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Having a well-known sporting surname could be a daunting prospect for some, however James Botham clearly isn’t fazed. On Tuesday, the Cardiff Blues flanker earned his maiden call-up to the Wales rugby squad forward of the weekend’s Autumn’s Nations Cup. James is the grandson of former England cricketing legend Ian and son of Liam, an ex-Cardiff winger. The 22-year-old’s elevation is a glowing testomony to the legacy of the Bothams – a household whose three generations have performed sport at the elite degree.
Ian Botham, the cricketer
From 1977 — when he made his worldwide debut in opposition to Australia at Trent Bridge — to 1986, Ian Botham was arguably one among the best all-rounders in world cricket. Injuries and a drastic dip in kind could have curtailed his prowess in the direction of the finish of his profession, however having featured in 102 Tests, he’s nonetheless thought of to be one among England’s best cricketers. For somebody, who may hardly put a foot fallacious on the cricket discipline, it’s scarcely plausible that at one stage, he was confused between changing into a cricketer and a footballer. That’s as a result of between taking wickets and scoring lots of for Somerset, a younger Ian was additionally making waves enjoying league soccer for Scunthorpe. Ultimately, it was on his father’s recommendation that he dropped the concept of pursuing soccer as a profession.
Liam: Cricketer, rugby participant and a footballer
When requested about his 6-year-old son Liam’s sporting ambitions, father Ian had famously quipped: “A cheeky bugger who reckons he is going to be better than his old man.” Since then, there was little doubt about his profession trajectory. In reality, for a fleeting second, it seemed like Liam would surpass his illustrious father’s feats on the cricket discipline. On his first-class debut as an 18-year-old medium-pacer for Hampshire, he would go on to choose 5 wickets, together with that of former England captain and his father’s team-mate Mike Gatting. Surprisingly, Liam rapidly realised that cricket was not his calling. In 1997, at the age of 20, he signed up for Rugby Union membership West Hartlepool, the place he performed as a fullback. Three years later, he shifted base to Cardiff to play for Cardiff RFC, a workforce that by the way can be the predecessors to the Blues.
Disillusioned by the Rugby Union, Liam shifted his allegiance to the Rugby League in 2003, when he inked a dual-code contract with the Leeds Rhinos. Ultimately, at the age of 28, a neck damage ended Liam’s profession. From a cricketer to a Rugby Union participant to Rugby League footballer, Liam dabbled in three various sporting disciplines.
James, the Welsh rugby participant
Father Liam’s days as a Cardiff winger meant James would crisscross between the Welsh capital and Caerleon throughout his childhood. This not solely strengthened his resolve to decide on rugby as a profession, however it will additionally play a key function in strengthening the love for his Welsh roots. It’s one thing that his grandfather would attest. “I remember my wife Kath decorating a bedroom at home for Jimbo (James) when he was little…it had to be red, have three feathers and we would have some rugby posts in a barn that we had. He’s always said that he’s Welsh,” Ian Botham had advised Wales Online.
In an interview with The Guardian, Ian would comment about his grandson: “He has the same single-mindedness and determination that I had.” Little marvel then that with all this expertise, household legacy and dollops of willpower, James has seamlessly graduated via the ranks to earn a call-up to the Wales rugby squad.
© The Indian Express (P) Ltd
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