My Two Cents: Head On - Botham's Biography

with his family

Interesting read...more so for those of us who grew up in the era of the great all-rounder - Botham, Hadlee, Imran & Kapil (alphabetic order) a breed that has been rare over the years in cricket and for four to play in the same era was something indeed. The book has been largely about himself and English cricket as it ought to be...no pot shots aimed at publicity. Many a times it is about giving his version to popular controversies at that time (Also realize how much of that actually got carried in the Indian press).

The book captures the era and the life style of then well, reading the book just after McEnroe's biography could not help drawing on some of the similarities. In many ways Botham and many others of that time have straddled two era's - the more carefree time and the more hard-nosed and professional times we are in now. A natural athlete, a great cricketer, played soccer at a fairly decent level (for however short a time it might have been). He surely would qualify as a genius, maverick of world cricket (a la Keith Miller).

Unlike the trend of today to rake up controversies - more India centric ones to ensure sales. This book hardly has much mention of India - (but for a test in Bombay he played after being plastered the previous night) or Indians.

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He has not avoided controversies, having said that he has owned up to no new sins. In the controversies proven or otherwise, he has put forward his versions. Call me naive if you like, for some reason tend to believe his version over the tabloid. That is not tough i guess, given the nature of tabloid press in UK (sadly which we seem to be fast imbibing and synthesising into our system).

The part describing his childhood and his early career makes for a fascinating read....