Barmy Army cyclist reaches Ashes

[b555]

It has taken him almost 14 months to cover 15,500 miles, cycling through 23 countries, but Cookham cricket fan Oli Broom has finally arrived in Brisbane. Oli set off on his bike from Lord's Cricket Ground on October 10, 2009, with 17 friends. He said: "When we reached England's south coast they all turned around and went home. "I jumped on a ferry to France and later that evening began cycling across Europe." Oli has also tried playing cricket in all but three of the countries he has travelled through on his bike, including Serbia, Turkey, Sudan and Malaysia. Cycling marathon So far he has managed to raise over £32,000 for charity. Speaking to BBC Radio Berkshire last Saturday he said: "I'm going to make it. "It's pitch black, very windy and raining quite hard at the moment." Oli said he had been camping along the side of the road on his adventure. "I've been keeping a diary and I'm thinking about writing a book about it," he said. On Wednesday 24 November, he met Andrew Strauss at an England nets session at The Gabba. The team plans to raise £100,000 for charity along the way. Oli Broom's marathon cycling journey was inspired by a school friend who became paralysed from the chest down after hitting his head on a sand bank while ducking a wave on holiday in 2005. James Taylor broke the C5 bone in his neck and needs 24-hour care. The cash raised will be split between the British Neurological Research Trust (BNRT), which supports the research of the Spinal Repair Unit at the Institute of Neurology, and the Lord's Taverners. Oli, a former chartered surveyor, decided to leave his job to concentrate on the cycling marathon. http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/berkshire/hi/people_and_places/newsid_9225000/9225257.stm

[Sachinism]

http://www.cyclingtotheashes.com/home.php His blog. Done some really cool things along the way Played cricket all over the place

[Serani]

Good commitment for a good cause

[Clarke]

They interviewed him in a break (lunch prolly).