Rafter and Langer steal the show
Dual US Open tennis champion Patrick Rafter and former rugby league international Allan Langer stole the show from some of cricket's greats at Ian Healy's testimonial cricket match in Brisbane on Thursday.
Despite the appearances of Sir Vivian Richards and Sir Richard Hadlee, it was Rafter and Langer who provided the best memories as Healy's XI cruised to victory at 280 for four in reply to the Rest of the World's 278 for five from 45 overs.
Former Australian top order batsman David Boon set up the victory with an unbeaten 100, backed up by current Test opener Michael Slater's cracking 75 (10 fours and two sixes) and an equalling punishing 51 from Mark Waugh (four fours and two sixes).
The charity match allowed spin king Shane Warne to test out his injured finger before Australian selectors chairman Trevor Hohns and Test skipper Steve Waugh but not even his spinning artistry could match the duel staged by the only two men on the field not have played a cricket Test.
Rafter was superb in the field, saving boundaries with rolling dives and rifling returns back over the stumps like cricket was his main money earner.
When he bowled his allocated over to Langer, the former Brisbane, Queensland and Australian rugby league skipper and former Queensland junior cricket representative had great delight in thrashing him for 10 runs.
Langer, though, was forced to endure several embarrassing moments in front of an enthusiastic crowd of more than 15,000 when fielding and bowling as Rafter showed the hand-eye co-ordination which makes him such a great tennis player.
Langer dropped Mark Waugh twice, the second time a dolly catch.
The former Test scrumhalf got a thrashing from Rafter who, after hitting Pakistan master spinner Abdul Qadir for a top edge four, proceeded to pound Langer into the grandstand for three big sixes, the last as far back in the seats as one Waugh hit earlier. Rafter retired on 29.
Click for slide show of Healy's tribute match
Mail Cricket Editor
