Tendulkar to coach Ponting, Lara, Hayden as cricket legends pad up for Bushfire Bash

“Ponting is at the crease and Lara at the non-striker’s end. Walsh is bowling in from the Southern End to rattle the left-right combination in the middle.”

Cricketing aficionados would crave for such a setting, and they have the opportunity to catch these gladiators of the game play live on Sunday.

Not just the aforementioned legendary trio, but the likes of Adam Gilchrist, Wasim Akram, Brett Lee and Yuvraj Singh will also take the field as Ponting’s XI take on Gilchrist’s XI to raise fund for Australian bush fire.

The two teams will also feature some of the best women cricketers like Elyse Villani, Phoebe Litchfield and Alex Blackwell.

Former Australian rules footballers Luke Hodge and Nick Riewoldt will also take the field for either teams.

Meanwhile, Ponting has helped spread the word of the game as he tweeted a video of Lara and him practising hard in the nets.

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

There was a small chance Sachin Tendulkar would also get an outing for the charity game, but the Indian cricket great is down with a lingering shoulder injury and will be unable to play one of his trademark straight drives. The 46-year-old, however, would be at the Melbourne’s Junction Oval as a coach of Ricky Ponting XI. Tim Paine will coach Gilchrist’s XI.

Tendulkar has called on fans to give generously to support Australians affected by a “catastrophic” summer.

Cricket greats like Michael Clarke and Michael Hussey were also set to play in the charity game, but a last-minute change of date and venue owing to rough weather in Sydney, means the two cannot feature because of their commitments.

The match, which will be 10-overs per side due to start at 3.15pm, is still set to include Brian Lara, Wasim Akram and Yuvraj Singh among a host of names.

The fundraising weekend will now include four matches — two T20Is, the Bushfire Bash and the BBL final — with all profits going to the Red Cross appeal.

Ponting’s 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

Gilchrist’s XI

Adam Gilchrist (c & wk)

Shane Watson

Brad Hodge

Yuvraj Singh

Alex Blackwell

Andrew Symonds

Cournteny Walsh

Nick Riewoldt

Peter Siddle

Fawad Ahmed

Coach: Tim Paine