Plans are well advanced for a special track and field competition between the two countries, starting next September at Newcastle.

Organisers will also take the event out of the traditional stadium format and hold it on city streets at the Newcastle-Gateshead quayside.

It will be the first time the two countries have had their own senior athletics event.

The meeting is scheduled for September 19, the day before the Australian and English cricket teams are due to play in a one-dayer at nearby Chester-le-Street.

Brendan Foster, the bronze medallist in the 10,000 metres at the 1976 Olympics whose management company Nova International have come up with the idea, is wasting no time stirring the rivalry.

He said: "Why not have a proper competition - which England would win, quite easily, obviously, but that's a different issue.

Foster is the founder and chairman of Nova International, which puts up several leading road races in Britain, including the Great North Run.

The Great North City Games will be held the day before the half marathon that attracts about 50,000 entrants.

Foster is confident the popularity of the Great North run can boost the City Games and added elite athletes loved the concept.

Officials plan to stage the event annually in England ahead of the London Olympics.

Foster said: "The reaction from the athletes was absolutely brilliant.

 

"If you look at the state of the sport of athletics around Europe and also this part of the world, the old traditional days of filling the stadiums ... apart from major championships like the Olympics and Commonwealth Games, is coming under pressure.

"So there's been lots of talk within the sport about innovation.

"What we decided is let's take the match between England and Australia to where the people are."

 

John Graves, the chairman of the England Athletics Board, said: “England is delighted to be part of a venture that will help to raise the profile of the sport.

 

"As we edge towards the London Olympics in 2012, athletics has to seize the initiative and ‘raise the bar’ in terms of innovation and excitement to capture hearts and minds.”

Athletics Australia chairman Rob Fildes said his body also fully supported the new competition.

He said: "Using cricket terms, it's a bit of Twenty20 and Ashes all mixed into one in our sport.

 

The event will feature a special four-lane 200m track for the sprint events.

 

Britain's Jeanette Kwakye, who in the summer became the first British woman to reach the Olympic 100m final for 24 years having earlier in the year narrowly missed out on the World Indoor 60m title, is thrilled by the new fixture.

 

The 25-year-old Londoner said: "What a brilliant idea and it promises to be great fun for everyone at whatever level. 

 

"The idea of an England versus Australia match is fantastic.

 

"There are masses of Aussies in this country and with their fervent patriotism and desire to beat us at absolutely everything,

 

"I'm sure they'll come along in masses to spectate. 

 

"This could really start off a new rivalry between the two countries, just like there is for cricket and rugby."

Hooker has competed in street-based pole vault events in Europe.

 

He said: "There has always been a strong rivalry between England and Australia -in athletics and all other sports.

 

“The whole concept is fantastic, the country v country format doesn't happen that often in athletics and to have this in the lead up to London 2012 is great news.

 

”Street pole vaults are very popular in Europe.

 

"It's fun for both the athletes and the spectators and it reached a broader audience,"

Australia and Britain finished equal-eighth in athletics at the Beijing Games with four medals apiece, including one gold.

 

Nova International managing director Dave Newton intends to expand it to other venues around the country.

 

He said: said: "In the past by definition, track and field athletics has taken place in a stadium or an indoor arena.

 

"[This year] we experimented with the 100 metres sprints and they attracted plenty of support with spectators enjoying being so close to the athletes that they could only see from a distance in a stadium.

 

"We believe although there will always be a place for the traditional track and field meetings, athletics can receive a massive boost in both popularity from this new style of competition.”