Kings of spin Shane Warne and Muthiah Muralidaran in their finest garb. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: Herald Sun
THERE'S no need to apologise, Shane. You're paid $500,000 a season to play in the Big Bash and have earned every cent before bowling a ball in the tournament opener tonight.
The publicity you generated by announcing yet another Test comeback, on the proviso the Australian captain rang you, has put Australia's Twenty20 competition up in lights.
Not even the battle for the world Test crown against South Africa could always keep football off the back page but you did.
I know you were concerned about your great mate Michael Clarke when you tweeted: "Sorry @MClarke23 if you woke up to calls!!!! See you soon buddy".
Clarke might hold the second most important office in the land behind the Prime Minister and, consequently, is a bit busy, but he understands you've always got the best interests of the game at heart.
It's brilliant that you've decided to keep playing in the Big Bash and you keep talking the game up.
I doubted you'd have time to give up your jet-setting lifestyle to come back and play club cricket for St Kilda the Sheffield Shield for Victoria to win back a place in the Test team.
That's not to say you still couldn't match it with the best at the age of 43 given another great leg-spinner, Clarrie Grimmett, played his last Test at the age of 44.
In some ways you're actually in better shape now than when you retired almost six years ago. Your shoulder has healed and you can bowl a better wrong-un than in your halcyon days.
The Big Bash is a fabulous vehicle for mixing young and old. Some of the teammates and opponents half your age can only benefit of your knowledge and experience in the same way that playing with the overseas stars can only be a good thing.
I couldn't imagine Liz lying on the grass at the Junction Oval watching you twirl away for St Kilda on a Saturday afternoon, but that's not the point.
Tonight about 30,000 people will turn up to the Melbourne Derby between your Stars and the Renegades, doubling the record for a Big Bash crowd at Etihad Stadium.
Many of them are coming along just because you're playing, in the same way that thousands will tune into Fox Sports' coverage only to see you in action again.
And the red ball snobs who turn their nose up at Twenty20 cricket may like to know that about 30,000 people are also expected at the SCG tomorrow night for the Sydney Derby between the Sixers and the Thunder, another Big Bash record.
That's more than the three-match series against Test champions South Africa attracted on any day.
The best crowd was on the opening day of the Test summer when 25,114 turned up in Brisbane, a record for a non-Ashes Test at the Gabba.
The many families who come to the Big Bash with young children are helping to create the Test fans of the future, just as the one-day game did after World Series Cricket more than 30 years ago.
Bowled Shane.
PUNTER'S SENDOFF
Another former great who will make his mark on the Big Bash is Ricky Ponting, who is about to begin an impromptu farewell tour.
While Ponting would hate the idea of an around Australia goodbye parade he is going to get one as a member of the Hobart Hurricanes Big Bash team.
It starts in Brisbane on Sunday night against the Heat before his big farewell game at the MCG against Shane Warne's Stars next Friday.
Indeed, Melbourne fans will get to say goodbye to Ponting twice, when the Hurricanes play the Renegades at Etihad Stadium on Wednesday week.
On Boxing Day, when he would usually be walking out in front of 60,000 people at the MCG, Ponting will be playing against the Sixers at the SCG and on January 5, midway through the Sydney Test, he will be playing the Adelaide Strikers in Hobart.
Sadly Adelaide and Perth fans will miss out but the Hobart faithful will get to see Ponting four times.
A DIGNIFIED END
RICKY Ponting's dignified press conference in Perth last Monday evening was one for the ages.
Humble and grateful, the cheek young punk who once copped a nightclub black eye had become the complete statesman.
A long line of unscripted, heart-felt thank yous included his family, teammates, Cricket Australia, Cricket Tasmania and the Mowbray Cricket Club, where it all began in Launceston.
He also thanked the media.
"To you guys, the media, who have done a great job covering my career and covering cricket in Australia," Ponting said.
"The guys will continue to get out there and put on the best show they can.
"We obviously appreciate everything that you guys do to promote the game and promote players."
This from an ageing player who would have been reading how badly he was going for the past year or more. All class.
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