International XI captain Brian Lara (right) is clean bowled as Asia XI wicket keeper Kumar Sangakkara looks on during their charity tsunami relief game at the Oval in London yesterday. - REUTERS
LONDON (AP)
AUSTRALIAN OPENER Greg Blewett smacked an unbeaten 91 off 61 balls to lead an International XI over an Asia XI by six wickets yesterday in a Twenty20 cricket match for tsunami relief.
The Asia side was all out for 157 in 19.1 overs, and the Internationals reached the target in 18.1 overs scoring 161 for four.
Blewett, who has four Test centuries to his name and none in one-dayers, launched five sixes and seven boundaries.
Only New Zealand's Scott Styris with an 18-ball 39 not out and Zimbabwe's Andy Flower with 15 reached double figures for the International side. Anil Kumble bowled captain Brian Lara for nine.
India's Rahul Dravid led Asia's innings with a 47-ball 62 at The Oval.
Sri Lanka's Sanath Jayasuriya (27), Mahela Jayawardene (24), Kumar Sangakkara (15) and Chaminda Vaas (14) were the only other batsmen in double figures.
HOLLIOAKE CLAIMS THREE
Former England allrounder Adam Hollioake, who came out of retirement to play in the match, was the pick of the International bowlers with three for 16 off 2.1 overs.
Marylebone Cricket Club defeated an International XI by 112 runs in another tsunami fund-raiser on June 14.
All proceeds are for victims of the December 26 undersea earthquake and tsunami which killed 180,000 people in 11 Asian nations.
LINE-UPS:
Asia XI: Rahul Dravid (India, captain), Virender Sehwag (India), Sanath Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka), Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka), Mahela Jayawardene (Sri Lanka), Mohammad Kaif (India), Anil Kumble (India), Chaminda Vaas (Sri Lanka), Irfan Pathan (India), Harbhajan Singh (India), Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka).
International XI: Brian Lara (captain, West Indies), Stephen Fleming (New Zealand), Andy Flower (Zimbabwe), Adam Hollioake (England), Greg Blewett (Australia), Chris Cairns (New Zealand), Shaun Pollock (South Africa), Scott Styris (New Zealand), Dominic Thornely (Australia), Shane Warne (Australia), Makhaya Ntini (South Africa).
