CRICKET - BOTHAM DISMISSES GATTING IN FIRST CLASS DEBUT .
LONDON 1996-08-28
Liam Botham demonstrated his father Ian 's golden touch on Wednesday shortly after making his county debut for Hampshire .
Botham dismissed Mike Gatting with his seventh ball when the former England captain pushed a half-volley to square-leg on the first day of the four-day match against Middlesex at Portsmouth .
Earlier Botham arrived in Portsmouth from Southampton only to be told his services would not be required .
He then drove 40 kms back to play for the second XI to learn that John Stephenson had dropped out of the Middlesex match in the meantime with a shoulder injury .
Botham dashed back to Portsmouth and took the field as the thrid over began .
Ian Botham began his test career in 1977 by dismissing Australian captain Greg Chappell with a long hop and went on to become his country 's most successful all-rounder ever with 5,200 runs , 383 wickets plus 120 catches in 102 tests .