SYDNEY (Australia): Australian cricket legend Shane Warne and tennis star Serena Williams joined a slate of sports stars from around the world who have stumped up memorabilia and cash to help pay for Australia’s bushfire relief efforts.
Warne’s prized “baggy green” cap has raised more than A$1 million ($686,000) on Friday for bushfire relief efforts.
The Aussie is Test cricket’s second most successful bowler with 708 wickets in 145 tests, after Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan’s 800.
Serena, who is preparing for this month’s Australian Open at the WTA Auckland Classic, will auction off a signed dress worn by her to raise funds for firefighters tackling Australia’s unprecedented bushfire emergency.
Twenty-seven people have been killed and thousands made homeless in recent months as huge fires scorched through more than 10.3 million hectares (25.5 million acres) of land, an area the size of South Korea.
“I have so many friends in Australia and it’s just been really tragic all around,” the 23-time Grand Slam champion said on Friday.
Several towns and communities in the heavily populated southeastern states of Victoria and New South Wales have been advised to be alert and evacuate if needed.
The baggy green is presented to Australian players at their test debut and they receive just one for their entire career. Warne donated the cap to an online auction site on Monday.
The auction closed at 10 a.m. on Friday (2300 GMT Thursday) with a final public bid of A$1,007,500.
“Unbelievable … so generous from everyone. Totally blown away,” Warne said on Twitter shortly before the auction closed.
The auction attracted global interest and the price eclipsed the A$425,000 achieved by the late Don Bradman’s baggy green when it was sold in 2003.
The Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA), which sponsors Cricket Australia, confirmed in a statement on Friday it was the successful bidders and would take the cap on a nationwide tour to raise more money for bushfire relief.
It would then be given to the Bradman Museum in Bowral in rural New South Wales for permanent display.
