2 Apr 2009

Celebrities and legends set to pad up for Hollywood Ashes

6:42 pm on 2 April 2009

Hugh Jackman, Rupert Murdoch, Ozzy Osborne, Shane Warne and former British prime minister John Major have thrown their support behind the second annual Australia versus England Hollywood Ashes cricket match in Los Angeles involving celebrities and cricket legends.

Whether any or all of them will play remains to be seen, but organisers expect a mix of A-List Hollywood stars and cricket professionals to pad up for the Twenty20 game.

Last year the Steve Waugh and Mike Whitney-led Australian team, consisting of golfer Ian Baker-Finch, surf champ Layne Beachley and actor Cameron Daddo, lost a thriller to the English team spearheaded by Test batsman Robert Key, fast bowler Simon Jones and West Indies quick Franklin Rose.

The English team has already recruited 65-Test veteran batsman Graham Hick to lead their team.

The grudge match will be played on May 3 at LA's Woodley Cricket Field with the teams expected to be finalised in the next fortnight.

Jackman, Murdoch, Osborne, Major, talkshow king Michael Parkinson and English cricketer Simon Jones have agreed to sit on the event's honorary board and fingers are crossed some may suit up in their cricket whites for the game.

Warne has also told the organising committee he supports the event, raising the prospect of the blond spinner taking the field for the Aussies.