Thursday 23rd February, 2012 13 Sir – Man with a golden heart Zealand, Australia, the West an Terrence Indies, India, ‘Beefy’ Pakistan and Sri Lanka. IBotham was born on 24th Attacking artist November 1955. He is the Vivian Richards leading English While playing for all-rounder with Somerset, Botham met 5200 runs and 300 the great Vivan Test . Due to Richards, who was born his brilliant perform- in Antigua and made BY PREMASARA ance in winning the his Test debut in 1974 EPASINGHE Ashes in 1981, the series and captained the West Indies from 1985 to 1991. was christened as the 120 catches. He bowled 21.815 He played County for ‘Botham Ashes’. Further, he balls, gave away 10.878 runs and Somerset (1974-1986) and was the first player to achieve captured 383 wickets. In 1979, he Glamorgan (1990-93) and in the of 5000 Test runs and became the first player to score Australia, for Queensland (1976- 300 Test wickets. He held 120 a and capture 10 1977). Richards retired from catches. wickets in a Test. In 1981, he in 1991. His father was Les Botham, single-handedly helped Richards was the greatest a Fleet Art Petty Officer. His England regain the attacking batsman of his mother was Marie. Even as a Ashes, scoring 149 not generation. Vivian child, he was extraordinarily out, at Headingly. Richards became the playful and mischievous. With He was the ‘Star first West Indies the new-born baby, the parents of the Eighties’. player to make 180 moved into Navy married quar- His best all centuries in first ters in Londonderry. From his round performance class cricket. childhood, Ian took a liking to was against India, Botham and cricket and football. As both Les when he captured 13 Richards are and Marie took part in sports, it wickets and scored a life-long ran in Ian Botham’s blood too. swashbuckling century. Les played football for friends. In Combined Services in Hull City. fact, they are so close Send your mother-in-law to Ian’s beloved mum played hock- Pakistan ey and badminton. Ian’s sister that Vivian This lovable crick- was Dale was also an active Richards is eter is a great sportsperson. the ‘God- Father’ of humorist. After a Leadership qualities from Somerset Botham’s son, Pakistan tour, he made childhood under Brain Liam. a sarcastic remark about From his childhood, Ian close. He was A True Friend – A friend Pakistani umpires. “If you displayed leadership qualities. his mentor, in need have a mother-in-law, send her He became an inspirational philosopher When Somerset sacked to play cricket in Pakistan,” he leader in cricket and humanitar- and guide. Vivian Richards and Joel said. ian activities. He always pre- His Garner, the giant West But Botham had to eat his ferred to face challenges. coach was golden heart and a ‘Good TV. Indies paceman on a mat- own words. If my memory Undoubtedly, he is a great sport- Tom Samaritan’, who started the ter of principle, Botham serves me right, it was at a ing legend. Cartwright. Leukemia Research Fund. In Botham Knighted too resigned from World Cup match I witnessed in Ian, at the age of even At a very early 1977, his life changed when he June 18, 2002, is a red-letter Somerset. This showed Australia in 1987. Botham was entered Milford Junior School. age, he faced the leg- saw the innocent sweet little day for Botham. On this day, Ian his gentlemanly char- unfortunate against Australia. He learned his basics in cricket endary fast bowler kids who suffered from was knighted for the services he acter. After leaving He was out to a poor decision at from the Deputy Head Master from the West Indies leukemia, at Musgrove Park rendered for cricket and charity. Somerset, Botham the hands of a New Zealand and Prefect-of-Games, Richard , who was Hospital, Taunton. That moti- For both Sir Ian Botham and played for umpire. A reputed Pakistan Habbit. playing for Hampshire. vated him to start a fund. Lady Kate Botham, it would Worcestershire, player said; “I think it is high He played junior cricket at The Somerset- This icon walked a dis- have been a double celebration, (1986-1991). time Ian sent his beloved moth- Milford Junior School and Hampshire, match was a tance of 874 miles in 36 days and as Sir Ian’s beloved mother, Then he er-in-law to play cricket in New showed promise. From his child- thriller. In