The Hindu : Sport : World XI records emphatic win

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jan 11, 2005

Sport

Sport

World XI records emphatic win

MELBOURNE, JAN. 10. The outcome was far more important than the result when the world's top cricketers combined in a charity match on Monday for the tsunami relief fund.

Ricky Ponting's World XI beat Asia XI by 112 runs in front of 70,101 fans at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in a limited-overs international that was broadcast in 122 countries.

Including funds from ticket sales, sponsorship and a telephone appeal held concurrently with the match, cricket administrators gave World Vision Australia a cheque for A$14.6 million (US$11.1 million) for its tsunami appeal.

Tim Costello, head of World Vision Australia, said he was ``absolutely blown away'' by the cricket contribution.

``None of the cricketers had to do this ... but they're part of the wave of compassion that has said this wave of death will not beat us,'' said Costello. ``It shows there are things we can do to give hope to those who're still alive — this is part of the job.''

Return match

The International Cricket Council (ICC) is planning a return match at Kolkata, India, or Colombo, Sri Lanka in the middle of next month between the end of England's tour of South Africa and the start of Australia's tour to New Zealand.

``We'd like to have won the game but the result really doesn't matter. We all knew what we were here for — a cause — and that was the most important thing,'' said Asia XI captain Sourav Ganguly. ``I hope we can raise as much money in the next match and put up a better performance on the field.''

Ponting stroked 115, New Zealand all-rounder Chris Cairns smashed 69 off 47 balls and West Indian Brian Lara hit 52 as the World XI reached 344 for eight against an Asian attack featuring Sri Lankan off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan and India's leg-spinner Anil Kumble.

Muralitharan returns

Muralitharan, taking time out from his relief work in Sri Lanka and playing his first match since a shoulder operation in August, was the best of Asia's bowlers with three for 59 in 10 overs.

Shane Warne, coming out of retirement from limited-overs cricket for the match, took a wicket with his second ball to remove Virender Sehwag (45) and finished with two for 27 to raucous cheers from his 70,101-strong home crowd at the MCG.

``Everyone was excited and passionate about why they were here — you could feel it out there,'' said Warne. ``I thought it was a fantastic game, played in the right spirit.''

India's Rahul Dravid top-scored for the Asian line-up with an unbeaten 75 in a total of 232.

New Zealand left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori dismissed Asia XI captain Sourav Ganguly (22) and added the wickets of Pakistan's Abdul Razzaq (11) and Sri Lanka's Chaminda Vaas to return three for 58 from 10 overs.

With sponsors offering A$1,000 (US$760) per run scored and A$50,000 (US$38,000) for every six hit at the MCG, the players raised A$576,000 (US$437,000) for runs scored and A$350,000 (US$266,000) for shots that cleared the boundary.

All tickets available to the public were sold out for the day-night match. TV broadcasters donated and helped collect millions of dollars in appeals running concurrently with the match.

Australian captain Ponting won the toss and elected to bat.

Biggest total at MCG

After Indian pacer Zaheer Khan (two for 46) removed Chris Gayle (1) and Adam Gilchrist (24) to make the total 50 for two, Ponting combined with Lara in a 122-run partnership and Cairns in a 91-run stand that helped the World XI post the biggest total in a limited-overs international ever at the MCG.

Ponting hit consecutive sixes off Kumble in an over that cost the Asian team 21 runs before he was stumped by Kumara Sangakkara advancing down the wicket to the Indian spinner. Kumble finished with two for 73 from 10 overs.

His 102-ball innings contained eight boundaries and three sixes, while Cairns clubbed six boundaries and two sixes in 56 minutes at the crease before he was stumped by Sangakkara off Muralitharan's bowling.

Muralitharan, who was infamously called seven times for chucking at the MCG in 1995, returned to a hero's welcome, gaining loud cheers when he bowled and walked out to bat.

Sri Lanka and India were two of the hardest hit countries in the December 26 tsunami, which has killed more than 150,000 people and left millions homeless.

Sri Lankan wicketkeeper Sangakkara said helping with the fund-raiser was one of the most productive things he could do to help his compatriots.

``The people back home were in our minds,'' said Sangakkara, who contributed in five dismissals. ``I believe this will do a lot for the whole region.'' — AP

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