Cricket legend Ian Botham had a close call when he fell into a crocodile-filled river during a fishing trip in Australia’s Northern Territory. The 68-year-old former England cricketer, known as “Beefy,” was with his long-time friend and ex-rival, Aussie cricketer Merv Hughes, when the accident happened.

Botham’s flip-flops got tangled in a rope, causing him to lose his balance and fall into the dangerous Moyle River. Not only was the river full of crocodiles, but it was also home to bull sharks, which feed on leftovers from crocs.

Luckily, Hughes, who had faced Botham in many intense cricket matches in the 1980s Ashes series, quickly came to his rescue. Botham suffered bruises from the fall but was pulled out before any crocs could attack.

Botham later joked about the incident, saying, “At the end of the day, Crocodile Beefy survived.” He added that he was out of the water faster than he fell in and noticed quite a few sets of eyes watching him. Thankfully, he didn’t have time to think about the dangers lurking below.

Botham, now a life peer and the UK’s trade envoy to Australia, was enjoying some downtime on a four-day fishing trip with Hughes. The two were crossing a stretch of water to reach their boat when the accident happened.

Botham praised the quick actions of the team, saying it was just one of those accidents that happened fast. Despite the scare, he confirmed he’s doing fine now.

Back in their cricketing days, Botham and Hughes were known for their verbal “sledging,” trading playful insults on the field. Hughes once remembered how Botham hit him all over the ground during a test match and joked that the balls he smashed could earn “frequent flyer points.”

Botham and Hughes have since become close friends. Botham, who won five Ashes series against Australia and was knighted in 2007, remains a popular figure in Australia, despite being one of England’s greatest cricket players.