SHOOTING STARS: British cricket star hits the drag(Strip) in Vegas

Cricket isn’t exactly a high-profile sport on this side of the pond.

In Britain, however, it’s another story — but when star cricketer Andrew “Freddie” Flintoff announced his retirement because of injuries, it didn’t mean the end to his life in action.

That’s because Flintoff’s headlining a new British TV show, “Freddie vs. the World,” in which he’ll challenge fellow retired sports stars in a series of extreme challenges — two of which bring him to Southern Nevada this week.

Flintoff’s expected to film at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Wednesday and Friday; that’s when the National Hot Rod Association’s NHRA Las Vegas Nationals will be tearing up the speedway’s dragstrip, appropriately known as The Strip. And on Thursday, Flintoff’s expected to be in Boulder City, zipping down the Bootleg Canyon Flightlines at the base of Red Mountain.

The Southern Nevada segments are expected to air during “Frankie vs. the World’s” run on Britain’s ITV4 next year.

Grammy preview: The 11th annual Latin Grammy Awards aren’t scheduled to air until Nov. 11 from Mandalay Bay. But that’s not stopping cameras from rolling this week to capture footage for the show’s opening segment.

In addition to downtown views, the MGM Grand, Excalibur and Mandalay Bay also turn up on the list of locations.

Quick takes: What’s in your wallet? Not sure, but the Capital One folks will probably be asking that question this week as they visit Las Vegas for a TV commercial that’s expected to include locations along the Strip, from Caesars Palace to the Flamingo. Singer Shania Twain is expected downtown to shoot an interview for a documentary, while a Swiss TV special reportedly will focus on such Vegas attractions as Bally’s “Jubilee!” An ABC food pilot (from the same production company behind several Paula Deen projects) also is scheduled to visit this week. And, on the ongoing reality-TV production front, MTV’s “Real World” rolls on at the Hard Rock Hotel, while History’s “Pawn Stars” (and its “American Restoration” spinoff) continue production.

Home work: HGTV, which ranks as a frequent Vegas visitor thanks to such shows as “Design Star” and “Las Vegas Green,” is planning yet another return trip, this time for the series “Bang for Your Buck,” from Colorado-based High Noon Entertainment.

Now in its seventh season, “Bang for Your Buck” needs local homeowners interested in having recently remodeled master suites featured on the show.

Each episode will tour three similar — and similarly priced — renovations; design and real estate experts will determine how each renovation impacts the home’s value.

“Bang for Your Buck” plans a January visit to Southern Nevada, so interested homeowners should request applications immediately by telephoning High Noon’s Callie Zanandrie at (303) 712-3180 or e-mailing czanandrie@highnoontv.com.