Jackie Botten

James Thomas "Jackie" Botten (21 June 1938 – 14 May 2006)[1] was a South African cricketer who played in three Tests in 1965.[2]

Jackie Botten

Personal information
Full name	James Thomas Botten
Born	(1938-06-21)21 June 1938 Pretoria, Transvaal, South Africa
Died	14 May 2006(2006-05-14) (aged 67) Lyttelton, Gauteng, South Africa
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Right-arm fast-medium
International information
National side	South Africa
Test debut	22 July 1965 v England
Last Test	26 August 1965 v England
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1957/58–1971/72	North Eastern Transvaal
Career statistics
Competition Test First-class Matches 3 98 Runs scored 65 1,775 Batting average 10.83 15.84 100s/50s 0/0 0/4 Top score 33 90 Balls bowled 828 19,359 Wickets 8 399 Bowling average 42.12 20.36 5 wickets in innings 0 24 10 wickets in match 0 5 Best bowling 2/56 9/23 Catches/stumpings 1/– 52/–
Source: Cricinfo, 25 October 2020

Botten was an opening bowler and useful lower-order batsman who played domestic first-class cricket for North Eastern Transvaal from 1957 to 1972. In 1958–59, he was the outstanding bowler in the South African season, with 63 wickets at an average of 10.53.[3] In the match against Griqualand West he took 15 for 49, including a career-best 9 for 23 in the first innings.[4] Nevertheless, North Eastern Transvaal finished last in the B Section of the Currie Cup.[5] In 1963–64, he bowled unchanged through the second innings of the match against Rhodesia to take 9 for 29 off 18.4 overs and dismiss Rhodesia for 47; North Eastern Transvaal still lost, by 18 runs.[6]

Botten toured England in 1961 with the South African Fezela XI of promising young players. He was selected for South Africa's tour of England in 1965 and played in all three Tests. He opened the bowling with Peter Pollock and took eight wickets in a series that South Africa won one-nil.[4] His highest first-class score came in the match against Leicestershire, when batting at number 10 he made 90, putting on 181 runs in 133 minutes with Ali Bacher, a ninth-wicket record for a touring South African team.[7]

He was later a cricket administrator, playing a leading role in the transformation of North Eastern Transvaal into the stronger Northern Transvaal side. He also wrote cricket columns for local papers.[1]

He was also a prominent soccer player for the Arcadia Shepherds in Pretoria.[4] He attended Pretoria Boys High School.