LONDON, 14 June 2005 — India captain Saurav Ganguly will be aiming to restore his dented reputation after he was drafted in as a late replacement for Ramnaresh Sarwan in today’s tsunami appeal match between MCC and an International XI at Lord’s.
The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) hopes to raise more than $485,000 from gate receipts alone for the survivors of the Dec. 26 tsunami, which killed more than 200,000 people and left thousands homeless. West Indies batsman Brian Lara, the only man to score 400 runs in a Test innings, will captain the International XI and New Zealand’s Stephen Fleming will lead the MCC team in the one-day match.
Ganguly, who will also line for the MCC, struggled to score during the recent Pakistan series and his future in the Indian team remains in the balance. But a convincing performance in front of a global audience today will show he still has plenty to offer.
Record Test wicket-taker Shane Warne is also in action despite quitting limited overs cricket two years ago. During the interval between innings, Warne will join forces with India’s Sachin Tendulkar, unable to play after undergoing elbow surgery, in offering one fan an unforgettable experience. The highest bidder in an on-line auction will receive 15 minutes of coaching from Tendulkar before facing an over from Warne on the Lord’s pitch.
Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, who has been at the forefront of the fund-raising effort for the tsunami victims, was a late injury withdrawal from today’s match and is replaced by India’s Harbhajan Singh.
