Sir Ian Botham opens up about marriage

Sir Ian Botham has blamed himself and cricket for his marriage coming under severe strain. The 1981 Ashes hero had previously admitted that he has been a better grandfather to four boys and a girl, than he was a father to his own kids Liam, Sarah and Becky, the Daily Express reported.

Sir Ian Botham has blamed himself and cricket for his marriage coming under severe strain.

The 1981 Ashes hero had previously admitted that he has been a better grandfather to four boys and a girl, than he was a father to his own kids Liam, Sarah and Becky, the Daily Express reported.

The legendary all-rounder said that he wasn't there to be a father.

He said that he as a player was on tour for five months, and was living his life out of a suitcase.

The 57-year-old former cricketer said that when a sportsperson used to come back their children had changed and people have no perception of what it is like.

He asserted that he did try to be a good father but what he did was try to spoil his kids, which undid all the work that his wife Kathy did.

Botham said that if a person wants to play professional sport at the topmost level, they have to make a lot of sacrifices, become selfish and have tunnel vision, which makes people around them suffer.