Ian Botham has earned over £225,000 by auctioning off his treasured memorabilia from the 1981 Ashes series. The former England cricket icon sold more than 240 items from his esteemed career at an auction in 2023.
As England aims for a resurgence in this year’s Ashes series, fans look back to Botham’s historic Ashes triumph with the team over four decades ago. During the auction two years prior, held in the Long Room at the KIA Oval, Botham parted ways with some iconic pieces from his Ashes victory.
The crimson cricket ball that led England to victory at Edgbaston, where Botham took five wickets for one run, fetched £20,000. A stump extracted by Botham after the renowned Headingley win in the 1981 Ashes sold for £11,000, while his personal man of the match medal was sold for £19,000.
The Headingley victory marked a pivotal moment for the England team over 40 years ago, with odds of 500/1 for an improbable win. Botham’s remarkable 149 not out set a target of 130 for the visitors to win, supported by Bob Willis, who took eight wickets, resulting in one of cricket’s greatest comebacks.
Botham personally labeled the stump from Headingley ‘Headingley 81.’ Additionally, he sold the stump from the Edgbaston win for £7,000. His player of the season medal fetched £8,000, with his England test blazer going for £1,800 and a Somerset cap selling for £2,700.
Former Australian captain Allan Border gifted Botham a ‘baggy green’ cap, which was sold for £13,000. Botham also auctioned his England blue day one top from the 1992 World Cup in Australia for £11,000, and his BBC SPOTY Lifetime award, received in 2004, fetched £3,600.
The decision to sell his memorabilia was made by Botham, as he reportedly wanted to downsize. The auction was managed by Knight’s Auctioneers of Norwich, Norfolk.
Auctioneer Tim Knight stated, “Lord Botham’s reputation holds a special allure, particularly with items linked to the 1981 Ashes, known as Botham’s Ashes. He appears to be downsizing and moving forward in his life, retaining a few select items, as one cannot keep everything.”
Botham, considered one of cricket’s finest players and England’s top all-rounder in terms of statistics, is admired for his on-field prowess, entertainment value, and resilient personality.