Australian and international cricket players to the likes of Adam Gilchrist, Brett Lee, Ricky Pointing, Brain Lara, Sachin Tendulkar, Courtney Walsh, Yuvraj Singh and Wasim Akram among others played in the bushfire cricket bash on Sunday raising more than 7.7 million and providing fans with some great sporting moments.
Wasim Akram, also known as the sultan of swing, bowled for the first time in two years and Sachin Tendulkar padded up after five and a half years to bat 1-over for the great cause.
Dressed in Australian colours of yellow and green, Akram delivered his first over to Gilchrist and Watson for a total score of 17 runs, including 1 wide and 2 sixes.
Players from the Ponting XI and the Gilchrist XI pose for a photo together after the Bushfire Bash charity match between. Source: AAP Image/Scott Barbour
The first ball of his second over, Akram got a wicket against famous Rugby player Cameron Smith.
Smith said to Akram laughingly “Look after me.” to which Akram replied: “I did.”
Watch the interaction between them below:
Akram talking to Cricket Australia before the match said that “I will be 54 in a few months. I haven’t moved my arm for two years now but tomorrow I will probably be able to bowl about six deliveries if they can be nice to me! Him [Lara] and Ricky but they are on my side anyway.”
To which Lara replied laughingly “I am very happy about that because he’s one of the bowlers during my career that I did not look forward to facing.”
Lara scored 30 of 11 balls in a series of cover and straight drives showcasing pure talent followed by Pointing scoring an entertaining 26 of 14 balls.
In between innings, Tendulkar faced an over from Ellyse Perry and Annabel Sutherland (three balls each).
Also known as The Little Master, he flicked his first ball through fine leg for four and defended the remaining balls gracefully.
Watch Tendulkar in action below:
Akram was playing for Pointing XI for Cricket Australia’s Bushfire Cricket Bash coached by Tendulkar where they had a nerve-racking match against Gilchrist XI coached by Tim Paine on Sunday afternoon.
Ponting XI won the toss and match. They scored 104 for 5 in 10 overs before Gilchrist XI made 103 for 5.
Pointing took to social media saying what an awesome day it had been catching up with old mates.
Tendulkar also took to micro-blogging website and said that he had a lot of fun and was glad to have contributed to such a great cause.
The match has raised more than 7.7 million dollars for bushfire affected communities.
CEO of Cricket Australia took to twitter and thanked all the players involved saying “A huge thank you to the cricket and footy heroes who made the Bushfire Cricket Bash possible today. It’s a real privilege to be able to support bushfire affected communities and to acknowledge the local heroes around the country who fought the fires.”
Fans took to social media sharing their favourite moments and comparing side by side photos of their favourite cricketing legends.
