Warne feels Test cricket is a television sport and the administrators get over a billion dollars for television rights
Shane Warne
A cricket bat signed by India's 2009 ICC World T20 squad fetched 1800 Australian dollars (Rs 92,000 approx) at the The Chappell Foundation charity dinner held at the Sydney Cricket Ground's Noble Dining Room on Thursday night. The Foundation aids homeless youth in Australia.
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The willow bearing signatures of Mahendra Singh Dhoni's team belonged to Darshak Mehta, the chairman of The Chappell Foundation. Mehta, a former Mumbai club cricketer, who now resides in Sydney, wrote the Foreword to Greg Chappell's 2011 autobiography, Fierce Focus.
Big bucks for charity
Mehta informed mid-day that the event, attended by the three Chappell brothers (Ian, Greg and Trevor), golden great Neil Harvey and Shane Warne was a huge success and the net profit for the evening was AUS 180,000 (nearly Rs 92 lakh).
At the function, Shane Warne urged administrators to make Test cricket entry-free. "I don't think you should charge for Test cricket because I think it's a television sport, we are getting over a billion dollars for television rights. There's over a million people who watch Test cricket every day but you still want to turn the TV on and see people in the ground. If you want Test cricket to survive, make entry free," Warne was quoted as saying by The Australian newspaper.
Tyson's jumper
A jumper used by late former England pace terror Frank Tyson during the 1958-59 Ashes series fetched approximately AUD 2000 (approx Rs 1,02,000). The sweater was presented by Tyson to Mumbai-based cricket consultant Makarand Waingankar, who then offered it to The Chappell Foundation to be auctioned. It is learnt that a commemorative bat signed by former Australia opener Matthew Hayden, who scored 380 against Zimbabwe in 2003 to break Brian Lara's then world record of 375, fetched AUD 1000 (Rs 51,000).
However, the willow that attracted a whopping amount was the one signed by all Australian captains from Sir Donald Bradman to Mark Taylor (Lindsay Hassett's signature is a facsimile one). It was bought for AUD 10,000 (Rs 5,10,000).
Also Read: T20 2018: Array of elders, a worry for Captain Cool Dhoni
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