Richards–Botham Trophy

{{short description|Trophy for winners of test cricket series between England and West Indies}}

{{Use British English|date=March 2021}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2021}}

{{Infobox cricket tournament main

| name = Richards–Botham Trophy

| image =

| imagesize =

| caption =

| administrator = England and Wales Cricket Board
Cricket West Indies

| cricket format = Test cricket

| tournament format = Test Series

| first = [[English cricket team in the West Indies in 2021–22#Test series|

2021–22]] (West Indies)

| last = [[West Indian cricket team in England in 2024#Test series|

2024]] (England)

| country = {{cr|England}}
{{cr|West Indies}}

| participants = 2

| trophyholder = {{cr|ENG}} (2024)

| most successful = {{cr|WIN}}
{{cr|ENG}}
(1 series win each)

| most runs = {{cricon|ENG}} Joe Root (580)

| most wickets = {{cricon|ENG}} Gus Atkinson (22)

| current =

}}

The Richards–Botham Trophy is a trophy awarded to the winner of Test cricket series played between England and the West Indies.{{cite web |author= |date=24 March 2021 |title=England and West Indies expand the number of matches to be played in the Caribbean in 2022 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/56515038 |website=BBC Sport |location=London |access-date=24 March 2021}} It is named after the former international players Viv Richards and Ian Botham, who played as rivals in West Indies–England fixtures, but were also team-mates at Somerset and good friends.{{cite web |author= |date=24 March 2021 |title=ECB and CWI announce expanded England Men's Tour of the West Indies in 2022 |url=https://www.ecb.co.uk/england/men/news/2076886/cwi-and-ecb-announce-expanded-england-tour-of-the-west-indies-in-2022 |website=ECB |location=London |access-date=24 March 2021}} The trophy replaced the Wisden Trophy, which was retired following the 2020 series between the two teams.{{cite web |author= |date=23 July 2020 |title=England v West Indies: Richards–Botham Trophy to replace Wisden Trophy |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/cricket/53501048 |website=BBC Sport |location=London |access-date=28 July 2020}} Prior to the series, it was suggested by Andy Bull in the Guardian that a new trophy should be inaugurated in honour of West Indian cricketer Learie Constantine.{{cite web |last=Bull |first=Andy |date=30 June 2020 |title=Learie Constantine and a thread that runs through West Indies cricket history |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/jun/30/learie-constantine-and-a-thread-that-runs-through-west-indies-cricket-history |website=The Guardian |location=London |access-date=12 August 2024 }} Writing in the Times a week later, Mike Atherton proposed naming it the Richards–Botham Trophy instead.{{cite web |last=Atherton |first=Mike |author-link=Mike Atherton |date=7 July 2020 |title=Wisden Trophy? Surely there’s a better name for England v West Indies series |url=https://www.thetimes.com/sport/cricket/article/wisden-trophy-surely-there-s-a-better-name-for-england-v-west-indies-series-g6pzwbx3s |url-access=subscription |website=The Times |location=London |access-date=12 August 2024 }}

In March 2021, Cricket West Indies (CWI) announced the fixtures of the first edition, to be played the following year.{{cite news |author= |date=24 March 2021 |title=CWI and ECB announce expanded England Men's tour of West Indies in 2022 |url=https://www.windiescricket.com/news/cwi-and-ecb-announce-expanded-england-mens-tour-west-indies-2022/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210417152513/https://www.windiescricket.com/news/cwi-and-ecb-announce-expanded-england-mens-tour-west-indies-2022/ |archive-date=17 April 2021 |website=Cricket West Indies |access-date=24 March 2021}}{{cite web |date=24 March 2021 |title=England extends tours of West Indies in 2022 |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/eng-in-wi-2022-england-extends-tours-of-west-indies-in-2022-1256644 |work=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=24 March 2021}} Winning West Indies captain, Kraigg Brathwaite, was presented with the inaugural trophy by Ricky Skerritt and Dwain Gill (CWI president) at the Grenada National Cricket Stadium on 27 March 2022.{{cite web |author= |date=27 March 2022 |title=We Are Champions! Sorry, No Travel Plans for the Richards–Botham Trophy; It Stays With Us |url=https://www.windiescricket.com/news/we-are-champions-west-indies-take-richards-botham-trophy-style/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220405013937/https://www.windiescricket.com/news/we-are-champions-west-indies-take-richards-botham-trophy-style/ |archive-date=5 April 2022 |website=Cricket West Indies |access-date=12 August 2024}} Richards and Botham had revealed the trophy design at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua on 7 Match, to coincide with Richards' 70th birthday.{{cite web |last=Wilson |first=Joe |date=7 March 2022 |title=Sir Viv Richards: West Indies legend reflects on his career and influence on his 70th birthday |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/60649141 |website=BBC Sport |location=London |access-date=13 August 2024}}{{cite web |last=Atherton |first=Mike |date=7 March 2022 |title=West Indies v England: A new era dawns... but relies on the same old faces (bar two) |url=https://www.thetimes.com/sport/cricket/article/west-indies-v-england-a-new-era-dawns-but-relies-on-the-same-old-faces-bar-two-pn0h2nmvv |url-access=subscription |website=The Times |location=London |access-date=13 August 2024}}