Actually, I didn't read his comments first time (won't have either had it not been bumped), it's not even worthy of spending 2 minutes when it comes to cricket comments from Botham, which has ENG & PAK in it (ENG for obvious reasons & PAK for the battering he got on & off the field from Imran).
Now, what he has said is absolute rubbish - full of self deluded bravado.
First, his side doesn't deserved to be in top of the rank, even had they won it 4-0 against PAK. These days every team is hero at home - even Lanka is giving AUS a hiding, still just about 2 years back they lost 1-0 to SRL & last summer drew 1-1 to Kiwis. Their SAF win was more of a SAF decline than anything else. IND & ENG is just the things to come for SAF - they are already 5th/6th & couple of years time will become permanent there, unless policy doesn't change there. India is just showing in Caribbean Isles, how poor ENG was to finish 1-1 there.
Second - England is probably 5th or 6th feared team if I take home & away counted. No way, they are feared more than AUS in AUS, IND in IND, PAK in UAE & now probably SRL in SRL. In fact, they drew 1-1 at home, but might not return 1-1 from New Zealand.
He quoted PAK 3-1 & 3-0 (should have been 2-1) in last 2 UK tours, last one being 6 years back; but forgot to mention 3-0 & 2-0 in UAE since then. In fact, out of that 3-1, the last Test at Lord's should have been scrapped from records for obvious reasons. Had it been ENG, AUS or IND in receiving end, it would have been as well, most likely. Had there been 9 Tests in those 2 Series at UAE, England would have been humiliated 7-0 or 8-0, may be even 9-0. I see lot of "fun" regarding PAK & Indian collapse in ENG, for a side that went packing in a session for 74, chasing 140.
Last 2 Ashes reads ENG 3-2 at home, AUS 5-0 at home .... and that's why Botham is a laughing stalk, no clue on what he is spouting. Even SRL won 1-0 just about 2 years back & next time ENG visits SRL, I can see them losing 2-0, with 1 Test might be ruined by rain.
English all-rounders are exactly the medium pace version of Jadeja or Dilruhan Perera or MoHa. Dibli doblies, who are lucky to to play lots of Test in favoured home condition. In next couple of winters, the likes Woakes, Stokes will be lucky to keep their spots in squad after the drubbing they are waiting for in India & Australia.
I have still good contacts with few BD players & trust me, at home, even Kiwis & West Indians are feared more than those Poms. Yes, it's in ODI and ENG has changed lot in ODI, still, they have lot to go before earning that fear, what Botham thinks of his team. If absence of players like James Taylor hurts England so much, then I wonder what Sri Lanka should say about it.
The English team that won Ashes down under & in India had 5/6 World class players including KP, Bell,couple of spinners & 2 pacers at their prime. This is a pretty average English side, which actually caught Pakistan off-guard, otherwise 2-1 was written there & they'll lose 7 to 9 out of 10 Tests in IND & AUS. Botham is a loud mouth snob, who speaks more than what he should, because he has no clue on what's going around. Most posters in PP has better clue on contemporary cricket than Botham, because during match, these guys watch cricket when Botham is busy with his booze.
You are an English fan, which is perfectly OK, but never try to defend this arrogant, ignorant & blue nose English guy who takes the advantage of his playing career, by insulting people/teams he doesn't like.
