ACB goes into bat again for Indian earthquake victims
After assisting World Vision Australia raise $165,000 for India's earthquake victims in Gujarat State by designating the second final of the Carlton Series as the Indian Earthquake Relief Match, the ACB has announced another initiative to raise money for the earthquake cause.
A rare cricket bat autographed by all the players from the 1999-2000 Australia v India series has been donated by the ACB for an online charity auction on eBay.com.au. Some of the game's greatest contemporary players, such as Steve Waugh, Glenn McGrath, Adam Gilchrist, Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly, have penned their names on the bat, making it a valuable collector's item.
On arrival in India on Wednesday, Australian captain Steve Waugh announced the online auction, and invited people to visit baggygreen.com.au and click the eBay button.
By 10am on Friday 16 February, the highest bid was $660. The auction ends on 20 February 2001.
At the Indian arrival press conference, Waugh also presented World Vision India Director John Mathai with a cheque for $165,000. This amount, raised from the extraordinary response to the World Vision phone appeal that ran during the second final of the Carlton Series, will be used for emergency food, water and medical supplies.
According to World Vision Australia's Chief Executive Lynn Arnold, the appeal on Channel Nine during the second final's cricket coverage - bolstered by support from other media - generated the best response of any one-day aid appeal in ten years. The record total included a cheque for $10,000 from the ACB.
Mr Arnold said: "We are enormously grateful to the ACB and the cricketers for their enthusiastic support for our appeal. Their commitment to this cause will enable World Vision to rebuild the future of literally thousands of devastated families in Gujarat State."
Australia's captain Steve Waugh has pledged the team's support for the relief effort during the tour.
"We've got a pretty packed program and we've got to remember we're there to play cricket first, but if we can help, there won't be any problems from the guys," he said.
© 2001 Australian Cricket Board
| Teams | Australia. |
| Players/Umpires | Steve Waugh. |
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