Headingley 81. Botham looks back 40 years on
Test Match Special
BBC
4.4 • 2.3K Ratings
🗓️ 27 August 2021
⏱️ 28 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Sir Ian Botham joins Eleanor Oldroyd to remember the incredible Test match of 1981 when England produced an amazing fightback to win, despite being forced to follow on.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, Podcasts. |
| 0:15.2 | 1981 and Britain is in turmoil. |
| 0:18.1 | IRA bombs, rising unemployment and riots across the country. |
| 0:22.5 | The worst of the rioting came just after dawn, |
| 0:25.0 | when police faced a hail of stones, bottles, |
| 0:27.6 | iron bars and petrol bombs. |
| 0:30.0 | The missiles were hurled from behind barricades |
| 0:32.1 | of upturned and burning cars. |
| 0:34.3 | Away from the depressing headlines, |
| 0:36.0 | England's cricketers were doing little |
| 0:37.7 | to lift the national mood. |
| 0:39.4 | When they failed to win either of the first two |
| 0:41.5 | ashes test matches, |
| 0:42.8 | Ian Botham resigned the caps and see |
| 0:45.0 | and Mike Brealy took over. |
| 0:46.6 | The third test started in the same fashion. |
| 0:49.0 | England were forced to follow on |
| 0:50.4 | after being bolded out by Australia for just 174. |
| 0:54.2 | Newspapers were full of angry columns |
| 0:56.2 | about yet another timid surrender to England's oldest rival. |
| 1:00.3 | But sometimes, sport doesn't follow the script. |
| 1:03.1 | The headlines would have to be rewritten. |
... |
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