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

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 almost eaten by crocodiles and bull sharks while trying to catch fish. The English press gave more details about the incident, saying that the former all-rounder tripped after his foot got caught in one of the ropes in the boat.

“My catch of the day was barbel while I was almost catch of the day for all the crocs and bull sharks – thanks guys for getting me out,” Ian Botham wrote on Instagram.

English daily Metro spoke to Botham about the incident. All told he was in the water for a short time and luckily he didn’t have enough time to think about how disastrous the fall could have been.

“I was out of the water faster than I was in it. Quite a few sets of eyes were looking at me,” Botham said.

“Luckily I didn’t have time to think about what was in the water,” he added.

“The guys were brilliant, it was just one of those crashes. It was all very quick and I’m fine now,” concluded Botham.

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 during a 15-year international career. He is celebrated for his exceptional batting and bowling skills, highlighted in particular by his performance in the 1981 Ashes Test at Headingley, where he led England to a spectacular comeback against Australia. Botham played most of his first-class cricket for Somerset, but also represented Worcestershire, Durham and Queensland in Australia. He won 383 wickets and scored 5,200 runs in Test cricket.

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

Botham is a prolific charity fundraiser, particularly known for his efforts to raise money for childhood leukemia research. He launched The Beefy Foundation in 2012 and has undertaken several high-profile charity walks, including several 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 Tumor Research.

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

Botham was knighted in 2007 for his services to cricket and charity. In July 2020, he was elevated to the House of Lords as a Peer and was also the United Kingdom’s Trade Ambassador to Australia. Botham’s varied and active life after cricket reflects his enduring passion for sport, charity and public service.