A staggering sum of $7.7m was raised as legends of the game came together for the Bushfire Cricket Bash at Melbourne’s Junction Oval on Sunday.
Staged to raise funds for communities ravaged by the bushfires in Australia over the last few months, the charity match saw former stars such as Brian Lara, Wasim Akram, Adam Gilchrist and Ricky Ponting roll back the years in style.
The result – a one-run victory for the Ponting XI over the Gilchrist XI – was secondary with the cricketing legends putting on a fitting show while uniting for a noble cause.
In between the two innings, Indian batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar strutted his wares after facing an over bowled by Australian women’s team duo of Ellyse Perry and Annabel Sutherland.
At the end of an entertaining afternoon in Melbourne, we look at some of the best social media reactions from the Bushfire Cricket Bash.
Brian Lara was in vintage form with the West Indies great depositing an Andrew Symonds delivery over mid-off with the most elegant of lofted drives.
He's still got it! 👌
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) February 9, 2020
Donate to the #BigAppeal here: https://t.co/HgP8Vhnk9s pic.twitter.com/7NPPzO6ILK
Here is Adam Gilchrist dispatching his former team-mate Brett Lee for a trademark six on the very first delivery he faced.
GILLY! 💥
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) February 9, 2020
Donate to the #BigAppeal here: https://t.co/HgP8Vhnk9s pic.twitter.com/eHqOhbiC9y
Sachin Tendulkar found the boundary off the first delivery he faced off Perry, although it came after a horrible misfield.
Sachin is off the mark with a boundary!https://t.co/HgP8Vhnk9s #BigAppeal pic.twitter.com/4ZJNQoQ1iQ
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) February 9, 2020
Bowling clearly was not Justin Langer’s forte with Andrew Symonds dishing out some brutal punishment against the current Australia head coach.
DestROY! #BigAppeal pic.twitter.com/8VGY6KpZrr
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) February 9, 2020
Shane Watson showed no mercy to the ‘Sultan of Swing’ Wasim Akram by launching into a huge six.
No respect for the great Wasim Akram! Shane Watson launches it! #BigAppeal pic.twitter.com/AUzZApTM54
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) February 9, 2020
The former Pakistan pacer came back strongly though, by castling the stumps of Cameron Smith.
Can't go out first ball! #BigAppeal pic.twitter.com/z1q7z9slm0
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) February 9, 2020
Lara was in smashing form, with the left-hander retiring hurt after plundering 30 runs off just 11 deliveries. Here he is, with a superb six over mid-off.
Six over mid-off, if you don't mind!
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) February 9, 2020
And Brian Lara retires on 30 👏 #BigAppeal pic.twitter.com/HtDYHILu2u
Big Matthew Hayden wasn’t going to miss out on the day, with the former Australia opener registering the first six of the match.
The first maximum of the #BigAppeal! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/xFz9S6D6Qf
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) February 9, 2020
Former India star Yuvraj Singh missed out on the big hits as he was caught on the boundary ropes off the bowling of Lee.
Top catch from Alex Blackwell! Yuvraj Singh's gotta go!
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) February 9, 2020
Donate to the #BigAppeal here: https://t.co/HgP8Vhnk9s pic.twitter.com/hW8rYmFIwU
Justin Langer didn’t have the best of times with the bat either, with the southpaw seeing his stumps rattled by old nemesis Courtney Walsh.
Walsh got Langer out three times in Tests - and again today with a beauty!
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) February 9, 2020
Donate to the #BigAppeal here: https://t.co/HgP8Vhnk9s pic.twitter.com/Z5kUuTzD2m
Here’s some of the most comical running between the wickets you will ever see.
What on earth is going on?! 😂 #BigAppeal pic.twitter.com/GoeJKm349O
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) February 9, 2020
You could tell Walsh was rusty once he brought out the moon ball.
Commentators: "It’s not a competitive game Ricky!"
— ICC (@ICC) February 9, 2020
Ponting: "It is when I’m playing!"
He's still got it 😄#BigAppealpic.twitter.com/RAH753OVy3
Match over, it was time for the legends to sign off each other’s shirts.
Competitors on the field, friends off it!
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) February 9, 2020
Had a lot of fun coming together for a cause like the Bushfire Relief.
Happy to have contributed towards the #BigAppeal 🏏 pic.twitter.com/VpYZMteFCY
Two goats together right here.
Great fun having @sachin_rt as the coach today! Must have been what got us over the line #BigAppeal pic.twitter.com/oQaRoedVCV
— Ricky Ponting AO (@RickyPonting) February 9, 2020