Andre Botha (cricketer)

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Andre Botha Ireland (Ire)

Batting style	Left-handed batsman (LHB)
Bowling type	Right-arm medium (RM)
	Tests	ODIs
Matches	0	3
Runs scored	-	119
Batting average	-	39.66
100s/50s	-	0/2
Top score	-	56
Overs bowled	-	5
Wickets	-	1
Bowling average	-	9.0
5 wickets in innings	-	0
10 wickets in match	-	N/A
Best bowling	-	1-9
Catches/stumpings	-	1/0
As of 18 September 2006 Source: Cricinfo.com

Andre Cornelius Botha (born September 12, 1975 in Johannesburg, Transvaal), is a South African-born Irish cricketer.

[edit] Domestic Career

A left-handed batsman and right-arm medium pace bowler, Botha has played provincial cricket for Griqualand West in his native South Africa.

Botha was the resident professional at Clontarf Cricket Club from 1994 until his switch to North County in 2000. A prolific batsman at club level, Botha contributed handsomely to North County's Irish Senior Cup victories in 2001, 2003 and 2005, as well as garnering four consecutive Leinster Senior League winners' medals between 2003 and 2006.

[edit] International Record

Esteemed among the leading all-rounders in domestic cricket, the newly-eligible Botha débuted (inauspiciously, registering nought with the bat and 1-50 with the ball) for his adopted country in Ireland's August 2001 C & G Trophy victory over Wiltshire.

A fixture in the Irish team thereafter, Botha's form temporarily deserted him during Ireland's momentous summer of 2005. Selected at #3 in the batting order throughout the group phase of the 2005 ICC Trophy, Botha recorded a dismal average of 9.5 for the tournament, twice succumbing on zero. However, his economical bowling contributed eight wickets to the Irish cause, and helped the team (which ultimately finished second in the competition) land a qualifying berth for the 2007 Cricket World Cup.

In marked contrast to his ICC Trophy form, the runs flowed freely from Botha's bat during Ireland's conquest of the 2005 ICC Intercontinental Cup. A tournament average of 66.00 encompassed an international career-best 97 against the Netherlands at Stormont, and knocks of 78 and 43* in the final victory over Kenya at Windhoek. Botha also accounted for eight wickets at 25.50 with his medium-paced bowling during the course of the tournament.

Selected for Ireland's inaugual One Day International against England at Stormont despite a series of low scores in the preceding C&G Trophy matches, Botha vindicated the selectors' judgement by top-scoring with 52 against a first-rate attack including Steve Harmison, Liam Plunkett and Sajid Mahmood. Since then, Botha has evinced a marked aptitude for One Day Internationals, averaging 39.66 in three ODIs to date, with a top score of 56 achieved against the Netherlands during Ireland's victorious 2006 European Cricket Championship campaign.

In August 2006, Botha was named in the 14 man squad which will represent Ireland at both the 2007 World Cricket League in Kenya and the Caribbean-hosted World Cup later the same year. He finished the provincial season with an insuperable batting average of 120.20 from ten innings.