Toyota helps cricket legends Vaughan + McGrath #settlethescore in UK campaign via Saatchi’s

One of the great rivalries in international sport has been rekindled on the race track with Toyota giving cricket legends Michael Vaughan and Glenn McGrath the chance to #settlethescore at the wheel of a GT86 coupe.

The ex-England skipper and former Australian star bowler went head-to-head in a one-off driving challenge in the UK to determine who could get one up on the old enemy, but at the wheel instead of at the wicket.

Created by Saatchi & Saatchi London, the film launches today and will be supported with #settlethescore across the ECB and Toyota social channels and in the grounds at the remaining Ashes test matches.

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Toyota – an official partner to both the England and Wales and the Australian Cricket Boards came up with a contest on a specially designed course at a world-famous UK race circuit. Setting aside bats and balls, each man was given a Toyota GT86 in which to demonstrate his superiority in speed, handling and tactics. For the winner, there was the honour of claiming not the Ashes, but a new trophy – the Dust.

Says Andy Jex, ECD at Saatchi & Saatchi: “Everyone knows the only way to settle an old feud is an automotive tear up – just look at Grease, Ben Hur and Days of Thunder.”

Adds Michael Vaughan: “Glenn and I had a number of hard battles on the pitch over the years and I’ve missed those since I retired from the game. This challenge has given us both a great opportunity to re-ignite that competitive spirit and I can assure you that both of us left everything out on that race track.”

Says Glenn McGrath: “This was a new kind of challenge for us, but as sportsmen it brought back those competitive instincts. The fact we were able to do this by driving great cars on a world-famous track made the occasion all the more exciting and the will to win even greater.”

AGENCY: Saatchi & Saatchi London

AUDIO POST-PRODUCTION COMPANY: Prodigious