REUTERS:
World XI team captain Ricky Ponting (left) runs between the wickets with teammate Brian Lara of the West Indies during their game against the Asian XI in Melbourne yesterday. The World XI won by 122 runs after scoring 344 runs in their fifty overs.
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP):
THE OUTCOME was far more important than the result when the world's top cricketers combined in a charity match yesterday that raised almost 15 million Australian dollars (US$11.4 million, euro8.7 million) for the tsunami relief fund.
Ricky Ponting's World XI beat an Asian XI by 112 runs in front of 70,101 fans at the Melbourne Cricket Ground 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 check for A$14.6 million (US$11.1 million, euro8.5 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."
The International Cricket Council is planning a return match in either Calcutta, 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 Asian 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 allrounder 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 returning Sri Lankan offspinner Muttiah Muralitharan and India's legspinner Anil Kumble.
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 3-59 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 2-27 to raucous cheers from his 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 topscored for the Asian line-up with an unbeaten 75 in a total of 232.
New Zealand offspinner Daniel Vettori dismissed Ganguly (22) and added the wickets of Pakistan's Abdul Razzaq (11) and Sri Lanka's Chaminda Vaas to return 3-58 from 10 overs.
With sponsors offering A$1,000 (US$760, euro580) per run scored and A$50,000 (US$38,000, euro29,000) for every six hit at the MCG, the players raised A$576,000 ($US437,000, euro333,000) for runs scored and A$350,000 ($US266,000, euro203,000) for shots that cleared the boundary.
Ponting hit three sixes and Cairns hit two during their 91-run partnership that helped the World XI to the biggest total ever in a limited-overs international at the MCG.
After a 122-run third wicket stand with Lara and the rapid-fire partnership with Cairns, Ponting was stumped by Kumar Sangakkara trying to hit a third consecutive six off Anil Kumble.
Cairns clubbed six boundaries and two sixes in 56 minutes before he was stumped 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 fundraising match 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."
