Championing a noble cause at the Junction Oval in Melbourne this Sunday (February 9), cricket legends stepped on the field for the bushfire relief game to raise funds for the disaster victims in Australia.
And they not only got the fans nostalgic with their performances in the 10-over per side game where Ponting XI prevailed over Gilchrist XI but also gave them some funny moments to remember.
One of those was West Indies great Courtney Walsh fumbling in the delivery stride while bowling to Ricky Ponting. Walsh lost control of the ball as it flew next to the playing surface before Ponting was seen hilariously trying to reach it to play his shot. Thankfully, wicketkeeper and opposition skipper Adam Gilchrist got hold of the ball in time.
Ponting then showed off his class, hitting Walsh for three boundaries in his second over of the innings, one of which was a one-hand flick through the leg-side.
This wasn't all, Matthew Hayden, who was hardly needed to bowl during his playing days, rolled his arm over but did so barefoot after he found trouble delivering with the spikes he was wearing. Hayden's over went for 12 runs as Gilchrist XI's Andrew Symonds smashed him for two fours.
After which, Pakistan great Wasim Akram, playing for Ponting XI, was denied a wicket in the penultimate over against Australian professional rugby player Cameron Smith as the game's rules curiously save batsman from getting out for a duck first ball.
Dramatic scenes were observed on the last ball of the game, with Gilchrist XI's Nick Riewoldt on strike to try and get the 10 runs that were needed. The game, despite Riewoldt's last-ball six, was considered done and dusted until the focus shifted to the on-field umpire, who had signaled a no-ball to allow the Gilchrist XI to have a one last go at the target.
However, the team still lost the game as Riewoldt hit the ball straight to the fielder, failing to complete the second run that he and his batting partner Smith went about sprinting for.
