Ian Botham and Ian Chappell have reignited their long-running feud in a tense interview exchange where the former Australia captain accused his opposite number of being “gutless” and “a coward”.

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The animosity between the two great’s of their respective nation’s cricketing elite is well documented and runs back over four decades. The origin of their differences is alleged by Chappell to go back to an incident in 1977, where Botham allegedly threw Chappell across the table and threatened him with a beer glass. Botham denies at least part of that incident took place. At the time, the former England captain was 21 years old and at the start of his international career, while Chappell was coming to the end of his.

In a special TV programme called  The Longest Feud, broadcast by Channel 9, both men went toe-to-toe in an interview designed to resolve their differences. However the conversation took a turn when each former player was asked to name one positive thing about the other.

“He was a good player and I would think he would’ve been a good captain,” said Botham. “But then I’m running out.”

Chappell responded with: “Apart from being the worst long-time commentator of all time, coward, gutless and they’re all the good things I can say.”

Botham looked increasingly exasperated with Chappell’s remarks and retorted: “Coward? Who am I a coward of?”

“You stick an empty beer glass in a guy’s face, that’s a cowardly act,” replied Chappell.

“Why on earth would I need a glass?” asked Botham.

“Because you’re a coward,” was Chappell’s response.

The hostility between the former players made for an increased tension in the interview, with it looking unlikely a possible resolution could be found.

“I’ll tell you what,” said Botham. “In a minute I’ll show you what I can do if you keep on. A coward? I’m many things but I’m not a coward.”

There have been several other flash points of the Botham-Chappell rivalry over the years. The most recent one was in 2010, again during an Ashes series, where they reportedly had a confrontation in Adelaide. Chappell said of the incident that it “wasn’t serious”, but Botham reportedly “took days” to calm down from the argument.

The interviewer then asked if each former player had three words to sum up the other. Botham went first, and described Chappell as “sad and lonely”.

He then said he had “nothing to apologise for” before the interview ended with Botham getting up immediately and leaving Chappell sat in his chair.

The extraordinary exchange seems only to have further entrenched the near fifty-year quarrell, with no prospect of either party seeking a resolution any time soon.

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Ian BothamIan Chappell