‘Lucky’ Ian Botham survives falling into crocodile infested river

Former England cricketer Ian Botham revealed that he survived falling into crocodile infested water in his recent fishing trip. Botham took to Instagram to reveal the chilling details of the incident on November 8, Friday.

The legendary England cricketer was on a leisure trip with his former Ashes rival Merv Hughes. Botham said on his Instagram post that he was nearly eaten by crocodiles and bull sharks while he was trying to catch fish. English media provided further details into the incident, stating that the former all-rounder tripped over after getting his leg caught on one of the ropes in the boat.

“My catch of the day was the barra while I was nearly catch of the day for all the crocs and bull sharksâ€æ thanks boys for getting me out,” Ian Botham wrote on his Instagram.

English daily Metro spoke to Botham about the incident. The all rounder said that he was in the water for a brief amount of time and thankfully did not have enough time to think how disastrous the fall could have been.

“I was out of the water quicker than I went in it. Quite a few sets of eyes were having a peep at me,” Botham said.

“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,” Botham concluded.

Ian Botham’s Life After Cricket

Ian Terence Botham is one of the most renowned all-rounders in the history of cricket. Botham represented England in both Test and One-Day International cricket over a 15-year international career. He is celebrated for his exceptional batting and bowling skills, particularly highlighted by his performance in the 1981 Ashes test at Headingley, where he led England to a spectacular recovery against Australia. Botham played most of his first-class county cricket for Somerset, but also represented Worcestershire, Durham, and Queensland in Australia. He gained 383 wickets and scored 5,200 runs in Test cricket.

After retiring from cricket in 1993, Botham has remained highly active in various fields. He works as a cricket commentator for Sky Sports and has been a regular voice on TV. He also serves as a columnist for the Daily Mirror and has guest-edited sports titles.

Botham is a prolific charity fundraiser, particularly known for his efforts in raising money for childhood leukaemia research. He launched The Beefy Foundation in 2012 and has undertaken several high-profile charity walks, including multiple walks from Land’s End to John o’ Groats, raising millions of pounds for various charities such as Blood Cancer UK, Battens Disease, and Brain Tumour Research.

Since 2017, Botham has been the chairman of Durham County Cricket Club, where he has played a significant role in stabilizing the club’s finances and promoting its development. Botham is a keen golfer, angler, and shooter. He also owns a wine company and has been involved in various other sporting activities, including professional football; he played for Scunthorpe United and later became the club’s president.

Botham was awarded a knighthood in 2007 for his services to cricket and charity. In July 2020, he was elevated to the House of Lords as a crossbench peer and has also served as a UK trade ambassador to Australia. Botham’s diverse and active post-cricket life reflects his enduring passion for sports, charity, and public service.