12 May 2011

Bat Botham beat Australia with to be auctioned

10:41 am on 12 May 2011

The bat Sir Ian Botham used to score a century in England's famous third Ashes Test victory in 1981 is to be sold.

Botham scored an unbeaten 149 in the match at Headingley in one Test cricket's most remarkable comebacks as England became just the second team in history to win after being asked to follow on.

With three wickets left in their second innings England needed a further 92 runs just to make Australia bat again before Botham embarked on an innings Wisden has since rated as the fourth best in history.

England eventually won the match by 18 runs and claimed the series 3-1.

The bat is expected to sell at auction for about $5,000.