The truth about Beefy's 36-year feud with Aussie Chappell

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Published: 22:30 BST, 10 July 2013 | Updated: 07:19 BST, 11 July 2013

Ian Chappell's decision to stay in Sydney as a studio pundit for Channel Nine during the Ashes means there will be no new confrontations with Sky's Sir Ian Botham in an infamous feud that goes back 36 years.

The last Ashes series Down Under featured Botham and Chappell exchanging obscenities after a day's play in Adelaide — an incident first revealed by Sports Agenda, much to the annoyance of both combatants.

However, Botham's Sky colleague David Lloyd has shed more light on that Adelaide episode in his new book, The Ashes According to Bumble, published by Harper Collins this week.

Lloyd writes: ‘Botham and Chappell are often in the same vicinity but for the good of world peace do everything they can to avoid each other.

But on this occasion, with the Sky and Channel Nine media transport parked next to each other, a meeting became inevitable.

‘As Beefy passes Chappell, the former Australian captain mutters, "****". Botham doesn't break stride but replies, "Oh , **** o**, you ****".

Botham then threw his bag inside the bus and turning round, called it on with Chappell, declaring: "Right that's it, once and for all. Come on".

‘It took Big Ron, C9's floor manager, to step across and plead, "Come on fellas, ease off now. We can't have this".

The threat of a bare-knuckle dust up was avoided, but the obscenities  continued as we drove off.

‘Beefy was absolutely steaming: "Just ******* wait till I get him on my own in a lift". It took him two days to come down from the height of his anger.'

Australia coach Darren Lehmann was relaxed enough to start the first day of the Ashes by enjoying a cigarette outside the Park Plaza team hotel in Nottingham at 7.30am.

Around the same time, England batting coach Graham Gooch was starting net practice at Trent Bridge with Essex wicketkeeper batsman Ben Foakes, who impressed as 12th man yesterday. The former England Under 19 star is rated highly enough by the senior management to be spending time with the Test side this week.

The England team and back-up staff are taking up 80 per cent of rooms at Nottingham's boutique Hart's Hotel during the first Test, ensuring everything revolves around their needs.

Contrast this with the Australians, who had to queue up for their breakfast yesterday with other hotel guests.

David Warner, Bet88 who has been left out of the Australia team and sent on the A tour of Zimbabwe and South Africa, can drown his sorrows before he leaves in the Aussie-themed Walkabout bar — the Nottingham equivalent of the Birmingham pub where he lumped Joe Root.

The Nottingham hostelry is only 100 yards from Australia's base at the Park Plaza and though Warner has yet to be spotted there, he has  recommended it to two Aussie fans who asked him where to go for a night out.

Jeff Thomson, one of the most fearsome fast bowlers in history, Bet88 shares an unlikely friendship with one of English football's most feared hard men, Mick Harford.

Thomson, a promising footballer in his youth, met the former Birmingham, Luton and Wimbledon striker during stays at Champneys Health Club and regular games of golf.

Ace Shane shuffles off

Absent from the Sky commentary team at Trent Bridge is Shane Warne, who is contracted for only 20 days of the 25-day series.

This allows Warne to captain the bet888 team in the more lucrative World Series of Poker in Las Vegas.

Meanwhile Andrew Strauss said the ‘relentlessness of the media' was what he missed least since standing down as England captain. Nevertheless, Strauss is still working for a Sunday newspaper and Sky during the Ashes.

The TV fixtures announced on Thursday will kick start the war between Sky and BT Sport for Premier League supremacy.

Sky's first picks mean a low-key start for newcomers BT, with Liverpool v Stoke due to be their opening Saturday match. Sky have Swansea v Manchester United and Chelsea v Hull that weekend.