Botham backing County title win

9:00am Tuesday 8th April 2008

Comments (0)   Have your say »

FORMER Worcestershire legend Sir Ian Botham is tipping the County to retain their NatWest Pro40 crown just like they did 20 years ago when he starred at New Road.

The TV pundit reckons Vikram Solanki's men will be able to repeat the feat that he and his Worcestershire team achieved in 1987 and 1988.

"With all the problems they had to deal with, to win the Pro40 so comfortably last season was an excellent effort," said Botham. "I back them to do it again."

Botham is also predicting that Worcestershire's young wicketkeeper Steven Davies will be the player to watch this term.

The 21-year-old, who spent part of the winter touring India with the England Perfor-mance Programme, had to withdraw from the England Lions tour to the sub-continent because of injury.

But the Bromsgrove-born player is fit and raring to go for the new campaign, armed with a contract that ties him to his home county until the end of next season at least.

With England yet to have a firm number one choice with the gloves, Davies could soon stake his claim and Botham is expecting him to do that.

"Phil Mustard and Tim Am-brose did well in New Zea-land," said Botham. "But don't rule this keeper out as one of the stars of the future."