Legendary English cricketer Ian Botham narrowly avoided disaster in Australia’s Northern Territory after an unexpected plunge into crocodile-infested waters during a fishing trip with former Ashes rival and now close friend, Merv Hughes.
The 68-year-old cricket icon was crossing the Moyle River which is reportedly a notorious stretch teeming with crocodiles and bull sharks when his flip-flop snagged on a rope, causing him to stumble and fall into the murky waters.
His friend Hughes had to spring into action, pulling Ian Botham to safety before any lurking predators could strike. Botham emerged with only minor bruises, unfazed by the ordeal.
Recalling the tense moment, Ian Botham said, “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.”
He added, “The guys were brilliant. It was just one of those accidents. It was all very quick, and I’m OK now.”
Ian Botham expressed his gratitude to Hughes and his fishing team for their rapid response, calling the incident “just one of those accidents” that ended without harm.
He was quick to mention that he will not be giving up finishing any time soon.
“Fishing is my biggest passion. I need solitude, and fly-fishing, which fascinates me, offers that. There’s something about rivers, the flow of water, watching as the day goes by… I’ve never found a stretch of river that hasn’t interested me.”
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