ICC goes to bat for relief

2005-01-01 11:20

Sydney, Australia - An International Cricket Council XI will play an Asian XI in Melbourne on January 10, with organisers hoping the sport's biggest stars will help raise millions of dollars for the relief fund for the tsunamis that have devastated parts of Asia.

Former Australian captain Stephen Waugh will coach and manage the ICC line-up, which will include players from Australia, New Zealand and the West Indies. Waugh and New Zealander Richard Hadlee will select the ICC XI and it will be announced on Sunday.

The Asian Cricket Council will select a line-up from its some of its member countries that have been hit by the tsunamis, including Sri Lanka and India, as well as Pakistan.

The Asian team is expected to be announced on Monday and India's batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar is a strong contender to lead the Asian team in the day-night international at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

England and South Africa are playing a Test series in Africa, making those players unavailable for the Melbourne match.

However, ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed said he hoped all international players would be available for a return match in Asia in February or March.

He said he hoped millions of dollars would be raised in ticket sales, TV broadcasting rights and a telephone fundraising drive being held on Australian television in conjunction with the match.

"Much of the cricket world has a border around the Indian ocean. There has been a great deal of sympathy, concern and a great willingness to contribute to the aid effort that has been put in place world wide," Speed said.

"We've been swept off our feet by the assistance that's been offered. Everyone wants to assist in putting these matches together and doing whatever we can."

Funds raised will go to World Vision to spend on relief projects throughout southeast and south Asia, where more than 122 000 people have been killed in the tsunamis.

Australian vice-captain Adam Gilchrist is an ambassador for World Vision and a likely starter in the Melbourne match.

Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Cricket Board will donate $10 000 to Sri Lankan cricket authorities for the victims of the tsunami in Sri Lanka.

The BCB will raise the money by selling tickets during the upcoming Bangladesh-Zimbabwe cricket series starting from Thursday in the southeastern Bangladeshi city of Chittagong, cricket board official Reazuddin Al Mamun said.

"We have decided to come forward in this hour of need, as our neighbours lost countless lives. We will donate the money to worst-affected Sri Lanka," said Mamun.

The Zimbabweans arrived in Dhaka on Thursday on a month-long visit to play two Tests and five one-day internationals.

- AP