England cricketing great Ian Botham was saved by his former Ashes rival Merv Hughes after a fall into crocodile-infested waters while on a fishing trip in northern Australia.

Botham, along with Hughes and a group of friends, was on a boat when the accident happened, resulting in some heavy bruising to his torso but no serious injuries for the former England all-rounder.

The 68-year-old Botham reportedly got tangled in some ropes while moving to another boat, causing him to slip headfirst into the Moyle River, 200 kilometers southwest of Darwin in Australia's tropical north. The river is known to be inhabited by saltwater crocodiles and bull sharks.

Posting about the incident on social media, Botham shared his relief, saying: "My catch of the day was the barra while I was nearly catch of the day for all the crocs and bull sharks...thanks boys for getting me out."

The two cricket legends, who faced off many times during Ashes series in the late 1980s and early '90s, have maintained a close friendship over the years.

In a comment to News Corp, Botham compared himself to the Australian film character Crocodile Dundee, saying: "At the end of the day, Crocodile Beefy survived.

"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. The guys were brilliant, it was just one of those accidents. It was all very quick and I'm OK now."

There have been three fatal crocodile attacks in Australia this year.