Brian Lara and Viv Richards put on show again

West Indies greats Brian Lara and Viv Richards batted together in the Stumping Serious Diseases celebrity cricket match at Wollongong University yesterday.In the sedate and picturesque surrounds of the Wollongong University campus oval, the two greatest Caribbean batsmen in history shared a 42-run stand for the ages.

Sir Viv Richards (19 not out from 20 balls) and Brian Lara (48 from 38) may have missed each other in the transition of West Indies cricket but they showed that the years have not entirely sapped them of their gifts.

At 60, Richards looked as comfortable at the crease as he did 30 years ago, albeit against lesser bowling in this charity cricket match to raise funds for curing serious diseases.

Lara was all backfoot cuts and down-the-pitch lofted drives, while rival skipper Adam Gilchrist watched on from behind the stumps.

"He looks OK," a miked-up Gilchrist said after another Lara boundary. "He could be quite good when he grows up."

Lara and Richards came together at 2-103 and for 40 minutes entertained the enthralled crowd, with many taking photos of the scoreboard bearing the two legendary names.

In the end, the match was tied - both sides made 155 from their 20 overs - but the greater cause was won.

In an earlier celebrity Twenty20 game, Wendell Sailor scored the winning runs as his Town XI defeated Ben Creagh's Gown XI.

Wallabies playmaker Quade Cooper claimed two wickets for Town, while Sailor starred with bat and ball.

Sailor said a close family friend, aged 13, is battling a brain tumour and he felt compelled to participate.