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{{short description|South African cricketer}}
{{For|other persons by the same name|Johan Botha (disambiguation)}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}
{{Infobox cricketer
| name = Johan Botha
| image = Johan Botha.jpg
| caption = Botha training with South Africa in 2009
| full_name = Johan Botha
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1982|05|02}}
| birth_place = [[Johannesburg]], [[Transvaal Province|Transvaal]], South Africa
| batting = Right-handed
| bowling = Right-arm [[off break]]
| role = [[All-rounder]]
| international = true
| country = South Africa
| internationalspan = 2005–2012
| testdebutdate = 2 January
| testdebutyear = 2006
| testdebutagainst = Australia
| testcap = 299
| lasttestdate = 20 November
| lasttestyear = 2010
| lasttestagainst = Pakistan
| odidebutdate = 16 November
| odidebutyear = 2005
| odidebutagainst = India
| odicap = 80
| lastodidate = 3 March
| lastodiyear = 2012
| lastodiagainst = New Zealand
| T20Idebutdate = 9 January
| T20Idebutyear = 2006
| T20Idebutagainst = Australia
| T20Icap = 13
| lastT20Idate = 2 October
| lastT20Iyear = 2012
| lastT20Iagainst = India
| club1 = [[Eastern Province cricket team|Eastern Province]]
| year1 = {{nowrap|2000/01–2003/04}}
| club2 = [[Border cricket team|Border]]
| year2 = 2004/05
| club3 = [[Warriors (cricket team)|Warriors]]
| year3 = 2004/05–2010/11
| club4 = [[Rajasthan Royals]]
| year4 = 2009–2012
| club5 = [[Northamptonshire County Cricket Club|Northamptonshire]]
| year5 = 2011
| club6 = [[Adelaide Strikers]]
| year6 = 2011/12–2014/15
| club7 = [[South Australia cricket team|South Australia]]
| year7 = 2012/13–2014/15
| club8 = [[Delhi Daredevils]]
| year8 = 2013
| club9 = [[Kolkata Knight Riders]]
| year9 = 2015
| club10 = [[Trinbago Knight Riders|Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel]]
| year10 = 2015
| club11 = [[Sydney Sixers]]
| year11 = {{nowrap|2015/16–2017/18}}
| club12 = [[Hobart Hurricanes]]
| year12 = 2018/19–2020/21
| columns = 4
| column1 = [[Test cricket|Test]]
| matches1 = 5
| runs1 = 83
| bat avg1 = 20.75
| 100s/50s1 = 0/0
| top score1 = 25
| deliveries1 = 1,017
| wickets1 = 17
| bowl avg1 = 33.70
| fivefor1 = 0
| tenfor1 = 0
| best bowling1 = 4/56
| catches/stumpings1 = 3/–

| column2 = [[One Day International|ODI]]
| matches2 = 78
| runs2 = 609
| bat avg2 = 19.03
| 100s/50s2 = 0/0
| top score2 = 46
| deliveries2 = 3,823
| wickets2 = 72
| bowl avg2 = 40.50
| fivefor2 = 0
| tenfor2 = 0
| best bowling2 = 4/19
| catches/stumpings2 = 36/–
| column3 = [[Twenty20 International|T20I]]
| matches3 = 40
| runs3 = 201
| bat avg3 = 18.27
| 100s/50s3 = 0/0
| top score3 = 34
| deliveries3 = 774
| wickets3 = 37
| bowl avg3 = 22.24
| fivefor3 = 0
| tenfor3 = 0
| best bowling3 = 3/16
| catches/stumpings3 = 17/–
| column4 = [[First-class cricket|FC]]
| matches4 = 90
| runs4 = 4,015
| bat avg4 = 31.61
| 100s/50s4 = 1/27
| top score4 = 109
| deliveries4 = 14,656
| wickets4 = 220
| bowl avg4 = 32.28
| fivefor4 = 7
| tenfor4 = 1
| best bowling4 = 6/34
| catches/stumpings4 = 63/–
| source = https://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/44149.html ESPNcricinfo
| date = 25 July
| year = 2021
}}

