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Bushfire Cricket Bash: Ponitng’s one-handed flick to Lara’s lofted drive; legends turn clock back

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Former West Indies player Brian Lara waves to the crowds after batting during a celebrity cricket match to raise funds for people affected by the Australian bushfires, in Melbourne on February 9, 2020. (Photo by WILLIAM WEST / AFP)


The legends turned the clock backwards when they took to the field for the Bushfire Cricket Bash on Sunday. There were many moments which took the fans down the roads of nostalgia.

Batting first, the Ponting XI put on a great show and one of the moments of the day came off Ricky Ponting’s bat. The natural talent that he always was, the former Australian captain casually flicked a ball off Courtney Walsh single-handedly to the boundary.

However, the star of the pack was former West Indies captain Brian Lara. He smashed 30 runs in his 11-ball innings, which was graced by some trademark Brian-Lara shots.

The first boundary off his willow was a lofted cover drive with his traditional high bat lift. The 50-year-old even stepped out to hit sixes down the ground.

Another moment of the day came when Adam Gilchrist launched a stroke off Brett Lee. The southpaw pulled an outside-the-off short delivery to mid-wicket for a massive six.

The day was graced by some great laughter as well and it all began with the “moon ball’ from former West Indies pacer Courtney Walsh. Bowling to Ponting, the veteran slipped the ball out of his hand for it to fly away.

The next one belonged to former Australia opener Matthew Hayden No one really understood what happened but Haydos suddenly decided to go barefoot while bowling to Andrew Symonds.

Then a bizarre rule of the Bushfire Cricket Bash came into the play. Wasim Akram relieved his older days and clean-bowled Australian rugby player Cameron Smith who was facing his first delivery. But according to a rule of the event, a batsman cannot be given off his opening ball.

But the highlight of the day was Sachin Tendulkar batting against star Australian all-rounder Ellyse Perry during the innings break of the Bushfire Bash match.

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