that match, Botham raised one million pounds Marie celebrated her 81st birth- played for Zealand.” hood days, he had an ambition sustained a nasty injury, off the to start a Leukemia Research day. Queensland to be a professional sportsman. bowling of Roberts. With last Institute in the UK. After 14 He was awarded an (1988), a Hanging up his boots In 1969, he represented the man Bob Clapp in, Somerset years, on 11th October 1999, 43- Honorary Degree by the state in Botham played 20 years of Somerset Under-15 team. Later, needed seven runs. Botham year-old Ian Botham, walked for University of Glasgow. Further, North cricket and ‘threw in his towel’. he was selected to play for hoisted a six in the last over, 33 days with former Sri Lanka Scotland’s Glasgow LRF East During his great career, he England Public Schools. third ball, and won the match coach Tom Moody. This charity Laboratories was named after Australia. In scored more than 20,000 runs, At a very young age, and remained 45 . It was walk resulted in collecting more Sir Ian. 1992-1993, Botham played for captured more than 12,000 wick- Somerset recommended Botham a swashbuckling . At the than 4000 pounds. This Durham. ets and held more than 350 for a coaching stint at Lord’s. He age of 20, Botham became a great personality and catches. was under chief coach Tom hero. his beloved wife, Kathy Muncer. He made it to the Botham’s amazing statistics What a great all-rounder, and children dedicated who went on to England. Somerset team through sheer Botham–Richards, lifelong combi- Ian Botham played in 102 their lives to this wor- Tests. In 161 innings, he He was a keen soccerite too. thy cause. hard work and determination. nation remained unbeaten six times. During the off-season, he played After retiring from Botham played his first for Scunthorpe FC. Brian Close – Mentor, Philosopher He scored 5200 runs. His highest cricket, he took to com- Test against Australia. His cap- Test score was 208 at an average mentating and today he and Guide tain was . Later, of 33.54. He scored 14 centuries Leukemia Research Trust Fund is one of the leading Ian Botham played for Botham played against New and 22 half centuries. He held Ian Botham is a man with a commentators at Sky Women more likely to have deadly ‘silent’ heart attacks only 3.7 per cent who experienced chest pain died in hospital, the mortality rate for those who felt no chest pain was 16.1 per cent. For men under 65 the figures were 2.4 per cent and 12.5 per cent respectively. Writing in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), the academ- ics noted: “Younger women presenting without chest pain had greater hospital mortality than younger men without chest pain.” Cathy Ross, Senior Cardiac Nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said: “Contrary to popu- lar belief, a heart Women might suffer from fewer heart attacks than men, but when they do they tend to be attack doesn’t neces- more deadly. sarily mean dramat- ic and excruciating Middle-aged women who suffer heart ual male and female heart attack patients chest pains. attacks are 60 per cent more likely to are examined, the picture is quite different. “Symptoms die from them than male victims, the Among more than 400,000 such middle- vary; for some the largest study of its kind shows. aged heart attack patients that researchers pain is severe and looked at, 4.2 per cent of 292,000 men died yet others may feel BY STEPHEN ADAMS in hospital, and 6.8 per cent of 108,000 nothing more than a women. mild discomfort or hey tend to have more deadly ‘silent’ In relative terms, that meant female heaviness. The most heart attacks and consequently fail to heart attack patients under 65 were about important thing to Tcall a doctor in time, according to US 60 per cent more likely to die. remember is if you research. Younger female patients in particular think you’re having Taking absolute numbers, men under were much more likely than male patients a heart attack, call 65 are almost three times more likely to to have ‘silent’ heart attacks without chest 999.” have a heart attack than women of the pain, that carry a much greater risk of © The same age. death. Telegraph Group But if the survival chances of individ- Among female patients under 65, while London 2012