Famous Cricketers No 83 - Ian Botham

39. Somerset v Essex, Taunton, September 3, 4, 5 (Match drawn) b K.D.Boyce 17 297 11 1 30 1 B.R.Hardie c D.J.S.Taylor 301-5d b D.L.Acfield 10 265-9d 8 2 15 2 B.E.A.Edmeades c I.V.A.Richards 187-9 1 J.K.Lever b 40. Somerset v Glamorgan, Taunton, September 13, 15, 16 (Match drawn) did not bat - 250-5c 8 2 15 0 255 1 b R.C.Davis 45 215-8d 14 1 40 3 A.Jones c P.W.Denning 120-4 1 R.C.Davis c D.J.S.Taylor L.W.Hill b SEASON’S AVERAGES Batting and Fielding M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct Championship 20 32 3 499 65 17.20 - 2 18 Other Somerset matches 2 4 1 85 44 28.33 - - - Season 22 36 4 584 65 18.25 - 2 18 Career 40 65 7 1025 65 17.67 - 3 33 Bowling O M R W BB Ave 5i 10m Strike RunR Championship 541.2 117 1527 58 5/69 26.32 1 - 56.00 47.01 Other Som matches 64.1 15 177 4 3/53 44.25 - - 96.25 45.97 Season 605.3 132 1704 62 5/69 27.48 1 - 58.59 46.90 Career 896.3 204 2443 92 5/59 26.55 2 - 58.46 45.41 1976 The 1976 season saw Ian Botham’s entry onto the International stage with two one-day games for England against West Indies, games that will be dealt with fully in the One-Day section of this book. For Somerset he hit 1000 runs in a season for the first time, benefiting from a move up the batting order. At Trent Bridge, against Nottinghamshire, he hit his maiden first-class hundred, carrying on to 167 not out, an innings that contained six 6s and twenty 4s. All this after he had hit 80 in the Somerset first innings. At Taunton he hit two 6s and twelve 4s in scoring 88 against Leicestershire. He took sixty-six wickets which included a career best six for 16 against Hampshire at Bournemouth and eleven wickets in the match against Gloucestershire at Taunton for 150 runs in 53.2 overs. Sixteen catches added to his all-round contribution. He finished third in the batting averages for the Championship and second in the bowling. Own Team O M R W Opp Ct Total Total 41. Somerset v Cambridge University, Fenner’s, April 21, 22, 23 (Match drawn) not out 16 301-5d 18.3 2 75 4 A.J.Hignell c D.Breakwell 244 C.N.Boyns c D.J.S.Taylor C.S.Bannister lbw M.E.Allbrook c D.J.S.Taylor not out 6 148-4d 6 0 22 0 203-7 1 42. Somerset v Hampshire, Taunton, April 28, 29, 30 (Match drawn) c R.S.Herman b P.J.Sainsbury 9 299-8c 28 4 79 1 B.A.Richards c D.J.S.Taylor 258-6c did not bat - 127-1 23 5 76 2 T.E.Jesty c D.J.S.Taylor 285-9d R.M.C.Gilliat b 43. Somerset v Glamorgan, Cardiff, May 5, 6, 7 (Somerset won by five wickets) lbw b J.W.Solanky 1 164 16 4 43 4 A.Jones c D.J.S.Taylor 134 1 M.J.Llewellyn c D.J.S.Taylor L.W.Hill c D.J.S.Taylor J.W.Solanky b did not bat - 246-5 37 7 103 4 G.P.Ellis c G.I.Burgess 273 1 Majid J.Khan c D.J.S.Taylor M.J.Llewellyn c P.W.Denning L.W.Hill c D.J.S.Taylor 9