Chappell v Botham: Riveting or a Farce?

[STFU Donnie]

Sorry in advance, but I like a good grammatical error.

Noone should be spelled as two separate words. What you are saying is "Noone cares" which could mean Peter Noone from Herman's Hermits cares about the feud between Botham and Chappell. I don't know whether he is a cricket fan.


View attachment 1724094

My kind of post! Is hyphenated acceptable?

 

[wagstaff]

For me the dispute all comes down to the single moment as to whether Botham did or didn't threaten to glass him. If he did and he denies it, then Beefy is a liar and you can't blame Chappell for despising him. That's the version I've always understood it as, and I doubt Chappell would make that up. But regardless, they were never mates from day one, so why should they be 50 years on?

I think that incident is the heart of the issue. If Botham were to say Chappell's version was true now he's going to look very foolish denying it for over 40 years. There's too much at stake and - true or not - his story won't change.

And Chappell isn't going to change his view until he admits the truth (I agree that Chappell's version is more plausible) so this will never get resolved.

 

[Plugger35]

My take on it is that Chappelli thought he could pick on Botham, thinking he was another pissweak young English county cricketer and he bit off a bit more than he could chew and got owned by Botham who was a lot tougher than the average young English county cricketer.

That's one of the reasons he has never given Botham any credit when he went on to having a better test career than him and got his nose out of joint.

For him to accuse Botham of being a coward is laughable, he might be a liar but he isn't a coward, even as an 18 year old for Somerset he had courage.

Botham's first hurrah

In June 1974 an unknown 18-year-old from Somerset hit the headlines for the first time. Over the next 20 years he was rarely out of them

www.espncricinfo.com

 

[Bedi]

I think that incident is the heart of the issue. If Botham were to say Chappell's version was true now he's going to look very foolish denying it for over 40 years. There's too much at stake and - true or not - his story won't change.

And Chappell isn't going to change his view until he admits the truth (I agree that Chappell's version is more plausible) so this will never get resolved.

If Beefy just said in private 'I'm sorry for attempting to glass you 40 years ago, i was drunk, young and dumb,' then we'd have a resolution. But to deny it happened, I too would have zero respect for the bloke and no interest in becoming friends with them. Sure Chappelli comes across poorly, but Botham is an absolute c**khead, and indeed a coward, if that story is true.

 

[Bedi]

My take on it is that Chappelli thought he could pick on Botham, thinking he was another pissweak young English county cricketer and he bit off a bit more than he could chew and got owned by Botham who was a lot tougher than the average young English county cricketer.

That's one of the reasons he has never given Botham any credit when he went on to having a better test career than him and got his nose out of joint.

For him to accuse Botham of being a coward is laughable, he might be a liar but he isn't a coward, even as an 18 year old for Somerset he had courage.

Botham's first hurrah

In June 1974 an unknown 18-year-old from Somerset hit the headlines for the first time. Over the next 20 years he was rarely out of them

www.espncricinfo.com

if you don't own up to being a liar (esp for such a pissweak act) it's a cowardly act in my book. Again Botham denies this, so can't be certain it ever happened, but you'd doubt Chappelli would lie about it.

 

[4Seasons]

Botham came out looking shinier in this doco,I think he wants to reconcile but Chappelli wants nothing to do with it.

I thought it was a faux fued back in the day but this is definately real.

Was more of a Greg Chappell fan in my youth,I remember the run of ducks he made and the underarm incident.

Despite that he was a tremendous batsman.

I was at the MCG once, and Greg Chappell got out trying to hook Cowan, as he walked off I patted him on the back and said bad luck, he shrugged me aside and told me to * off.
I was 8 years old.

 

[4Seasons]

if you don't own up to being a liar (esp for such a pissweak act) it's a cowardly act in my book. Again Botham denies this, so can't be certain it ever happened, but you'd doubt Chappelli would lie about it.

I read Bothams book and most of it is him denying pretty much every off field incident he was involved in, painted himself as an angel who the media picked on.
He sounded like a bloke who would lie about anything.

 

[Boston tiger]

If someone has threatened to cut you well you don’t have to forgive that.

 

[worbod]

My kind of post! Is hyphenated acceptable?

No, not according to Google.

 

[sherb]

Sorry in advance, but I like a good grammatical error.

Noone should be spelled as two separate words. What you are saying is "Noone cares" which could mean Peter Noone from Herman's Hermits cares about the feud between Botham and Chappell. I don't know whether he is a cricket fan.


