Watch out for Labuschagne vs Bumrah duel: Finch

Mumbai, January 10

Australia captain Aaron Finch is looking forward to an exciting duel between the irrepressible Marnus Labuschagne and India’s world No. 1 fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah in their ODI series, which starts in Mumbai next week.

Labuschagne smashed 896 runs in five Tests against Pakistan and New Zealand over the Australian summer and is set for his 50-overs debut against India when the three-match series starts on Tuesday. But the 25-year-old’s success will depend heavily on how he counters the threat from the skilful Bumrah, who tops the ODI world rankings.

“The improvement we have seen in Marnus’s game over the last 12 months has been huge and that has been reflected in his scores and the impact that he is having in Test matches,” Finch said after arriving in Mumbai. “He will be ready to go no doubt. He is an exciting player who just keeps getting the job done all the time, which is really important for us and for him.”

Bumrah has just returned to the Indian side in their ongoing three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka after a three-month layoff with a stress fracture in his lower back. “He’s a fantastic bowler and someone who, when you are not playing against him, you love watching bowl,” Finch said. “He is fast and aggressive and his execution is pretty spot on. The more the guys face him, the more exposure you get, the more you start to understand how he bowls. So it is important that we don’t overplay that too much,” he added. — Reuters

Warne’s baggy green raises $700,000 for victims of bushfires

Sydney: Shane Warne’s baggy green cap sold at auction for more than $700,000, with all funds going to help victims of bushfires raging in Australia. The spin legend wore the cap during his 145-Test career, in which he took more than 700 wickets, and said he was blown away after a late bidding war pushed the price to $700,000. It far exceeded the Aus$425,000 paid at auction for the cap belonging to the legendary Donald Bradman when that was sold for charity in 2003. “Thank you so much to everyone that placed a bid and a huge Thank you/Congrats to the successful bidder — you have blown me away with your generosity and this was way beyond my expectations,” Warne tweeted. “The money will go direct to the Red Cross bushfire appeal. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.” The Commonwealth Bank, Australia’s biggest lender, was revealed as the winning bidder. Chief executive Matt Comyn said the cap would go on a tour of the country to raise more money before being donated to the Bradman Museum in Bowral near Sydney, where it will remain on permanent exhibit. “I want to thank and commend Shane for giving up one of his most cherished possessions for such an important cause,” he said in a statement. — AFP