Richie and his bikini babe

Richie Benaud will be joined by a bikini-clad model, Lara Bingle, to front the advertising of Channel 9's Ashes coverage this season. Shuper effort, that. More at the Daily Telegraph in Sydney.

The doyen of cricket is joined by bikini babe Lara Bingle - clad in parochial green and gold togs and cricket pads - in Channel 9's new Ashes campaign.

"So, where the bloody hell are you?'' Bingle says in the promo, coining her Tourism Australia catchcry to attract viewers to the series.

Benaud's thoughts are simple.

"Marvellous,'' he says.