View attachment 1724094

Showing your age there my sentimental friend.

 

[Plugger35]

if you don't own up to being a liar (esp for such a pissweak act) it's a cowardly act in my book. Again Botham denies this, so can't be certain it ever happened, but you'd doubt Chappelli would lie about it.

I don't think Botham is a liar either, who really knows who is telling the truth, the truth probably lies somewhere between both their versions of events.

I was at the MCG once, and Greg Chappell got out trying to hook Cowan, as he walked off I patted him on the back and said bad luck, he shrugged me aside and told me to * off.
I was 8 years old.

I got given a Greg Chappell t-shirt for Christmas when I was around the same age and I wasn't happy about it as I didn't like him even at that age.

He seemed like a prick to me, not just because of the underarm incident but his arrogant demeanor in general, I liked Kim Hughes and Border more.

Nothing that has happened since has changed my opinion of them either, I still like Kim Hughes and AB more than Greg Chappell.

I had the good fortune to be coached by Kim when I was playing junior district cricket for Subi Floreat and you wouldn't meet a nicer guy than him.

I read Bothams book and most of it is him denying pretty much every off field incident he was involved in, painted himself as an angel who the media picked on.
He sounded like a bloke who would lie about anything.

I've read a couple of his books too but I never got that impression of him, he admits to some of his mistakes on and off the field but he also copped a pretty raw deal from the English press at times who wanted to tear him down whenever he stuffed up while celebrating him when he had some success.

 

[4Seasons]

I don't think Botham is a liar either, who really knows who is telling the truth, the truth probably lies somewhere between both their versions of events.



I got given a Greg Chappell t-shirt for Christmas when I was around the same age and I wasn't happy about it as I didn't like him even at that age.

He seemed like a prick to me, not just because of the underarm incident but his arrogant demeanor in general, I liked Kim Hughes and Border more.

Nothing that has happened since has changed my opinion of them either, I still like Kim Hughes and AB more than Greg Chappell.

I had the good fortune to be coached by Kim when I was playing junior district cricket for Subi Floreat and you wouldn't meet a nicer guy than him.



I've read a couple of his books too but I never got that impression of him, he admits to some of his mistakes on and off the field but he also copped a pretty raw deal from the English press at times who wanted to tear him down whenever he stuffed up while celebrating him when he had some success.

I loved Kim Hughes as well. I played in an Under 17’s GF for Melville and carried the bat for 55 odd out of 100 odd, and Hughes came up to me after play and was crapping on about my driving. He seemed very genuine and happy, and it made my day.

With the Chappell underarm, it’s often forgotten he got caught and refused to walk in the same game, even though the NZ fielder said he’d caught it, which in those days meant your out.

 

[Plugger35]

I loved Kim Hughes as well. I played in an Under 17’s GF for Melville and carried the bat for 55 odd out of 100 odd, and Hughes came up to me after play and was crapping on about my driving. He seemed very genuine and happy, and it made my day.

With the Chappell underarm, it’s often forgotten he got caught and refused to walk in the same game, even though the NZ fielder said he’d caught it, which in those days meant your out.

The Sneddon catch controversy, it was a clear catch but there were no reviews back then and because Greg Chappell refused to walk it was not out.




The NZ captain Geoff Howarth berating the umpires for not giving it out and the late great Richie Benaud thought it was a clear catch too and was out.

 

[worbod]

Here's Ian Chappell with something of a complimentary nature to say about Botham.

 

[Wallaby]

I got given a Greg Chappell t-shirt for Christmas when I was around the same age and I wasn't happy about it as I didn't like him even at that age.

He seemed like a prick to me, not just because of the underarm incident but his arrogant demeanor in general, I liked Kim Hughes and Border more.

Nothing that has happened since has changed my opinion of them either, I still like Kim Hughes and AB more than Greg Chappell.

Maybe it's a Chappell thing - being a dick. Greg was a total w***er. I would bet that he's still the only ex-Test captain to be banned from the Australian dressing rooms.
Unfortunately, because he was a Channel 9 'Golden Boy', he was given a free pass through most of his career by the dominant cricket media in Australia.

 

[big_e]

Chappell reminds me of my (long-deceased) grandmother. Whether he's right or not is no longer relevant, it's all about continuing the grudge for the sake of it.

