“Most of us need them nice and close”, Ponting, who turns 41 next month, told AAP. Yes, T20 cricket is all about the batsmen, but imagine Glenn McGrath, Curtly Ambrose, Shoaib Akhtar and Muttiah Muralitharan in one camp, with Courtney Walsh, Wasim Akram, Allan Donald and, of course, Shane Warne in the other.
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Despite their different personalities – Warne is a larger-than-life figure who talks with brio of his visits to Las Vegas, while the 5-foot-5 Tendulkar comes across as a mild-mannered philosopher – the two men share an easy rapport. “There’s so many people around the world who love the game of cricket, especially here in America”, said Warne. We are to popularize cricket, never thought this would happen, but we are happy and excited now. In the center, there are two “wickets” – those amusing sticks – which form the strike zone. “We want to go out and not disappoint the fans…”
Tendulkar’s worldwide career began aged just 16, in 1989, at a time when India was struggling on the cricket pitch and away from it, with an economy in crisis.
The match at Citi Field is a newer, condensed version, called Twenty20, of the usually long game.
When 7 runs were required for Warriors to win off 18 balls, Sachin Tendulkar came on to bowl. The first T20 of three-match series is going to start today (Saturday).
However, the rest of the star-studded line-up failed to come good and the team ended with 140 for 8.
There was a desire by Shane and Sachin to bring their All-Stars project to the United States to explore the boundaries of the game and take their concept to areas that would thoroughly appreciate the unique series.
“Even the New York police have their own cricket team”, he said.
With baseball season over, stadiums can become depressing places.
NSW and South Australia players were aghast at a recent Shield match when they discovered a vital ingredient was missing from one of the most famous dishes in Australian cricket – Adelaide Oval’s iconic plum chicken. “We are proud to be the inaugural sponsor of the “Citi Cricket All-Stars Cup” and to join Sachin, Shane and their teams to spread the popularity and growth of cricket into the United States”.
So what can we expect from this spectacle that will be broadcast on the premier cricket channels throughout the globe?
In interviews ahead of the competition, Warne told the website, Cricket.com.au: “If a young kid could pick up a cricket bat instead of a baseball bat that would be pretty fun”.
Tendulkar and Warne will be the captains of opposing teams of retired cricketers for the exhibitions on Saturday at Citi Field, November 11 at Minute Maid Park in Houston and November 14 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.
It is going to be a delightful evening for fans as former cricketers from around the globe will be in action.
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Here you meet a few of the legends who were present at the press conference in New York on Novemmber5, 2015.
