CALLING ON BOLT

EXPLOSIVENESS helped Usain Bolt to eight Olympic gold medals.

Now he has drawn on his power to help Australian cricketers use the asset between the wickets.

The world’s fastest man put a handful of Australian Ashes hopes through their paces and said that the area he thought most needed work was their speed 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 explosive- ness when they’re running,” Bolt said. “They seem to always take off at a slow rate. Getting that right will definitely help people.”

Gatorade will this summer present the Gatorade Fastest Run trophy to the Australian cricketer who can record the fastest speed between the wickets throughout the summer of cricket, including Twenty20 matches. It will use the “Bolt Rate” as a measure. “We’re trying to make awareness more of running [as an asset in cricket] and we’re developing the Bolt Rate which is the quickest person through the wicket,” the retired sprinter said.

“I’m happy about that, because we’re going to see who is the fastest between the wickets. Nobody can assume — now we’ll actually know who’s the fastest.”

Australian cricketer Peter Handscomb said the tips were welcomed and that the Fastest Run title will be sought-after.

“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.”

Bolt, 31, retired after this year’s World Championships.

He affirmed his looming tilt at soccer is a serious one.

“It’s something that I want to do,” he said. “Next year I’ll get a trial.”

That trial has been flagged with German league powerhouse Borussia Dortmund.