Random Cricket Photos Post 117



#RandomCricketPhotosThatMakeMeHappy

On 25th March 1980, Scunthorpe played Bournemouth. In the first few minutes of the second half, Ron Ashman' cup of woes seemed to be overflowing when Graham Pugh got injured with his team trailing by a couple of goals. With no option left, he decided to sub Pugh with a newbie who was taking the field for Scunthorpe for the first time in the match.

And when he took field in the 52nd minute, drama, like always, couldn't resist itself from following the man! And it did. Following the debutant's introduction, the game turned on its head. From staring at a certain defeat, Scunthorpe went on to accrue three goals in eight minutes out of thin air to level the scores 3-3.

In the dying minutes of this humdinger of a contest, Ashman's sub fired one towards the post. But as luck would have it, the debutant's shot was blocked on the line. And that's how what could have been one of the most memorable debuts in football ended up becoming a mere footnote in a great athlete career's.

Whose loss, you may ask? Of course Football's when I tell you that the almost supersub was Ian Terence Botham. Torn between two sports he was equally adept at early in his life, Ian went to his old man for advice on the subject. Mr. Les Botham is believed to have said, "You're a good footballer, but I think you're a much better cricketer."

Thank you, Les Botham!

P.S - Reflecting about his 'two roads diverged in the woods' decision, Botham later wrote "the enormous difference in earning potential between the two sports means If I had to make the same choice now, my decision would be different.

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