By Julian Linden
SYDNEY, Jan 1 - Cricket's governing body has
announced plans to stage two international matches between the
world's best players to raise millions of dollars for victims of
the Indian Ocean earthquake disaster.
International Cricket Council (ICC) chief executive Malcolm
Speed told a news conference in Sydney on Saturday that a team
made up of the best players from Asia would play an invitational
world eleven.
The first match will be held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
on January 10 with the second game to be held on the Asian
subcontinent in either February or March.
Both matches will be broadcast live around the cricketing
world with all proceeds going to World Vision. The Australian
broadcaster will also run a telethon to raise additional funds
for the relief effort.
"Everyone in the cricket world wants to assist in putting
these matches together and doing what we can," Speed said. "Much
of the cricket world has a border around the Indian Ocean...so
there is a great willingness to contribute to the aid effort."
The world side will be selected by former Australia captain
Steve Waugh and ex-New Zealand skipper Richard Hadlee and will
be announced on Sunday. The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) will
choose its side on Monday.
"Our region has been devastated and the Asian Cricket
Council has been seeking a way to use cricket to assist people
to recover from this tragedy," ACC president Jagmohan Dalmiya
said in a statement.
"I believe that these matches will be able to generate
millions of dollars to be used to help rebuild people's lives."
UNANIMOUS SUPPORT
International Cricketers Association boss Tim May said
players from England and South Africa would not be available for
the opening match because it coincides with their test series
but they would be included in the second game when the date and
venue is decided.
"It's important that we get the best players for both
teams," May said.
"The support from the players has been unanimous so far,
everyone wants to help."
Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland said it
had been difficult arranging the match at such short notice but
organisers were determined to make it work.
"Normally we have almost a year to plan big matches...so
there were lots of obstacles," Sutherland said.
"It's not ideal but it's just too important, too big a cause
to let small obstacles get in the way of it."