After the postponement of the Bushfire Cricket Bash from February 8 to 9, legendary Australia spinner Shane Warne, who is about to miss the match due to the change in schedule, expressed his sadness and disappointment over the fact that he could not keep his promise.
“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?” tweeted Warne on Thursday.
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
“Ps There is also some events Monday leading up to the big Mandela walk which is Tuesday 8am. Hence I need the private plane to make it on time Monday morning and not let anyone down ! I was really looking forward to the game too. Private plane anyone ?????????” he said in another tweet.
Ps There is also some events Monday leading up to the big Mandela walk which is Tuesday 8am. Hence I need the private plane to make it on time Monday morning and not let anyone down ! I was really looking forward to the game too. Private plane anyone ?????????
— Shane Warne (@ShaneWarne) February 6, 2020
In the match, Warne was about to lead one of the two teams. The leggie is likely to be unavailable on the match day and hence former Australia wicketkeeper-batsman Adam Gilchrist will lead his side against Ricky Ponting’s men.
The playing elevens for both Ponting XI and Gilchrist XI were revealed on the official digital platform of Cricket Australia on Thursday. The Ponting XI, which will be coached by Sachin Tendulkar, will also have former fast bowlers Wasim Akram and Brett Lee.
The Bushfire Cricket Bash is one of three headline acts on the cricket’s day of giving ‘The Big Appeal’, which will also see two other cricket matches. Other than the bushfire relief match, there will be the Big Bash League final at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) and a women’s tri-series match between India and Australia at the Junction Oval in Melbourne.
All the profits raised in The Big Appeal will be donated to the Australian Red Cross Disaster Relief and Recovery Fund which will be then used for the upliftment and betterment of the people affected in the devastating bushfires which have burnt 18.6 million hectares (46 million acres; 186,000 square kilometres) and killed 34 people.