'''Johan Botha''' (born 2 May 1982) is a South African-Australian<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-12-28 |title=Naturalised Botha eyes 'unbelievable' dream {{!}} cricket.com.au |url=https://www.cricket.com.au/news/3277427/naturalised-botha-eyes-unbelievable-dream |access-date=2025-10-25 |website=www.cricket.com.au |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=November 25, 2016 |title=Johan Botha granted Australian citizenship |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/johan-botha-granted-australian-citizenship-1068698 |website=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref> cricket coach, [[cricket]]er, and [[Long-distance running|long-distance runner]] who played for the [[South Africa national cricket team|South African national team]] between 2005 and 2012. He moved to [[Australia]] in 2012 to play in the [[Cricket in Australia|country's domestic leagues]], and in 2016 became an Australian citizen. In January 2019, he retired from all forms of the game.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/981799 |title=South Africa all-rounder Johan Botha retires from all cricket |work=International Cricket Council |access-date=23 January 2019}}</ref> However, in December 2020, he made a comeback as a replacement player for the [[Hobart Hurricanes]] in the [[2020–21 Big Bash League season|2020–21 Big Bash League]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Marathon man Botha makes shock comeback for BBL{{!}}10|url=https://www.cricket.com.au/news/johan-botha-hobart-hurricanes-coach-to-player-bbl10-big-bash-running/2020-12-07|access-date=2020-12-06|website=cricket.com.au|language=en}}</ref>

==Early life and career==
Botha was born in [[Johannesburg]] but attended [[Grey High School]] in [[Port Elizabeth]], the same school that other notable South African cricketers such as [[Graeme Pollock]] attended, and captained a South Africa Schools cricket team.<ref name=hartman>{{cite news|last=Hartman|first=Rodney|date=27 January 2009|title=Here's to the captain|work=[[The Star (South Africa)|The Star]]}}</ref> In the early parts of his cricket career he was a [[Fast bowling|medium-pace bowler]], but when he was playing cricket for the [[Warriors (cricket team)|Warriors]], future South African coach [[Mickey Arthur]] suggested that he should switch bowling style to [[off break]], which Botha then bowled for the rest of his professional career.<ref name=hartman/><ref name=guide>{{cite encyclopedia|title=Johan Botha|encyclopedia=The ESPNcricinfo Guide to International Cricket 2009|year=2008|publisher=Hardie Grant Books|isbn=978-1742732-169}}</ref> Once he had made the switch, he also focused on learning to bowl a [[doosra]], a ball which turns in the opposite direction to a normal off break.<ref name=guide/>

A year after changing bowling styles, Botha travelled with [[South Africa A cricket team|South Africa A]], South Africa's second XI team, [[South Africa A cricket team in Sri Lanka in 2005–06|to Sri Lanka]]. He took key wickets and scored runs to put his name up as a potential future Test spinner for South Africa.<ref name=guide/>

==Test debut and throwing allegations==
Botha made his [[Test cricket|Test]] debut against [[Australian cricket team|Australia]] at the [[Sydney Cricket Ground]] in January 2006 during the [[South African cricket team in Australia in 2005–06|2005–06 tour]], and claimed batsman [[Mike Hussey]] as his first Test wicket. However, he was reported for throwing the ball at the conclusion of the match.<ref>[https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cricket/4586792.stm S Africa spinner Botha reported], from BBC Sport, published 6 January 2006</ref> He was allowed to play several games during the [[2005–06 VB Series]], but in February, was suspended from bowling following an analysis by bowling expert Bruce Elliott.<ref>[https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cricket/4689844.stm Spinner Botha banned from bowling], from BBC Sport, published 7 February 2006</ref> He hoped to return to bowling after an examination by the [[International Cricket Council|ICC]] in August 2006, but he was found still to be straightening his arm more than the acceptable 15 degrees.<ref>[http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/ci/content/story/258410.html Botha's action declared illegal], from ESPNcricinfo, published 2 September 2006</ref>

On 21 November 2006, Botha's action was passed by the [[International Cricket Council]] and he was again eligible for selection by the South African national team.<ref>[http://content-www.cricinfo.com/southafrica/content/story/269136.html Botha's action passed by ICC], from ESPNcricinfo, published 21 November 2006</ref>

On 14 April 2009, Botha was again reported for suspected illegal action. The match officials cited concern over two components of Botha's repertoire, his quicker ball and his [[doosra]], after the completion of fourth ODI against Australia at Port Elizabeth.<ref>[http://www.cricdb.com/archive/international/news/detail.php?nid=1648 Botha reported for suspected 'illegal action'] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708203933/http://www.cricdb.com/archive/international/news/detail.php?nid=1648 |date=8 July 2011 }}, from Cricdb published 14 April 2009</ref>

== Captaincy of the Protea T20I and ODI team ==
On 20 August 2010, [[Graeme Smith]] announced that he was to surrender the captaincy in T20 Internationals but continue playing in the format. [[Cricket South Africa]] subsequently handed over the captaincy to his deputy Botha. Botha also took the One-Day International captaincy after the [[2011 Cricket World Cup]] when Smith gave up his ODI captaincy. The deciding factor was that Botha had led South Africa to a series win against Australia earlier in 2010 when Smith was absent with injury.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Botha to succeed Smith as SA Twenty20 captain|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/south-africa-botha-to-succeed-smith-as-sa-twenty20-captain-473641|access-date=2021-06-11|work=ESPNcricinfo|language=en}}</ref>

