World rally drivers in Telstra Rally Australia were bowled over at Scarborough Beach yesterday when they received cricket tuition from former test cricket champion Jeff Thomson, regarded as one of the fastest Test cricket bowlers ever.
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Drivers from the Subaru, BP Ford, Kronos Total Citroen, OMV Peugeot Norway and Stobart VK-M Sport world rally teams lined up to face Thommo as he slung the ball towards them.
Big hitters Dani Sordo and Chris Atkinson led the charge of the young drivers, but it was 19 year old Matthew Wilson from Stobart VK M-Sport World Rally Team who stole the show. His powerful hit saw the ball land irretrievably in the sand-dunes, ending the game and showing better form than his countrymen in the recent ICC Champions Trophy match against Australia.
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BP Ford World Rally Team’s Mikko Hirvonen patiently learned the techniques of cricket, which is little played in his native Finland. But the Ford driver is keener to take to the stages of Telstra Rally Australia – one of his favourites on the calendar. "It's fast and flowing with many big jumps and it's one of my favourite events of the year," said Hirvonen.
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Also taking to the sandy pitch was Chinese National Rally Champion Xu Lang. Australian co-driver Dale Moscatt was on hand to explain the finer points of the sport. In addition to learning about cricket, Lang is contesting Telstra Rally Australia with the hope of running a car in the Production Car World Rally Championship.
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After their batting and bowling experience the drivers will be battling it out on the stages of Telstra Rally Australia this weekend.
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