(BBC) Shane Warne has raised one million Australian dollars (£528,514) for the bushfire appeal after his “baggy green” Australia cap was sold at auction.
The legendary leg-spinner, 50, wore the cap throughout his 145-Test career, in which he took 708 wickets.
The bushfire crisis has been ongoing in Australia since September and 27 people have died.
Australia’s Commonwealth Bank was responsible for the winning bid which came in the auction’s final minute.
Warne said he was “blown away” by the generosity and the final figure was “way beyond my expectations”.
All money raised – the final price was A$1,007,500 – will go to the Australian Red Cross Disaster Relief and Recovery Fund.
The Commonwealth Bank revealed it bought the cap and will take it on a national tour to continue to raise money for communities affected by the bushfires, before it permanently resides in the Bradman Museum.
Warne is Test cricket’s second most successful bowler, with only fellow spinner Muttiah Muralitharan (800) of Sri Lanka taking more wickets.
The final price is more than double the A$425,000 (£225,000) legendary Australia batsman Sir Donald Bradman’s baggy green fetched in 2003.
The baggy green is given to an Australia player when he makes his Test debut, and cricketers usually wear the same cap throughout their career.
A host of tennis stars, including Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Serena Williams, have also pledged their support to the bushfire appeal.
Brighton’s Australian goalkeeper Mat Ryan has said he will donate A$500 (£263) for every save made by a Premier League goalkeeper this weekend.
