Delhi: There are many strange stories of cricketers getting injured or having some accident and when you read them, you are forced to say – 'Who does this?' A similar incident has now happened in Australia. England's Ian Botham falls into a river full of bloodthirsty crocodiles and there are sharks for those who leave the crocodiles. The answer to the question of who immediately pulled Botham out of the river is Australia's Merv Hughes. Ian Botham and Merv Hughes may not be popular names for today's cricket lovers, but both of them are very special in the stories of the exciting Ashes matches played between England and Australia and their names feature in many stories. Therefore, not only Ian Botham's falling into such a dangerous river became a story, his arch rival and that too Australia's Merv Hughes saving him also became a story and it was the front page news in the newspapers of both the countries the next morning.

The story is that Ian Botham went fishing during his current trip to Australia and Merv Hughes was with him. Both of them were in the famous Moyle River among fishing enthusiasts and were going in the middle of the river by boat to join their big group when Ian Botham's flip-flop got stuck and while trying to handle it, Botham himself fell into the river. Merv Hughes, also heavy in body, did not delay even a moment and along with other staff started to rescue Botham because they knew what it meant to fall into the water in this river.

Now how did these two, the two big characters of the almost 150 year old fierce rivalry Ashes, come together, then the answer to this question is that these two famous players, who once competed with each other on the ground, are now enjoying their many similar hobbies (fishing, And drinks are special among them) because of which they are close friends. That's why they were together on a four-day fishing trip in the north of Australia, about 250 miles from the city of Darwin. When Botham was trying to board the boat, he fell into the river. Although he suffered some injuries, his life was saved, this is the biggest news. They came out faster than they fell.

England and Australia have been playing Test cricket since March 1877 and Botham and Hughes have been two of the most colorful characters in this long history. Botham is also called an Ashes legend. England's victory in 1981 is also called 'Botham Ashes' for their 399 runs and 34 wickets. Won the Ashes 5 times, an English record, and retired as one of the world's greatest all-rounders, with a total of 5200 Test runs and 383 wickets. Hughes became famous for his fast and bowling bowling between 1985 and 1994, taking a total of 212 Test wickets, 75 of which came against England and was part of 3 Ashes-winning teams.

Botham is in Australia these days for broadcaster Triple M, commentating on Australian radio and the two friends are together there too. Before that, the couple had also come together to deliver a lecture at a program of the Chamber of Commerce. Botham was once famous for his cricket in Australia and now for other activities. He is in the House of Lords and hence in many places he is also written as Lord Botham. Has been UK Business Ambassador to Australia since 2020, while his range of wines are produced in the Barossa Valley, near Adelaide.

Frustrated with Botham's hitting on every delivery he bowled, Hughes, playing in only his second Test, asked his teammate David Boon where to bowl to him. Both of them were in the headlines for their clash during the Ashes in the 1980s. Botham even scored 22 runs in one over of Hughes, which was then a new record in a 6-ball over in the Ashes. Botham had strokes of 2, 2, 4, 6, 4 and 4 in that over.