Cricket legend Ian Botham had a close call when he fell into a river full of crocodiles and bull sharks, but luckily, his former cricket rival and now good friend, Merv Hughes, was there to pull him out.

The two cricket veterans, who have been friends since their playing days, were on a fishing trip in Australia’s Northern Territory when the accident happened. Botham, 68, got his flip-flops tangled in a rope while crossing the Moyle River, known for being home to dangerous crocodiles and bull sharks. Both predators are known to lurk in these waters, with bull sharks feeding on the scraps left behind by crocs.

Merv Hughes, a former Australian fast bowler known for his famous mustache, acted quickly and helped drag Botham to safety. Though Botham ended up with some bruises on his torso from the fall, he managed to avoid the deadly jaws of any crocodile or shark. Later, Botham, who is affectionately called “Beefy,” joked that he was like England’s version of Crocodile Dundee. He added, “Crocodile Beefy made it out alive! I was out of the water faster than I went in, but I could feel some eyes watching me from below.”

Botham, who became a life peer and was named the UK’s trade envoy to Australia in 2020, was on a four-day fishing trip with 62-year-old Hughes when the incident occurred. The two were crossing the river to meet up with their expedition’s main boat when the mishap took place.

Afterwards, Botham praised everyone for their quick action and said it was just an unfortunate accident that happened very quickly. He assured everyone that he was fine now.

Back in the day, Botham and Hughes were fierce opponents during Ashes cricket series in the 1980s. The two had many heated verbal exchanges on the field. In one memorable match, Botham hit Hughes’ deliveries all over the ground, joking that he should earn “frequent flyer points” for how far he sent the ball. Another time, after Botham scored 138 runs, he told Hughes he should switch to tennis or golf because they paid better!

Despite their intense rivalry on the field, the two became close friends after their playing days. Botham won five Ashes series against Australia and was knighted in 2007. However, he has earned a lot of respect and love from Australian fans over time.

These days, Botham has been busy in Australia attending business and charity events. He and Hughes recently spoke at a chamber of commerce event and will be commentating together during Australia’s upcoming summer of cricket, starting with the first test match against India.