AB's walk nears end

Allan Border will feel a tinge of sadness on Thursday when he completes a charity walk from Sydney to Brisbane.

The former Australian cricket captain will finish his trek before a big crowd at the Gabba during the tea interval of the opening day of the first Ashes Test between Australia and England.

Border, 47, has raised more than $70,000 from roadside donations during the Trek for Kids.

Test cricket's greatest run-getter and most capped player and his wife Jane have walked more than 1,000km since leaving the Sydney Cricket Ground on October 8.

They've been accompanied by an all-star guest list of supporters, including former Test cricketers Dean Jones and Merv Hughes, former Wallaby captain John Eales and ex-Australian rugby league great Mal Meninga.

Border said he had mixed feelings about finishing, despite the relief of ending his trek.

"There's a tinge of sadness because the project's just worked so well and the response from the public's been awesome," he told radio Triple M in Brisbane.

Inspired by former England captain Ian Botham's charity walks, Border said he could again follow Botham and go on another trek.

"I've got through physically pretty well," he said.

"You never say never. I'd certainly help someone else out if they wanted to do something similar."

Border and sponsor ING each nominated two charities as recipients for the trek's funds, which will also include donations made over the phone and the internet.

The charities are The Spastic Centre, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the Children's Cancer Institute of Australia and the NBN "Kids Project" incorporating Telethon 2002.