==Coaching career==
Botha was the fielding coach for the [[Islamabad United]] and [[Karachi Kings]] in the [[2017 Pakistan Super League|2017]] and [[2020 Pakistan Super League|2020]] seasons of the [[Pakistan Super League]] respectively. He has been the Assistant coach and the Head Coach of [[Multan Sultans]] in [[2018 Pakistan Super League|2018]] and [[2019 Pakistan Super League|2019]] seasons respectively. In 2020, he was appointed the Head Coach of [[Islamabad United]] for the [[2021 Pakistan Super League|2021]] edition of the PSL.<ref>{{Cite web|title=South Africa's Johan Botha appointed Islamabad United's head coach for PSL6|url=https://www.geo.tv/latest/326486-south-africas-johan-botha-appointed-islamabad-uniteds-head-coach-for-psl6|website=Geo|access-date=29 December 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=PSL6: Islamabad United announces South Africa's Johan Botha as new head coach for PSL6|url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/764259-psl6-islamabad-united-announces-south-africas-johan-botha-as-new-head-coach-for-psl6|website=The News International|access-date=28 December 2020}}</ref> He is also the Head Coach for the [[Guyana Amazon Warriors]] in the [[Caribbean Premier League]] since 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Johan Botha - Coach of Guyana Amazon Warriors CPL T20 Team|url=https://www.cplt20.com/coach/johan-botha|access-date=2021-06-11|website=www.cplt20.com}}</ref> He was the bowling coaching for Seattle Orcas in the inaugural season in 2023.
In May 2024, he was appointed as the new head coach of [[Brisbane Heat]] and [[Queensland cricket team]] for the next three years.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Brisbane Heat and Queensland appoint former South African captain Johan Botha as their new head coach|work=The Times of India |date=14 May 2024 |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/news/brisbane-heat-and-queensland-appoint-former-south-african-captain-johan-botha-as-their-new-head-coach/articleshow/110105533.cms|access-date=19 May 2024}}publisher=The Times of India</ref> After two seasons in the roles, Botha resigned from both positions ahead of the 2026–27 season,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/johan-botha-resigns-as-queensland-and-brisbane-heat-coach-15393872|title=Johan Botha resigns as Queensland and Brisbane Heat coach|publisher=[[ESPNCricinfo]]|date=9 June 2026}}</ref> following reports of player unrest.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.codesports.com.au/cricket/bbl/queensland-cricket-to-axe-coach-johan-botha-after-two-trophyless-seasons/news-story/2e0c777bc1cb1d17dab068aebb4825b3|title=Queensland hunt for new coach after players oust Botha|publisher=[[Code Sports]]|date=9 June 2026}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[List of international cricketers called for throwing]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
*{{ESPNcricinfo|id=44149}}
* {{Twitter|johan_botha |Johan Botha }}

{{South Africa ODI Cricket Captains}}
{{South Africa T20I Cricket Captains}}
{{Navboxes
|title= South Africa squads
|bg= #007749
|fg= #FFB81C
|bordercolor=#FFB81C
|list1=
{{South Africa Squad 2009 World Twenty20}}
{{South Africa Squad 2010 World Twenty20}}
{{South Africa Squad 2011 Cricket World Cup}}
{{South Africa Squad 2012 World Twenty20}}
}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Botha, Johan}}
[[Category:1982 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Cricketers from Johannesburg]]
[[Category:Australian cricketers]]
[[Category:South Australia cricketers]]
[[Category:ACA African XI One Day International cricketers]]
[[Category:Adelaide Strikers cricketers]]
[[Category:Border cricketers]]
[[Category:Cricketers at the 2011 Cricket World Cup]]
[[Category:Eastern Province cricketers]]
[[Category:Rajasthan Royals cricketers]]
[[Category:South African expatriate cricketers in India]]
[[Category:South African cricket captains]]
[[Category:South African cricketers]]
[[Category:South Africa One Day International cricketers]]
[[Category:South Africa Test cricketers]]
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[[Category:21st-century South African sportsmen]]
[[Category:Delhi Capitals cricketers]]
[[Category:Kolkata Knight Riders cricketers]]
[[Category:Trinbago Knight Riders cricketers]]
[[Category:South African emigrants to Australia]]
[[Category:Sydney Sixers cricketers]]
[[Category:Hobart Hurricanes cricketers]]
[[Category:South African expatriate cricketers in Australia]]
[[Category:Northamptonshire cricketers]]
[[Category:South African expatriate cricketers in England]]
[[Category:Alumni of Grey High School]]
[[Category:Ireland cricketers]]
[[Category:Australian cricket coaches]]
[[Category:21st-century Australian sportsmen]]

Johan Botha (cricketer) - Revision history

Prabhash Sharma: done.