By Julian Linden
Melbourne - A charity cricket match featuring most of the world's top players raised more than AUS$14.6-million on Monday for victims of the south Asian tsunami disaster.
The hastily arranged game between an Asian XI and a World team was played in front of more than 70 000 spectators at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and was broadcast in 122 countries to an estimated global television audience of one billion people.
Cricket Australia chairman Bob Merriman handed over a cheque for AUS$14 645 123,85 to World Vision chief executive Tim Costello, although the final sum is likely to be greater.
'I'm absolutely blown away' "I'm absolutely blown away," Costello said. "This will make a big difference to a lot of people. A whole generation has learned that being generous is a good thing."
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International Cricket Council (ICC) chief executive Malcolm Speed said the game, comfortably won by the World XI and the first of two planned fundraisers, brought in about three times more than he had expected.
"I thought if we got AUS$5-million then we'd be doing really well, so to get 14-and-a-half million was outstanding," he said.
Most of the proceeds came from ticket sales, television rights and cash donations. Kerry Packer, Australia's richest man, reportedly donated AUS$3-million.
A global foreign exchange company pledged AUS$1-million, while a mobile phone company parted with AUS$576 000 after agreeing to donate AUS$1 000 for each run scored in the match.
A car company handed over AUS$350 000 - AUS$50 000 for every six that was struck in the match.
Australian captain Ricky Ponting cost the car manufacturer AUS$150 000 in a few minutes when he belted three sixes off one over from Indian spinner Anil Kumble on his way to making 115.
"We owed it to everyone to play our best," Ponting said.
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