Australia's Sarah Andrews backs up during the game on the Gold Coast © Cricket Australia

Beach cricket in summer is as Australian as winning World Cups.

Matthew Hayden ensured the men’s team made it three in a row in 2007 and the women’s side will attempt back-to-back successes when the 2009 global tournament begins in New South Wales on Saturday.

Hayden donned the board shorts and joined the Australian stars Ellyse Perry, Alex Blackwell, Delissa Kimmince and Sarah Andrews in a beach game at Snapper Rocks on the Gold Coast, where the Roxy Pro surfing event is about to be held.

The opposition was some of the world’s best on the waves, including Layne Beachley, the seven-times world champion, Steph Gilmore, Jessi Miley-Dyer, Sally Fitzgibbons and Sam Cornish.

Over the next week things will get more serious for the cricketers. Their first match of the World Cup is on Sunday against New Zealand.