal to Jonty Rhodes, very rare he missed the stumps

[@paulcaswell2813]

Randall, Rhodes, and Gower. Magnificent outfield players.

[@nigelpoole216]

Randall was a delight to watch - all fidgets and mannerisms. There was a golden era of fielding when Randall was one side of the wicket and Gower was the other. Up until then fielding had been pedestrian - they took it to a new level and added a new dimension to the game. Graham Barlow was another great fielder from that era but he played far fewer tests. After a few years Gower decided he would rather watch from the slips than waste his energy in the field, but Randall kept tearing in, day in day out. I bet he’s the same even now ...Best fielder of his generation or perhaps any generation.

[@paulcaswell2813]

He and Jonty certainly. Forget the latter's dodgy past(!) as a fielder, only Derek got close.

[@nigelpoole216]

Paul Caswell I agree Jonty was brilliant and maybe better than Randall, but Rags was the first “modern day” fielder and always has an affectionate place in my heart. That England team had some strong characters and by his own admission he probably wasn’t one of the gang, but you can see that they still loved him because he made things happen, he was brave and not short on talent.

[@adrianollivierre9311]

My word I wish Botham was around today using these huge bats

[@robertshadbolt3056]

And smaller grounds.

[@davewilson9738]

Trent Bridge has changed so much!

[@dafyddmanton2981]

Interesting to note the quality of commentators. When Hadlee had a really faint chance of a catch he was praised, quite rightly, for a good effort. Today's over-critical, over-analytical word-mongers would have criticised, as they do almost every ball, either batsman, bowler, fielder or umpire.

[@IronMan-ho7vt]

The fielding standards of today have greatly improved. Fielders have almost superhuman abilities nowadays thanks to better training and nutrition. So if a modern day fielder had to drop the catch that Hadlee did back then, they would be rightfully criticized.

[@paulcaswell2813]

Benaud, Dexter, Arlott, and Compton made the finest commentary team the game ever had. A 'dead' match (one hour to go, one team needing 300 to win and the other eight or so wickets) was still made more than just 'watchable' by them. Whatever happened to the art of 'dry' humour.

[@missasinenomine]

8:24 Good throw from the slip.

[@hyena131]

missasinenomine Yes, Botham out twice.

[@ronsimpson1048]

how good to see the fielding side applauding 50's as well as tons.

[@Muesli711]

Sir Richard Hadlee bowling from a short run up is still my favourite bowling action..it's just pure poetry in motion.

[@jezzacc4241]

"That's safely away over the infield...and over the outfield...and into the crowd" Classic Richie 😁

[@tonto2455]

Great viewing and seeing the Great Richie Benaud.

[@philroberts1103]

Lovely to look back on the memories of 83, hot summer, brown as a berry. India winning the world cup. Then this great little series with New Zealand being our biatches in the cricket.

[@cquilty1]

Hadlee aside, a remarkably toothless bowling attack.

[@zabaleta66]

It was always a desperate measure when Coney was called on to bowl......he was however quite effective at picking up a breakthrough wicket, just not on this occasion. He described his own bowling as "autumn leaves", very apt.

[@paulcaswell2813]

Just like Boycott. Remember him bowling whilst wearing his cap!

[@cquilty1]

@distantvoices I have forgotten and will take your word for it, though I guarantee you they didn't win on the strength of their bowling. It's common knowledge in Kiwi history that old 'Paddles' had to carry the brunt of the NZ bowling attack.

[@cquilty1]

@@paulcaswell2813 Yes! Boycott with cap and short run with his gentle inswingers would often pick up wickets. I used to captain a cricket side back in the day and we had our own 'Boycott.' A lovely Indian chap called Nand who uses to bowl the gentlest of deliveries from a two step run and often get a breakthrough. I nicknamed him 'the secret weapon.' His success was perhaps to over confidence of the batsman, overconfidence that produced an error.

[@paulcaswell2813]

It doesn't matter how one takes wickets - as long as one takes them!

[@justinshaw3491]

The biggest drawback to Botham's batting was that he always tried to dismantle the batsman on the other side who had no chance to react!!!

[@cmartin_ok]

35 years on and we're still waiting for "the next Ian Botham" :-(

[@zabaleta66]

That was Flintoff. Botham was a better bat....Flintoff a better bowler but he's as close as you'll get.

[@Sensabaugh]

zabaleta Stokes

[@TheJonkerr7]

Ben Stokes is pretty damn good!!!

[@philipraiswell3570]

Batting in a floppy sun hat against Richard Hadlee!

[@ynotnilknarf39]

More dangerous batting with a helmet as proven by the stats, don't believe the BS spouted about safety getting better with helmets (in any sport/activity) it's simply not there.

[@paulcaswell2813]

I remember Boycott being hit on the shoulder once. He just gave the bowler (can't remember who) a wry smile, and cracked the next ball for four! Today he'd be off for an x-ray and gawd knows what!

