The Bushfire Cricket Bash has been shifted to Melbourne’s Junction Oval as confirmed by Cricket Australia. The star-studded match will be played on Sunday to raise funds for the affected in the bushfire in Australia.
Bushfire bash updates
The match was earlier scheduled to be played at the SCG on Saturday as the curtain-raiser to the Big Bash League final. Due to the forecast of heavy rains, Cricket Australia changed the decision. “Change of plans! To ensure the SCG is in the best possible condition for the BBL final, we’ve made the call to not go ahead with Saturday’s Bushfire Cricket Bash at the SCG,” CA tweeted.
Earlier Shane Warne and Ricky Ponting were the captains for two teams at the bushfire match. But due to the change of dates, Warne will not be available. As a result, Adam Gilchrist will be the captain. While Sachin Tendulkar will coach Ricky Ponting, according to the new development, Tim Paine will coach the Gilchrist XI.
Very sad & disappointed to be missing Sunday’s cricket bash game. The reason being – I have an 8am commitment for the Mandela foundation and a walk in Capetown on Tuesday morning at 8am. No airlines can get me there in time. Happy to play if someone offers up there private plane?
— Shane Warne (@ShaneWarne) February 6, 2020
CA informed, “Some important updates for The Big Appeal happening this weekend! Bushfire Cricket Bash moved to Junction Oval on Sunday Adam Gilchrist + Ricky Ponting named as captains Sachin Tendulkar + Tim Paine named as coaches”
If I'm batting three on Sunday, hopefully this guy is on my team and batting four @brianlara pic.twitter.com/dsaXhJTLoU
— Ricky Ponting AO (@RickyPonting) February 6, 2020
Bushfire Match details
All profits and funds from the match would go to the Australian Red Cross Disaster Relief and Recovery Fund with the aim to help the victims of the blazes. The bushfire began in September and hampered Australian life in a terrible way. The match will see big names like Brian Lara, Yuvraj Singh, Wasim Akram, Justin Langer, Matthew Hayden, Shane Watson, Andrew Symonds, Brad Haddin and Brett Lee. It will be a 10-over-per-side fixture, with a five-over Powerplay. There will be minimum rules to be followed in this charity match.
The reschedule means former Michael Clarke and Michael Hussey, and a number of the female stars will not available due to prior commitments. Former Australian women’s team player Mel Jones and rugby league great Andrew Johns will take part in a non-playing capacity.
Bushfire Match teams lists
Ricky Ponting XI:
Matthew Hayden, Justin Langer, Ricky Ponting (C), Elyse Villani, Brian Lara, Phoebe Litchfield, Brad Haddin (wk), Brett Lee, Wasim Akram, Dan Christian, Luke Hodge. Coach: Sachin Tendulkar
Adam Gilchrist XI:
Adam Gilchrist (C & wk), Shane Watson, Brad Hodge, Yuvraj Singh, Alex Blackwell, Andrew Symonds, Courtney Walsh, Nick Riewoldt, Peter Siddle, Fawad Ahmed (one more to be announced). Coach: Tim Paine