A DORCHESTER cricketer has succeeded where Australia's finest struggled.

Fast bowler Jimmy Anderson spent the summer troubling batsmen from Down Under as he spearheaded England's Ashes winning bowling attack, but he was unable to find his way past Pete Moxom.

The 25-year-old county town batsman faced up to ten balls from Jimmy, who reached speeds of up to 85mph.

Pete padded up against the Lancashire and England bowler after being selected as one of eight finalists from thousands of applicants to take part in a Strongbow Earn It challenge.

After two days of intense training with a top coach, Pete was chosen from among the finalists to face Jimmy, who is England's second highest test wicket taker of all time with over 300 victims, in front of a crowd of 200.

There were some close calls and near misses but Pete, who lives in Poundbury, kept his wicket intact and even managed to get bat on ball on the last delivery.

Pete said: “When I applied to take part in the Strongbow Earn It challenge, I never thought I would be lucky enough to get the chance to face a world class bowler.”

He said that even looking back on the experience it was still difficult to actually take it all in.
Pete said: “It was just a really surreal experience, everything that happened that day was so over the top I just felt like I was in a dream.

“When I walked out there was just smoke in front of me and 200 people going absolutely mental, I didn't know what was going on really.

“The ball was swinging miles and it was just completely different from anything else I have ever faced before, the step up in standard was immense.”

Pete was also full of praise for Jimmy, with whom he shared a few jokes with about the England team's exploits over the summer.

He said: “He was a good laugh and he was a really nice guy.”

Jimmy, who is ranked among the top ten bowlers in the world, said: “We all know someone who 'talks the talk' when it comes to sport but how many do you know who actually step up and prove that they can score that penalty or hit a fast bowler to the boundary - well Pete did.

“Facing six of my quickest deliveries, Pete was a worthy contender who stepped up and 'Earned It'.”

For more information about the Strongbow Earn It campaign visit strongbow.com