Players unite for Lord's fundraiser

Kumar Sangakkara: "it's something that we as cricketers can get involved in so it's quite special" © Getty Images

The cricketing world joins forces again tomorrow, at Lord's, to raise more money for the Asian tsunami funds as 22 of the best players, from eight of the Test playing countries, line-up for an MCC XI and an International XI.

This match is the second "all-stars" event to raise money following the Boxing Day tsunami which affected huge parts of South-East Asia. In January an Asian XI took on a World XI at the MCG, in front of more than 70,000 people who witnessed Ricky Ponting make 115 from 102 balls as the World XI racked up 344 in 50 overs.

The line-up for tomorrow's match is equally impressive with such luminaries as Shane Warne, Shoaib Akhtar, Jacques Kallis and Brian Lara. England and Bangladesh do not have any representatives as they are preparing for the Natwest Series, while Warne is Australia's sole player as he is not involved with their one-day squad.

Ramnaresh Sarwan and Muttiah Muralitharn have had to pull out of the match due to travel and injury problems respectively and have been replaced by Sourav Ganguly, who is currently with Glamorgan, and Harbhajan Singh, who has just returned to action with Surrey.

Kumar Sangakkara, the Sri Lanka wicketkeeper-batsman, lines up for MCC and said it means a lot to him to the playing in the fixture. "After seeing what most people back home have gone through, it's something that we as cricketers can get involved in so it's quite special."

And Sangakkara vividly remembers the moment when he and his team-mates were on tour in New Zealand and heard news of the tsunami. "It was right after the game, when a few of the guys turned their phones on, and got a couple of text messages saying there had been flooding in Colombo. But it floods every time it rains so we didn't take it seriously at first but when we switched on the TV it really drove it home as to what had happened. The guys were pretty shocked but it just became more devastating every single day when we could see the damage on TV."

The match will also provide a rare opportunity for players from the same country to face each other. Sangakkara will be facing Chaminda Vaas and Sanath Jayasuriya and is looking forward to the challenge. "It will be interesting. Even back home, for our respective clubs, we hardly get a chance to play against each other because of international commitments, but tomorrow it will be a lot of fun playing against them."

Mike Gatting will manage MCC while Rod Marsh is in charge of the International XI and Marsh says it has been a thrill to get close to some of the best players in the world. "You don't get too close to these modern-day players when you are my age and just to watch them in training this morning it's no wonder they have got so many runs.

"I'm sure they appreciate the opportunity to play here as well and what we have always got to remember is that it is for a hell of a good cause. I was talking to Mike Gatting about it and it really is something for us old blokes to be very happy about - not only are they very good young players but they are good young men too. I'll enjoy it tomorrow which ever way it goes, as long as we beat Gatting's men."

Around 3000 tickets are still available for the match and Tom Graveney, MCC's Preisdent, is urging people to get down to Lord's: "Tomorrow's match will be historic - for a whole host of reasons. First and foremost, it will help to bring the world's attention back to the appalling tsunami disaster. It will highlight the continuing needs of the countless survivors whose homes, families and businesses were shattered back on Boxing Day. Crucially, it will also raise funds for their benefit."

Tickets will be on sale at the North Gate Sales Points, off Wellington Place, from 8.45 in the morning. Prices will be £30 for adults and £10 for Under-16s.

MCC Stephen Fleming (capt), Chris Gayle, Sourav Ganguly, VVS Laxman, Jacques Kallis, Andy Flower, Kumar Sangakkara (wk), Shaun Pollock, Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, Shoaib Akhtar.

International XI Virender Sehwag, Sanath Jayasuriya, Graeme Smith, Brian Lara (capt), Rahul Dravid (wk), Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Chris Cairns, Shane Warne, Chaminda Vaas, Mohammad Sami, Makhaya Ntini.