Australian team seeks out Bolt to improve running between the wickets

Sprinting legend Usain Bolt offered pointers to a select group of Australian batsmen to improve their running between the wickets in Sydney. The retired Jamaican athlete is said to have passed on tips to improve their "explosiveness" off the mark.

New Delhi: Sprinting legend Usain Bolt offered pointers to a select group of Australian batsmen to improve their running between the wickets in Sydney. The retired Jamaican athlete is said to have passed on tips to improve their "explosiveness" off the mark.

"It's all about explosiveness, and that's one thing I've noticed with cricket - they don't really have a lot of explosiveness when they're running," Bolt was quoted as saying by the Herald Sun newspaper. "They seem to always take off at a slow rate. Getting that right will definitely help people."

Australia's batsmen saw merit in picking the multiple Olympic champions’ brains, with specific cues helping to get in and out of the crease that much faster. "He was giving us a few pointers on how to get a little bit faster," Handscomb said. We'll give it a crack. He was trying to get us nice and low in the turn and in and out. The first couple of steps are key and if we can get them right, we'll be fast.

"Obviously he's the fastest man ever so if we can have the title with him, that'd be cool," Handscomb added.

Handscomb was the only member of the Ashes squad present at the promotional event. The first Ashes Test begins on Thursday (November 23) at the Gabba in Brisbane. Subsequent games will be played in Adelaide, Perth, Melbourne and Sydney.