BOB BARBER has revealed he once had to climb up a tree to escape a charging rhino.
The England cricket legend played 28 Test matches during a 15-year-long career.
AlamyBob Barber played for England between 1954 and 1969[/caption]
APHe once had to run away from a rhino while in South Africa[/caption]
Barber, 90, was at times considered one of the country’s star all-rounders and was in the top five Cricketers of the Year in 1967.
Between 1962 and 1969, he was team-mates with fellow legend Sir Geoffrey Boycott.
And the pair endured a terrifying moment together during a visit to the Hluhluwe–Imfolozi Safari Park in eastern South Africa.
They were taken out to the national park to look at some of the wild rhinoceros.
The head of the national park, conservationist Ian Player, who tried to get the animals’ attention so the cricketers could get a good picture.
But his plan backfired when the rhino instead charged at the pair leading them to run away.
Barber’s memory of the story saw him claim that both he and Boycott climbed up and tried to get away.
He told The Telegraph: “He took us out to look at rhinos.
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“We were told you just stand still because their eyesight is poor and they can’t distinguish between you and a bush.
“So any case, at one point, Ian Player said he would get a rhino to charge.
“He stood away from us on one side with the rhino opposite. He told us to get our cameras ready and snap it charging.
“He waved to attract its attention and get it to charge.
“Suddenly, it got about halfway and changed direction and came for us.
“Geoffrey and I scrambled up a couple of trees where we were standing, with Ian Player trying to make a noise over there and distract the rhino.”
GettyGeoffrey Boycott claimed that he stood his ground against the animal[/caption]
However, the report claims that Boycott’s version of events saw him stand his ground while Barber hid.
He said: “I just wanted to bring him into the team because our partnership was important to the team.
“Please, do pass on my regards.”
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