Marsh introduces baseball star to the rising ball

It wasn't the same as when Babe Ruth met Don Bradman, or Shane Warne showed Michael Jordan his flipper, but Shaun Marsh has traded tips with the baseballer Manny Ramirez in a cross-cultural exchange in Arizona. Marsh, the Australia one-day international, showed Ramirez, the LA Dodgers and former Boston Red Sox slugger, some of things needed to succeed as a batsman in the game Robin Williams called baseball on valium.

Ramirez stepped on to the Arizona Cricket Club field on Wednesday to test himself against a "cricket pitcher" and managed to connect during the eight-ball over. "I have faced some tough pitchers before, but we don't have to ever swing at a bouncing ball that is rising as it passes us," Ramirez said after padding up. "Shaun is a great hitter and he gave me some great pointers.

"I hadn't watched much cricket in the past, but the game is a lot like baseball. Shaun said I definitely have a future in the game."

Marsh was impressed after his short coaching clinic. "I thoroughly enjoyed coming to the United States and being able to spend some time sharing my passion for the sport with someone who is just as passionate about his sport as Manny is," he said. "Maybe he can return the favour next spring."

There are a few similarities for Marsh and Ramirez: they are capable of launching balls out of stadiums and are both out with hamstring problems. Marsh hurt his leg during an ODI against New Zealand last month while Ramirez is taking a break from spring training after re-injuring himself during a practice fixture against the Colorado Rockies on Sunday.

The major difference between the pair is Ramirez has just signed a two-year contract with the Dodgers worth US$45m, dwarfing the US$30,000 Marsh earned playing for King's XI Punjab in the inaugural Indian Premier League. The television channel Directv, which will show will show the upcoming IPL in the United States, organised the get-together of the two big hitters.

Back in 1932 Bradman chatted to Ruth at a New York Yankees-White Sox game and in 1994 Warne caught up with Jordan, who was then playing for the White Sox. Warne later wore 23, the number made famous by the basketballer, on his one-day shirts.