NEW DELHI: When the England cricket team toured India in 1982, had lost in both Tests and ODIs. But a few months later, they were presented with a chance to take revenge straightaway with a return series.
Despite Dilip Vengsarkar’s century, England rode on the pace mastery of captain Bob Willis and Ian Botham to post a win in the first Test at Lord’s.
A high-scoring draw ensued in Manchester in a match curtailed by rain.
The third Test at the Oval saw Botham, in a never-ending purple patch, setting a new record for the fastest double century, in 220 balls.
The match also saw a blistering 97 off 93 balls by Kapil Dev as it ended in a draw.
But Botham was not just heading towards a record breaking performance, he was smashing bones too.
He broke Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar’s tibia with a ferocious shot, adding to India’s misery.
With Botham in a ferocious mood, Gavaskar was fielding at silly point and then the England all-rounder smashed a drive off Ravi Shastri into the left leg of Gavaskar, who was immediately taken off from the field with what was later revealed as a broken tibia above the left ankle.
“I knew I’d hit it hard. I’m sorry to have put Sunny out of the Test,” Botham is reported to have said at the close of play.
England won the 3-match series 1-0.
Despite Dilip Vengsarkar’s century, England rode on the pace mastery of captain Bob Willis and Ian Botham to post a win in the first Test at Lord’s.
A high-scoring draw ensued in Manchester in a match curtailed by rain.
The third Test at the Oval saw Botham, in a never-ending purple patch, setting a new record for the fastest double century, in 220 balls.
The match also saw a blistering 97 off 93 balls by Kapil Dev as it ended in a draw.
But Botham was not just heading towards a record breaking performance, he was smashing bones too.
He broke Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar’s tibia with a ferocious shot, adding to India’s misery.
With Botham in a ferocious mood, Gavaskar was fielding at silly point and then the England all-rounder smashed a drive off Ravi Shastri into the left leg of Gavaskar, who was immediately taken off from the field with what was later revealed as a broken tibia above the left ankle.
“I knew I’d hit it hard. I’m sorry to have put Sunny out of the Test,” Botham is reported to have said at the close of play.
England won the 3-match series 1-0.
