Former England cricketer Ian Botham had a narrow escape from a crocodile attack, thanks to the quick actions of his former cricket rival, Merv Hughes. The 68-year-old was on a fishing trip in Australia’s Northern Territory when the incident occurred.
Hughes is a former Australian right-arm fast bowler who took 212 wickets for his country in 53 Test matches. Botham is one of the greatest cricket all-rounders of all time. He scored 5,200 runs in 102 Test matches while taking 383 wickets. He scored 2,113 runs in 116 ODIs while taking 145 wickets.
Botham and Hughes were crossing the Moyle River to reach their main boat during a four-day fishing adventure. As they made their way across, Botham’s flip-flops caught on a rope, causing him to lose his balance and fall into the river, known for its crocodiles and bull sharks.
Immediately, Hughes sprang into action, helping Botham out of the dangerous waters before any harm could come to him. Fortunately, Botham escaped with just a few bruises.
Reflecting on the incident, Botham later shared that he was out of the water almost as fast as he fell in, thanks to the quick response from his team. He recalled noticing several crocodile eyes watching him but didn’t have time to dwell on the danger.
Botham praised the rescue team, calling their assistance swift and effective, and noted that the incident happened so quickly that he barely had time to process it.
“At the end of the day Crocodile Beefy survived. I was out of the water quicker than I went in it. Quite a few sets of eyes were having a peep at me. Luckily I had no time to think about what was in the water,” Botham said.
“The guys were brilliant. It was just one of those accidents. It was all very quick and I’m OK now,” he added.
BGT 2024
After this close call, Hughes and Botham are preparing for another reunion, this time in the commentary box as they gear up for the Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024. India will take on Australia in the prestigious series that takes place once in every two years.
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