Cricket

World XI triumphs in tsunami relief match

Austadiums • Tuesday 11th January 2005

A Ricky Ponting century and the bowling of Shane Warne and Daniel Vettori helped the ICC World XI to a comfortable 112-run win over the Asian XI in the tsunami relief match at MCG.

In front of 70,101 fans, the ICC World XI won the toss and batted, with man of the match Ponting pacing the innings beautifully, scoring 115 from only 102 deliveries as the team finished at 8-344 from its 50 overs, the highest one-day score at the ground.

Then under lights, it was the turn of Warne, playing his first one-day international in almost two years, and Vettori, to exert their influence on the game.

The Australian leg-spinner picked up 2-27 from seven controlled overs, while his Kiwi team mate ripped through the tail to finish the night with 3-58 off 10 overs.

The Asian XI got off to a good start, putting on 59 runs for the opening wicket in 10 overs but wasn't able to carry that through the remainder of its innings.

From 4-156 in the 29th over, the Asian XI collapsed during the middle stages to be all out for 232 in the 40th, losing its last six wickets for the addition of only 66 runs.

Warne thrilled his home fans with the wickets of Sehwag, caught at mid-on in his first over, and Yousuf Youhana for four in his fifth.

Vettori removed Asian XI skipper Sourav Ganguly for 22 before returning later to take the wickets of Abdul Razzaq and Chaminda Vaas.

Only the Indian pair of Rahul Dravid, who was not out 75 off 70 deliveries at the end, and opener Sehwag, with 45 from 39 balls, were able to come to terms with the strong World XI bowling.

Sri Lankan off-spinner and number 11 batsman Muttiah Muralitharan was last man dismissed, run out courtesy of Vettori's direct hit.

While the result might not have pleased those watching in South Asia, where the Boxing Day tsunami struck, the on-field exploits of the two teams did manage to raise significant funds for World Vision's aid effort in the region.

The 576 runs scored represents a $576,000 donation to the aid organisation from the '3-Mobile' company, while the seven sixes equates to $350,000 from Toyota.

When added to the other fund-raising initiatives surrounding the event, the match raised $14,645,123.85.

Ponting batted from the second to the 39th over, hitting eight fours and three sixes, two of which came in consecutive balls immediately before his dismissal by Anil Kumble.

In addition to Ponting's exploits, the crowd was also treated to some outstanding batting from Chris Cairns, who was at his big-hitting best with six fours and two sixes in his 47-ball knock of 69.

Brian Lara was also good with a slightly more sedate 52, scored off 77 deliveries.

Mulitharan was best with the ball for the Asian XI, picking up 3-59 from 10 overs, while paceman Zaheer Kahn took 2-46 off eight. Also, leg-spinner Kumble picked up 2-73.

After going wicketless from his initial six-over spell, Muralitharan came back in the 39th over to capture the wickets of Cairns, Matthew Hayden (2) and Glenn McGrath, who was promoted to number six, for a first ball duck.

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A Ricky Ponting century and the bowling of Shane Warne and Daniel Vettori helped the ICC World XI to a comfortable 112-run win over the Asian XI in the tsunami relief match at MCG.
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