Cricket legends raise $7.7m for bushfire relief in charity match
Former Indian player Sachin Tendulkar (C) speaks with members of the Australian women's T20 squad during a celebrity cricket match in Melbourne on Sunday. AFP
Australia celebrates as heavy rain dampens huge bushfires
The likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara, Courtney Walsh, Yuvraj Singh and Wasim Akram were present among many as Ricky Ponting XI won the tie in the end.
Brian Lara showed he still has what it takes with a stylish 30 not out as cricketing royalty helped raise money to aid Australian bushfire relief in a charity match.
The West Indian legend stroked a series of lofted cover drives and straight drives, including two sixes, before retiring to give another batsman a chance in a star-studded bushfire Bash at Melbourne's Junction Oval.
His captain Ricky Ponting, coming in after Justin Langer was out, also hit 26 as his team made 104 for five from their 10 overs.
Adam Gilchrist smacked a six off the first ball in the run chase before being knocked over, then Shane Watson slammed 30 from nine balls, with Wasim Akram being punished.
But despite a valiant effort from the Gilchrist XI, Ponting's side won by one run.
Tendulkar donned the Australian green and gold to play an over during the innings break of the bushfire Cricket Bash legends match.
Tendulkar was facing Australia's star all rounder and 2019 Women's Cricketer of the Year Ellyse Perry in the over and her former teammate Alex Blackwell. He said while walking up to the pitch that it was the first time in five years that he was picking up a bat and the 46-year-old ended up hitting a four off the first ball he faced.
Tendulkar is in Melbourne as coach of the team led by former Australian captain Ricky Ponting, who are playing against a team led by former Australian wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist. Perry, however, threw a challenge to Tendulkar on Saturday via a video message tweeted by the Australian women's team. Tendulkar in turn accepted the challenge.
"All the players have had a ball. They are all saying why couldn't we play more," said Ponting. "Well done to everyone involved. Sharing a dressing room with guys I spent 25 years with."
After the game, Cricket Australia tweeted that "thanks to the incredible generosity from Australia and around the globe, we've raised over Aus$7.7 million to support communities and families impacted by the recent bushfires."
Fundraising has been ongoing since the blazes began in September.
They left at least 30 people dead and thousands of homes destroyed, with many of the fires only brought under control in recent days after torrential rain swept across eastern Australia.
Agencies
