5 greatest comebacks in international cricket

2. Botham’s Ashes (England v/s Australia, Headingley, 1981)

Ian Botham hooks for a boundary

England’s greatest ever all-rounder came into his own with a phenomenal display as he pulled his side back from the brink despite suffering the humiliation of a follow-on.

John Dyson’s hundred laid the platform for a mammoth total, helped in no small part by half-centuries from skipper Kim Hughes and Graham Yallop. Botham was the pick of the bowlers, with a six wicket haul, while Bob Willis went wicketless in the first innings.

The fearsome pace trio of Dennis Lillee, Terry Alderman and Geoff Lawson breathed fire and rained destruction upon a hapless English side, constraining their attempts at gaining a sizable lead by knocking them over for a paltry 174; Botham’s quickfire half-century was the only noteworthy innings.

Hughes enforced the follow on, and very quickly, England were in deep trouble. Graham Gooch fell for a three-ball duck, while the rest of the batsmen struggled to get going, with only Geoffrey Boycott managing an innings of substance. Botham joined the Yorkshireman at the crease, but Alderman took out both Boycott and wicket-keeper Bob Taylor to leave the home side seven wickets down and staring at the possibility of an innings defeat that looked certain with each moment.

Joined by Graham Dilley, ‘Beefy’ remarked: “Right then, let’s have a bit of fun.” He hit out hard, combining well with Dilley and Chris Old, securing the all-important lead for his side, before finishing unbeaten on 149.

Bob Willis then skittled out the Aussies for just 111, earning England an unlikely win. But it was Botham’s innings that engineered the comeback.