Feuding for the past 30 years, former Australia captain Ian Chappell and legendary England all-rounder Ian Botham reportedly came to blows during an angry showdown on the fourth day of the just-concluded second Ashes Test in Adelaide.
According to the ‘Daily Mail’, Botham and Chappell “had to be pulled apart after a furious bust-up in the car park after the end of play on the fourth day in the Adelaide Test.”
While Botham is employed with the Sky network, Chappell is working with Channel 9.
The two former cricketers were in the parking area when “Chappell muttered something highly provocative as he went past. A surprised Botham turned around to retort: ‘What did you say?’ And after Chappell made another incendiary remark, both of them dropped their bags and were at each others’ throats before being quickly separated.”
“They went for each other all right and it could have got very nasty if there hadn’t been people on hand to keep them apart,” the daily quoted a source as saying.
“They reacted quickly because we all know the history between these two. They might be aged 55 and 67, but neither of them are the type of people to give an inch in the face of conflict,” he added.
The two have been at loggerheads since 1977 when they had a bust-up at a bar in Melbourne.
The then 21-year-old Botham, playing club cricket in Australia, was in the same bar as Chappell and reportedly got agitated after overhearing the Aussie make some unflattering remarks about the English team.
Both the cricketers gave different versions of the incident with Botham claiming to have punched Chappell.
Chappell, however, claims that he walked away after an argument.