[@godsstruggler8783]

Batted against Lillie and Thompson without a helmet, swatting the ball off his eyebrows into the crowd many times.

[@Eleventhearlofmars]

@@paulcaswell2813 they’d be asking him a series of questions like who the present prime minister is and what day is it and what’s his mother’s name and what colour bog roll does he wipe his arse with?! 😂

[@paulcaswell2813]

@@Eleventhearlofmars ROFL

[@barry607]

Derek and Roger Harper best feilders I've ever seen

[@whatsmylogin]

At 5:11 Botham does a nice reverse sweep, and the way the commentators reacted suggested that the shot was not new in 1983. I would be curious if anyone can give info on when people started reverse sweeping in international cricket. I don't know if the shot existed in the 60s.

[@oichemra]

whatsmylogin it was Pakistani batsman Mustaq Mohammad played the shot first in 60’s

[@converse91970]

whatsmylogin Apparently England’s Denis Compton was a specialist at the reverse sweep back in the 50s.

[@jonathanellis1797]

Gatting used to do it quite regularly to left-arm spinners who were turning the ball away from him - he did it several times to Ravi Shastri when scoring his double-hundred in India in 1984. Not so often to off-spinners: Botham was one of the few who would play a reverse sweep *against* the spin, as he did in this clip against the off-spinner Bracewell - a bowler whose natural direction of turn was towards the batsman rather than away.

[@darkarts59]

A useful 4 from Tavare.

[@Spectrescup]

Off 106 balls, mind

[@cquilty1]

@@Spectrescup 106 balls??!! He must have been in attack mode that day.

[@chrishearfield234]

@@cquilty1 he was really cutting loose going for his shots

[@shanthoshable]

He was the virender sehwag of 80s😯❤️

[@EdnaMillion.]

Jim Laker was the voice of cricket for me.

[@justinshaw3491]

I think that Sehwag learned by watching Botham. Like Richie Benaud said - what an unorthodox stoke to bring up his hundred. Sehwag had a few of those himself..

[@alunevans2377]

Remember watching this

[@andypalin3287]

Great memories from BBC days!

[@roybennett4445]

When king botham ruled the world

[@05jenjo]

My mum loved George Best , my hero was Ian Botham

[@terranceparsons5185]

The best of both(am) worlds then! Sorry!

[@EarlJohn61]

And this was the problem that NZ had at that time... Hadlee, a champion fast bowler, one of the first I'd be picking if I could pick a team of all time greats... Snedden, a useful first change bowler... Cairns, a lively part-time bowler... Bracewell, an acceptable off spinner (the ONLY real support that Hadlee had)... Coney & Gray, batsmen who were borderline change bowlers, useful if you want to swap the end someone is bowling from... They just didn't have a second opening/strike bowler and so all the others had to be promoted to above their competency level

[@jonathanellis1797]

Gray wasn't even really a batsman, he was a bits-and-pieces all-rounder, neither really one thing nor the other. Coney at least was worth his place as a front-line batsman. Cairns was also a specialist bowler, not a part-timer, but tended to blow hot and cold. When he was good, he was very, very good - it was his bowling, on a day when Hadlee failed, that bowled England out in the first innings and won the Headingley Test earlier in this series. But he could also be awful, as he was on this day. New Zealand also had Ewan Chatfield as a good back-up bowler and Hadlee's most reliable partner - when fit: he had taken 5 in the second innings of the Headingley Test. Unfortunately he wasn't playing in this Test: having taken 10 wickets in his last 3 innings, one can only assume he was injured rather than dropped, and this was why Snedden was playing in this match instead of him.

[@kennethcrowther2277]

Jonathan Ellis Thank you! Absolutely right on all counts. Largely the corrective statement I was about to write but you've done for me already! Good point about Cairns. He could be mediocre on his off days thanks in part to his lack of pace, although 130 test wickets at 32 isn't to be sneezed at. But when he was at his skillful best he showed just how pace isn't everything. He swung and seamed the ball brilliantly and did have a quicker ball that was probably medium fast as opposed to military medium. He could vary his pace very well. He also had a good slow genuine leggy. Also a good point about Evan Gray being a bowling allrounder in fact. He was actually a pretty decent left arm orthodox spinner with a very good New Zealand first class record. He didn't get many chances at test level and virtually none on a responsive turning pitch. He often didn't make the test team though because if they wanted a left arm spinner they usually picked Stephen Boock who was a better bowler still, with great control over his flight and changes of pace. Not quite in the Vettori class but (although hard to compare across different eras) maybe not to far behind. Boock himself didn't get selected often also because with usually room in the side for only one spinner the man most favoured was off spinner John Bracewell, and for good reason I'd say, as he could be a genuine match winner with the ball aswell as being a lower order batsman who scored a test hundred and 4 fifties and an excellent 2nd slip fieldsman. Coney was ofcourse a very good batsman, (especially when under pressure) and a truly great 2nd slipper. Also a very good and astute captain when his time came and a funny bowler. So slow but usually very accurate and could move it about a bit. Perhaps the original kiwi dibbly-dobbly bowler. A thing of the past now ofcourse with better NZ bowling stocks and faster and better pitches.

