The feud between Ian Botham and Ben Stokes refuses to end anytime soon, and the matter escalated recently after the former took a dig of some sorts at the former England Test captain. During the 1st ODI between India and England at Edgbaston, Birmingham, Sir Ian Botham reignited his public disagreement with Stokes, jokingly welcoming the recently retired all-rounder into the “has-beens” club. The dispute between the two dates back to England’s Ashes preparations in Perth last November.
Under Stokes’s leadership, England opted for an internal practice match at a local club, a move which was questioned by Botham. Responding at the time, Stokes suggested that modern-day preparations were shaped by circumstances different from those faced by players of previous generations.
“There are quite a few factors that play into why we can’t prepare the way the has-beens maybe did in the past,” Stokes said, before later clarifying that he had misspoken and apologising for the remark.
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The issue recently resurfaced when Botham appeared on BBC’s Test Match Special during England’s opening ODI against India, a fixture held in support of the Bob Willis Trust, established in memory of the late England fast bowler, who died from prostate cancer in 2019.
What did Botham say?
Botham brought the matter up, as he welcomed Stokes to the “has-beens club” post the all-rounder’s retirement from international cricket.
“As we know, Michael Vaughan and I… We don’t know what we’re talking about. A couple of old has-beens. Ben, if you’re listening, congratulations, you’ve joined the club. You’re now a has-been,” Botham said on the BBC Test Match Special.
Stokes, who retired from international cricket last month, then reacted on X (formerly Twitter) by posting, “The quote “It’s better to be a has-been than a never-been” originates from Lord Ian Botham.”
Botham and Stokes are widely regarded as two of England’s finest all-rounders, and their connection strengthened during Botham’s tenure as chairman at Durham, Stokes’s county side. However, tensions appear to have grown in recent months.
Botham recently criticised Stokes after reports emerged that the former England captain had remained out past midnight following England’s victory over New Zealand at Lord’s. Speaking on the Stick to Cricket podcast, Botham questioned Stokes’s judgement, pointing to the support he had received from Durham during the aftermath of the Bristol incident in 2017.
“Some people just don’t learn. When everything happened in Bristol, the club stood firmly behind him. I was chairman at the time, and everyone supported him. I struggle to understand what happened after the game at Lord’s, especially when you were probably the person responsible for setting the midnight curfew,” said Botham.
Speaking of Stokes, he is expected to make his first competitive appearance since ending his England career when Durham begin their Metro Bank One-Day Cup campaign against Derbyshire.
The all-rounder recently concluded a remarkable 15-year international career in dramatic fashion at Trent Bridge last month, announcing his retirement shortly before tea on the fourth day of England’s series-ending defeat.
Following Stokes’s retirement, England also parted ways with Test head coach Brendon McCullum. After taking time away from cricket to spend time with his family, including a visit to a safari park and launching a TikTok account, Stokes has resumed training with Durham as he prepares to begin the next phase of his playing career.