Chappell could say "it's because you were going to glass me", and be shown a video of the night which shows they didn't even talk, but it wouldn't matter. He's made his mind up, and that's that.

 

[worbod]

Maybe it's a Chappell thing - being a dick. Greg was a total w***er. I would bet that he's still the only ex-Test captain to be banned from the Australian dressing rooms.
Unfortunately, because he was a Channel 9 'Golden Boy', he was given a free pass through most of his career by the dominant cricket media in Australia.

What are the circumstances behind Greg Chappell being banned from the Australian dressing rooms?

 

[HTPunter]

The funniest thing is how Chappell tells the story. Regardless of whether Botham went to glass him or not, I can guarantee Chappell didn’t give him a paragraph long response, and even more hilarious if he put a disclaimer “if I am capable” over his threat.

Sounds like someone has been stewing over this for 40 years in the shower with what they wish they said.

 

[Bareth Garry]

I'm all for exploring cricket history and they both were great players. The historical archive of this program was fun but the end meeting was embarrassing. Botham in fairness was trying to get a conversation going but Chappell wanted nothing and it descended into childish nonsense. I agree with Chappell that Botham was an awful commentator but at least admit the guy could play and return that compliment.

As for as the origins of the feud go I wouldn't be surprised if they are both embellishing it. Do I think a heated exchange of words happened? Yes. But Botham decking Chappell in front of a load of people which seems to be his story vs Chappell's story of the beer glass I think are both fabrications after the event. I think it suited both of them to have this image of rattling the other because they both revelled of being some kind of maverick figure and leader of men.

 

[the_interloper]

I'm all for exploring cricket history and they both were great players. The historical archive of this program was fun but the end meeting was embarrassing. Botham in fairness was trying to get a conversation going but Chappell wanted nothing and it descended into childish nonsense. I agree with Chappell that Botham was an awful commentator but at least admit the guy could play and return that compliment.

As for as the origins of the feud go I wouldn't be surprised if they are both embellishing it. Do I think a heated exchange of words happened? Yes. But Botham decking Chappell in front of a load of people which seems to be his story vs Chappell's story of the beer glass I think are both fabrications after the event. I think it suited both of them to have this image of rattling the other because they both revelled of being some kind of maverick figure and leader of men.

I reckon this is what happened. Chappell reckoned he fell over a chair or something, I feel he doesn't want to admit Botham whacked him.

 

[Back One Out]

Seeing old man Chappelli sitting there "sad and lonely" at the end reminded me of the Eddie Murphy movie, 'Trading Places'.

Dead ringer for Don Ameche...

 

[corbies]

The funniest thing is how Chappell tells the story. Regardless of whether Botham went to glass him or not, I can guarantee Chappell didn’t give him a paragraph long response, and even more hilarious if he put a disclaimer “if I am capable” over his threat.

Sounds like someone has been stewing over this for 40 years in the shower with what they wish they said.

I've found people of this generation have a hell of a habit of adding a heap of mayo to a lot of their stories. It feels like they've got away with it for so much of their lives they now forget the internet exists where the validity of things can be more easily checked.

 

[HTPunter]

I've found people of this generation have a hell of a habit of adding a heap of mayo to a lot of their stories. It feels like they've got away with it for so much of their lives they now forget the internet exists where the validity of things can be more easily checked.

Oh 100%. They’ve all caught the biggest fish, seen the biggest snakes and had to do the hardest miles. Crazy that they managed to achieve all this - as did their neighbour, and their neighbour, and their neighbour

 

[damochandler]

Has anyone actually verified chappellis version of events

 

[Sea fog]

The Sneddon catch controversy, it was a clear catch but there were no reviews back then and because Greg Chappell refused to walk it was not out.




The NZ captain Geoff Howarth berating the umpires for not giving it out and the late great Richie Benaud thought it was a clear catch too and was out.

I recall that, it was an incredible catch because it was a hit a long way from the pitch and he caught it low. I remember Chappellg saying that he thought it wasn't out because he didn't believe that Sneddon could possibly catch it. Re. the Cowans dismissal IIRC that was when he hooked the first ball he faced that day after coming in at #3. He was caught on the boundary. He said that he knew immediately it was the right shot but the wrong ground. The journos writing at the time started their comments on his dismissal with Chappell, arrogant as ever...

BTW when commenting on WSC, he said the great thing for him was that it was going to be stimulating because prior to Packer cricket, he only had to use 80% of his talent.