David “Bumble” Lloyd Shares Hilarious and Harrowing Golfing Escapade with Sir Ian Botham
Former England cricketer and commentator David “Bumble” Lloyd recently recounted a jaw-dropping story from a golfing trip with his good friend, Sir Ian Botham. Their getaway took a wild turn, leaving Botham with broken ribs, a cut arm, and a bruised nose after a series of unfortunate events.
During a spirited episode of the podcast "Stick to Cricket," which features cricket legends Phil Tufnell, Michael Vaughan, and Sir Alastair Cook, Lloyd reminisced about the memorable 1986-87 Ashes series in Brisbane. He humorously referenced the notorious incident where fans released a pig labeled “Botham” and “Eddie,” a cheeky nod to the then-England captain Ian Botham and teammate Eddie Hemmings.
As the conversation shifted to Botham’s latest adventures, Lloyd couldn’t help but share the latest antics from their trip to Valderrama, accompanied by Andy Lloyd, caddie Billy Foster, and Paul Allott.
“On the first day, Beefy managed to flip his buggy over while riding it,” Lloyd explained. “He was with Tim Bostock, the CEO of Durham, who managed to climb out, but Beefy was stuck. We had to lift the buggy back up with him still inside, and he ended up breaking two ribs and lacerating his arm. He was bleeding quite a bit!”
The trip didn’t end there. Lloyd described an even more chaotic evening that followed their golfing misadventures. “The next night, we went to a fancy restaurant, and he got a bit carried away with the wine. He stood up and fell flat on his nose, causing blood to splatter everywhere,” Lloyd recalled. “They got him back on his feet, but then he slipped on the blood and went down again. By the end of the night, he was a mess, all black and blue.”
In a humorous twist, Vaughan reminded listeners that “Don’t Tell Kath” was the title of Botham’s 2000 autobiography, reflecting his long history of wild escapades on and off the cricket field.
At 69, Botham continues to be synonymous with adventure. He has faced numerous brushes with danger, including a fishing trip in northern Australia last year where he fell into crocodile-infested waters. Luckily, ex-Ashes rival Merv Hughes was there to help, and while Botham left with some serious bruising, he avoided any life-threatening injuries.
Injury and resilience have been constants in Botham’s life story. Throughout his cricketing career, he faced numerous challenges, from breaking a toe at Headingley in 1977 to enduring a severe back injury in 1988 that required surgery and plagued him for years. Remarkably, that same injury led to another spinal operation three decades later. Yet, through it all, Botham’s determination and spirit have solidified his status as one of England’s most celebrated all-rounders.
Stay tuned for more entertaining stories and insights from the world of cricket on the "Stick to Cricket" podcast!
