A fair assessment, I think. Comparisons of innings are ridiculous as there are so many variables, but I think Stokes’ innings at Headingley was greater than Botham’s.
My main hobbyhorse in this area is Botham’s early bowling (circa ‘78-79). He was an exceptionally brilliant swing bowler before he put on weight and his back went. Superior to Jimmy Anderson, in fact, but only for 2-3 years, when Jimmy did it for 20 (though at his best post-35, which Botham, flies undone and all, certainly wasn’t).
You're right that his batting outweighs his bowling but my best "live" viewing of him was the 6-36 off 21 at Trent Bridge in 2015. You could almost feel the ball hooping in the dark, muggy atmosphere, over after over. Of course, it's overshadowed by Broad the day before...
The late Richie Benaud would have loved Captain Stokes who seems an amalgam of Brearley and Illingworth-the former's emotional intelligence and the latter's "canniness". Arguably Stokes is one of the most consequential England players of the past three generations.
A fair assessment, I think. Comparisons of innings are ridiculous as there are so many variables, but I think Stokes’ innings at Headingley was greater than Botham’s.
My main hobbyhorse in this area is Botham’s early bowling (circa ‘78-79). He was an exceptionally brilliant swing bowler before he put on weight and his back went. Superior to Jimmy Anderson, in fact, but only for 2-3 years, when Jimmy did it for 20 (though at his best post-35, which Botham, flies undone and all, certainly wasn’t).
You're right that his batting outweighs his bowling but my best "live" viewing of him was the 6-36 off 21 at Trent Bridge in 2015. You could almost feel the ball hooping in the dark, muggy atmosphere, over after over. Of course, it's overshadowed by Broad the day before...
The late Richie Benaud would have loved Captain Stokes who seems an amalgam of Brearley and Illingworth-the former's emotional intelligence and the latter's "canniness". Arguably Stokes is one of the most consequential England players of the past three generations.
yep, would agree with that...