England's thumping of Australia in the second Ashes Test nearly sparked a different type of thumping between veteran cricket rivals Ian Botham and Ian Chappell in Adelaide.

The English knight and the Aussie had to be dragged apart after reportedly clashing in the Adelaide Oval car park.

Car park combatants ... Ian Botham and Ian Chappell.

The two men, who are said not to have spoken to each other since 1980 despite being regular cricket commentators at the same events, squared up as Botham waited to be picked to go to the airport, Britain's Daily Mail reported.

Chappell, from Channel Nine, "muttered something highly provocative as he went past", reported the paper, and Botham, from Sky, snapped: "What did you say?"