London, Aug 16: One of the greatest cricketing all-rounders of all time, Sir Ian Botham went all out in his praise of the England team as they claimed the No. 1 position in the ICC Test Cricket ratings for the first time since they were instituted.
Botham wrote in his column in an English daily, “The feel good factor is back in English cricket and it is here to stay for a long while yet […] England are No. 1 for a reason; they have been magnificent now for more than two years and their success should run and run. They will never get bored no one gets bored of winning.”
“I don't want to hear how poor India have been or how world cricket is at a lower standard than ever before. Poppycock,” he remarked after the hosts beat India at Edgbaston to win the four-match Test series 3-0 with one game to go.
Buoyed by his team’s success, Botham went on to say, “There was nothing poor about Sachin Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh chasing down 380-odd two-and-a-half years ago. Nor was there anything poor about Dale Steyn & Co. giving it everything they had just over a year ago. England have earned the right to be No. 1 and they have done it by playing the best cricket.
“It is not about others’ failings, it is about England's brilliance. And thanks to the best team in the world, I can walk in and out of grounds with my chin up and my chest out,” added the proud Englishman.
“It might sound strange, but I was not always able to do that as a follower of this cricket team. So now I can, it is a great feeling,” the 55-year-old wrote.
Revelling in the long-awaited success of the England team, Botham continued, “There were times when I would arrive at grounds all over the world to commentate and be given short shrift by my fellow pundits from rival countries. They would enjoy a bit of mickey-taking and old-fashioned banter because my team were being soundly beaten on a regular basis.
“Even though I hoped things would change, they did not for a long time. I’d have to leave grounds out of a back or side door to avoid abuse from the crowds, both English and opposition, as they vented their frustrations or laughed at another poor performance by our boys.”
“I believe they have been on top for a while with the sort of cricket they played in Australia, and I don't need a table to tell me how good a team is in comparison to others, but now it is in black and white,” he remarked.
“There is no more debate to be had; they are the best. The only question to be asked now is how long will they stay at the top. I have no doubt that it will be for at least a few years, if not for the sort of time enjoyed by the great West Indies and Australian sides of their eras.
“That type of record is a long way off and it will take some doing to get themselves into that category.
“But I think this England team are more than capable of doing it and more importantly other teams think they just might as well. The way they demolished India in the last three games, and in the most recent one at Edgbaston in particular, was so clinical and professional it left you wondering how any side can beat them,” he said.
He did, however, leave some room for a late comeback from the battered Indian side. “It was a mauling from start to finish and if India have even an ounce of fight left in them, they will give their all at the Oval because no side wants to leave a tour on that note.”
Botham rates this effort by England very highly in the context of other wins. “This was against the world’ s previous No. 1 side, so if they are able to do that to India after doing what they did to Australia in the winter, then the sky is the limit for this team. The key to their success has been their work ethic and Andy Flowers leadership,” he elaborated.
“The players will always be the most important part of any cricket team, but gone are the days when the coach was what took you to and from the ground. Flower has led this group superbly,” he said, acknowledging the former Zimbabwe cricketer’s role in England’s rise to the top.
“With captain Andrew Strauss, he has created the perfect environment for the players, who now play the game with a smile on their faces. And that is a winning combination. ”
