‘I was out of the water quicker than I went in it’: ‘Beefy’ Botham’s shock croc ordeal

Lord Ian Botham has survived a close call with crocodiles after tripping and falling off a boat before being rescued by a fellow cricketer.

Lord Ian ‘Beefy’ Botham catching barramundi before falling off the boat.

Lord Ian Botham has told how he survived a brutal fall into crocodile infested waters in Darwin last week.

The English cricket legend was saved by the quick actions of top former Australian fast bowler and Victorian favourite Merv Hughes after he tripped and fell during a four day boating trip.

“At the end of the day Crocodile Beefy survived,’’ Botham told the Herald Sun, in reference to Australian film Crocodile Dundee.

“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.”

Botham's bruised body after falling into the river in Darwin.

Botham ended up with nasty bruises on his body after hitting the boat on the way down.

He had been having the time of his life catching big Barramundi with Hughes when on day four the group was crossing from the fishing tether vessel back to their Mothership.

His thongs got caught up in the boat rope while transferring vessels and he ended up crashing into the boat and head first in the Moyle River.

Apparently the boat also had a family of bull sharks living underneath it for any scraps the crocs left behind.

“The guys were brilliant, it was just one of those accidents,’’ Botham said.

“It was all very quick and I’m OK now.”

Botham won five Ashes series against Australia but the English larrikin who was knighted in 2007 has become a local favourite.

He’s here to commentate during the summer of cricket with the potentially fatal incident sure to provide plenty of banter when he and Hughes hit the commentary box together for Triple M and the first test between Australia and India.