AUSTRALIAN 'wild man' Steve Johnston is the latest capture by Oxford Cheetahs promoter Steve Purchase.

Johnston comes to Cowley on a full transfer from Ipswich and represents another major signing for the Cowley outfit.

He follows hard on the heels of Paul Hurry, snapped up from King's Lynn yesterday.

'Johno' upped his average last season in sensational style to 8.25 in what is described as the toughest league in the world. He is an improving rider who is not slow in coming forward when promoting the cause.

He is reported to have streaked in front of TV cameras in Australia and is the sort of upbeat character the fans are sure to love. Hurry, the current British Masters Grass Track champion, also beat a host of world class stars in the recent Brighton Bonanza indoor meeting.

Johnston and Hurry join recent captures Jason Crump and Steve Schofield, who are on loan from Poole, giving Oxford an average of 29.79 with 12.21 points to play with.

That still leaves Purchase plenty of options. He could sign another seven or eight-point rider and opt for a lower average at the bottom end, or play safe with a couple of six-pointers. Either way it looks a solid team coming together.

The two permanent signings represent a considerable investment for Cheetahs, thereby demonstrating the commitment the new promotion are bringing to Oxford.

Purchase hopes to complete the line-up over the weekend.

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