[@SPQRTempus]

@@jonathanellis1797 Indeed, the Hadlee/Chatfield combination had a lot of synergy. Hadlee always said that Chatfield's unerring accuracy dried the runs up at one end which meant he could attack at the other.

[@dlamiss]

Always felt NZ in the late 70s to late 80s had the players to win a world cup. Plenty of bits and pieces players who on their day could trouble any team in a one day match and were probably unlucky not to win it as they were in 2019

[@aryawartaabhishek6654]

Cricketers with mustash missing these days 😔😔😔

[@frankmimnagh420]

Well batted, Rags!

[@jandekker6055]

Interesting that Randall's back foot often went to square leg. Usually, that's fatal - you end up squirting to gully.

[@Ingens_Scherz]

Or leathering it waist-high to extra cover, it seems. So even with his bizarre technical evolution, Randall was still bloody good ;)

[@jandekker6055]

It didn't hinder Clive Lloyd either. Check out the 1976 World Cup vids and his back foot moves to leg as the bowler bowls. Natural talent will out, I guess.

[@quick46]

Randall started out shuffling across, but the constant barrage from fast bowling meant his bottle had gone after 2/3 years & he started shimmying to square leg, it began in the 79 winter tour to Australia & he was never the same player at the top level after that. That said he was & always will be my favourite England batsman, a joy to watch when he was timing it, better than Gower imo.

[@roybennett4445]

Great to see sun hats in vogue

[@anthonylamacchia5746]

Watching Randall is like watching Roman Atkinson play Mr Bean.

[@nowhereman5119]

Hardly saw Randall - it was mostly Botham - yet they reached 50's almost at the same time. Apart from Hadlee - the fielding was completely pedestrian by today's standards.

[@flash8854]

Good old days!!

[@zabaleta66]

Fidgety old Derek Randall.....Lance Cairns and his oddball bowling action.....Botham all swashbuckling batting.....Hadlee a fine tuned menace. Before it all got so....serious!

[@theglumrant9477]

Some great comment and analysis here. I’m no cricket expert but I do remember this innings as it happened. Don’t want to put a dampener on it but how would you describe the bowling attack? Some lovely half-vollies being served up there

[@stepheng8779]

How good did Trent Bridge look 👍 Now it's the size of a postage stamp, ruined.

[@missasinenomine]

7:09 What's "beautifully unorthodox" about it? A cover drive?

[@VK.Babu1]

Botham🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@johnnykama8356]

Seeing a lot of similarity in style between Randall and Steve Smith... not as as many runs obvs

[@grantss1]

The scorecard: www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/current/match/63346.html Convincing win for England, in the end.

[@ds1868]

LBW decision against Botham at 8:20 going way down the leg side. Poor decision by the umpire.

[@TheGilbalfas]

Well batted

[@MichaelCampin]

Arkle and Beefy playing together

[@roybennett4445]

Wow warren lees...thats going back

[@huepix]

Very dodgy lbw for botham. When Randall was on form he was great to eatch

[@jonathanellis1797]

Not sure it was dodgy - it was off the back pad and going on to hit the stumps, the only question was whether the impact was in front of the stumps (definitely out) or outside off (since the latter would have meant Not Out, since Botham was obviously playing a stroke) - Botham was moving forward, down the ground and towards the off side, but most of his movement came after the ball was already gone, and the ball may have actually hit him before he got clear of off stump. But anyway, Botham came several yards down the pitch, and you just see in the background while the umpire is raising his finger, first slip throwing the stumps down behind him. So if it wasn't LBW, he was out Run Out anyway.

[@womba68]

@@jonathanellis1797 that is the worst analysis of an lbw decision i've ever heard/read. i thought it was dodgy too so watched it back and paused the video on point of impact. botham has not come down the wicket at all, he is swinging to leg from the crease, and as the ball hits him you can see the off and middle stumps so it definitely didn't hit him outside off stump. it hit him in line with middle and leg and would have gone on to miss or clip leg stump. probably would be an umpire's call these days.

[@zabaleta66]

That was plumb.

[@chokurei38]

I’ve taken 3 snapshots from the video it looks poor decision . Angle of delivery and impact is in line with about leg stump .

[@tobysmith2577]

The Jonty Rhodes of his time, couldn't bat, couldnt bowl but by christ he could field!!!!!!

[@hyena131]

Toby Smith Who are you referring to?