England cricket legend Sir Ian Botham found himself in a perilous situation recently when he was rescued by former Australian fast bowler Merv Hughes after falling into a river teeming with sharks and crocodiles.

The 68-year-old retired all-rounder was on a leisurely fishing trip near Darwin in northern Australia when disaster struck. Botham, affectionately known as `Beefy`, was crossing from one boat to another on the Moyle River when his flip-flops became ensnared in some roping, causing him to tumble headfirst into the water.