| ENGLAND Test star Gareth Batty had to be rescued in a real-life Baywatch drama when a frolic in the surf almost ended in disaster.
Batty, exhausted and "fearing the worst" was plucked from a rip tide near razor-sharp rocks after his fellow swimmer and England's captain Michael Vaughan raised the alarm.
Lifeguards were scrambled from a beach adjoining the Lighthouse Hotel just outside Galle, where the first Test against Sri Lanka was due to start early this morning.
Off-spinner Batty sustained minor cuts to his arms, hands and legs but did not need hospital treatment and he was expected to win his second cap here.
Just ten miles up the coast from Batty's brush with tragedy, a surfer drowned in treacherous currents last month and the Worcestershire twirler admitted last night: "At one point I feared the worst - this definitely shook me up."
Along with Vaughan and pace bowler Matthew Hoggard, Batty had gone body-surfing in the Indian Ocean to cool off after a punishing three-hour practice in 90 degree heat.
Despite warnings from the lifeguards not to swim too close to rocks jagging out on the peninsula by the five-star seafront hotel, Batty was swept towards them by powerful undercurrents.
Vaughan scrambled to safety in more shallow water whilst Hoggard swam ashore unharmed - but 26-year-old Batty was in danger of being tossed against the rocks like a rag doll.
Batty said last night: "The lifeguard dude told us to stick to a certain channel and not to venture out beyond the breakers, but from about the third wave out I was suddenly caught in a rip tide.
"The next thing I knew we were getting carried towards the rocks. I must have drifted 30 feet in the rip and I was beginning to "nip" a bit. Vaughanie managed to clamber on to the rocks and wave to the lifeguards that I needed help, and about half a dozen swam out to rescue me.
"They say when you get caught in a rip, the best thing is to let it take you where it wants, but it's not that easy when there are hellish sharp rocks about and you're getting washed up on to them.
"I wouldn't say I'm a brilliant swimmer but I'm not a novice, and this actually whacked me into the rocks and the scary bit was when another wave knocked me over again.
"The lifeguards were brilliant - about six or seven of them came flying into the water with rings and all sorts, but there were too many rocks for them to launch a boat.
"I am lucky Vaughanie could tell I was struggling, and he was getting pretty animated up on the rocks trying to attract the lifeguards' attention.
"Hoggy is a strong swimmer - strong enough to catch a wave and make it back on to the shore unaided - so I was the big girl of the group because I was the only one who needed rescuing.
"The boys have been taking the mickey mercilessly and the Sri Lankans are staying at the same hotel as us, so they know all about it as well. But at one point I feared the worst, and it was Vaughanie's waving from the rocks that caught the lifeguards' eye, otherwise I don't know what might have happened."
The incident happened just yards from the hotel where England players, including Marcus Trescothick and Andrew Flintoff, have been joined by their wives and girlfriends.
Lifeguards Wellage Gamini and Mahadura Nihal were among the rapid response team who answered Vaughan's distress call.
Gamini said: "We always tell visitors to stay near to the shore because currents along this coastline are very strong, but we had to rescue an England cricketer who was being carried on to the rocks.
"I could tell he was quite a strong swimmer, but these rip tides are difficult for anyone if you go out too far. When we reached him he looked a little shaken and tired.
"At the moment the sea is dangerous because the currents have been swollen by all the rainfall flowing into the ocean."
This was not the first time an England cricketer has got into trouble in the surf, although it may prompt Lord's to issue stricter guidelines about players' leisure pursuits.
Nine years ago, Darren Gough had to be rescued off the coast of Newcastle, New South Wales, during an Ashes tour. And 20 months ago Sussex all-rounder Umer Rashid drowned on the Caribbean island of Grenada in a vain attempt to rescue his brother. | 
26-11-2004, 06:21 PM
in reply to Richie Benauds Love Child's post starting "And the thread has finally descended..." 
, she is some hot lady
Cape Town supermodel Minki van der Westhuizen and SA cricket captain, Graeme Smith, announced that they were involved in a romantic relationship - November 9 2003. (Photo: Anton Robert, Forwardzone Sports / Die Burger) Come on GBH - rearrange his features!
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