After Headingley and Edgbaston, Ian Botham completed his 1981 trilogy with 118 at Old Trafford — six sixes off Dennis Lillee and Terry Alderman, and a hundred from 86 balls that many called the greatest Ashes innings ever played.
England led 2-1 going into the fifth Test; a draw or win would retain the urn.
Botham came in at 104/5 in the second innings with a lead of just 205.
England were 104 for 5 in their second innings, only 205 ahead, when Botham came in. He left the new ball alone for a while, blocked the spinners, then unleashed himself when Australia took the second new ball. Lillee bounced him; Botham hooked him for six. Alderman bounced him; Botham hooked him for six. Two more sixes followed off Lillee. In the space of one over Botham went from a measured 30 not out to a counter-attack that eventually yielded 118 from 102 balls with six sixes and 13 fours. Chris Tavare offered 78 from a numbing 289 balls at the other end, providing the perfect foil. England set Australia 506 and won by 103 runs to retain the Ashes. Wisden's centenary editor John Woodcock later called the innings 'the most memorable I have ever seen at Old Trafford' and many Australians, including Lillee himself, have said it was the best Test innings of the era.
Cautious start — 28 off 53 balls
Six off Lillee over the keeper
Six off Alderman over square leg
Hundred reached from 86 balls
Six sixes total in the innings
Day 4 morning
England 104/5 in second innings
Botham enters
Cautious start
Second new ball
Six sixes off Lillee and Alderman
Day 4 close
Botham 118; England 401-6
Day 6
Australia all out chasing 506; England retain Ashes
“I have never bowled at anyone who took me apart like that.”
“It was a privilege to be at the other end and watch.”
England won by 103 runs, retained the Ashes, and Botham was awarded a second consecutive Man of the Match.
The third pillar of 'Botham's Ashes' and an innings widely cited as the greatest Test hundred ever played.
Statistically, the second fifty came off 37 balls — the fastest in Ashes history at the time. Many ex-players, including Lillee and Marsh, named it the best innings they ever bowled at.
Yorkshire v Essex
1932-06-16
On 15-16 June 1932 Herbert Sutcliffe (313) and Percy Holmes (224*) put on 555 for the first wicket against Essex at Leyton, breaking the world first-class record for any wicket and adding a layer of folklore — including a scoreboard that read 554 for several minutes and a hastily reversed declaration — that has clung to the partnership ever since.
Australia v England
1933-02-14
With the fate of the Bodyline series in the balance and England 216 for 6 chasing 340, Eddie Paynter checked himself out of a Brisbane hospital where he was being treated for acute tonsillitis, taxied to the Gabba in pyjamas and a dressing gown, and batted for nearly four hours to score 83. England drew level on first innings, won the Test by six wickets and the series 4-1.
Australia
1934-09-25
Days after the 1934 Oval Test, Bradman fell seriously ill with appendicitis that progressed to peritonitis. With antibiotics not yet available, he was given little chance of survival; his wife Jessie left Adelaide on a sea voyage to England prepared for the worst. He recovered after weeks of intensive nursing in a London nursing home and returned to first-class cricket the following Australian summer.