'Absolutely unreal': 16-year-old star's special moment with two cricket legends

Sports Reporter

Sun, 9 Feb 2020, 6:35 am·3-min read

The bushfire relief game has brought together some of the greatest cricketers to ever play the game and one 16-year-old star had the opportunity to bat with two of them in one innings.

Ricky Ponting captained Australia to the 2003 Cricket World Cup the year Phoebe Litchfield was born.

‘BEST EVER’: Crowd catch stuns cricket legends

But on Sunday, Litchfield - a young talent playing for the Sydney Thunder - strode out to the crease with the cricket legend.

When asked if it had dawned on her she was about to bat with Australia’s highest ever run-scorer she could only giggle.

Brian Lara and Ricky Ponting fist pump as they bat. — Brian Lara and Ricky Ponting fist pump during the Bushfire Cricket Bash T20 match between the Ponting XI and the Gilchrist XI at Junction Oval on February 09, 2020 in Melbourne, Australia. The match is being staged as part of 'The Big Appeal', raising funds for the Australian Bushfire Appeal. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

Then in another special moment, Ponting retired to give way for West Indian legend Brian Lara to come out and bat with Litchfield.

Besides the iconic moment between Ponting and Lara as they crossed paths, fans couldn’t believe the special moment that had come to fruition during the bushfire appeal match.

"You know you're about to bat with Ricky Ponting?"
"Yes" *giggle*
Teehee, so awesome :x #BigAppeal https://t.co/3NS0AReVe0
— Felicity (@midnightmagenta) February 9, 2020

At 16, Phoebe Litchfield has now batted with Lara and Ponting.
— Sam Arman (@Samosthenurus) February 9, 2020

Incredibly envious of Phoebe Litchfield here. At 16yo she’s shared the batting crease with Ricky Ponting and Brian Lara. Absolutely unreal #thebigappeal
— Ross Murray (@ross_murray) February 9, 2020

Watching Phoebe Litchfield at the crease with Ricky Ponting and Brian Lara is magic.
Can’t begin to imagine how she’s feeling 👏🏻 💫 #orange #centralwestnsw #thebigappeal
— Kristy Reading (@KristyReading) February 9, 2020

One legendary stepped out
second legendary stepped in

OUT ⬅ RT Ponting
IN ➡ BC Lara#BigAppeal pic.twitter.com/4JeZp7vOI8
— Tweeterist (@Tweeterist_) February 9, 2020

Litchfield was born in the year Ponting led Australia to a World Cup win.

Now she is batting with Ponting. 💯#BigAppeal
— Sakun Sankalana (@Sakun_SD) February 9, 2020

Phoebe Litchfield out here batting with Ponting is some real Coco Gauff playing with Serena areas and it’s tremendous. #BigAppeal
— James Nankivell (@JamesNanks) February 9, 2020

Phoebe Litchfield joins Ricky Ponting in the middle at Junction Oval.

Just casually. #BigAppeal
— Rebel Women's Big Bash League (@WBBL) February 9, 2020

This bush fire fund raiser match is so much fun.

Litchfield is batting with Ponting, she wasn't even born when Ricky won his 1st worldcup as captain in 2003, amazing!

And that shot from Lara. Uffff🔥
He is still batting in 1994.#BushfireCricketBash #bushfirebash #BigAppeal
— Jinit Shirke (@MrShirke_411) February 9, 2020

To make the day even more special, Sachin Tendulkar surprised after he put on the pads and strode to the crease.

Lara’s hunger is back

Lara hasn't missed cricket since calling time on his international career 13 years ago, but the West Indian legend's hunger is back.

After training with Ponting ahead of Sunday's bushfire relief game in Melbourne, the left-handed batting maestro is primed and ready.

Brian Lara bats during the Bushfire Cricket Bash T20 match between the Ponting XI and the Gilchrist XI at Junction Oval on February 09, 2020 in Melbourne, Australia. The match is being staged as part of 'The Big Appeal', raising funds for the Australian Bushfire Appeal. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

Lara will line-up in the Ponting XI for the 10-over exhibition game alongside fellow greats like Wasim Akram and Matthew Hayden.

There will be a combined experience of 756 Tests in that team - and that's not even including coach Sachin Tendulkar's 200 matches.

"I don't miss the sport. But the moment you put your pad on and the glove, you start to move your feet and get going it's just an amazing feeling," Lara told reporters on Saturday.

With AAP