Yesteryear stars beat Australia XI in Twenty20

Brisbane, Nov 14: Andrew Symonds made 45 in his comeback match but not enough to save Australia XI from a 64-run loss to the All Stars in a Twenty20 charity fundraiser at the Gabba here Friday night.

Australian Cricketers' Association (ACA) All-Stars team scored 203 for four and then bowled out Australia for 139.

Australia XI were never in the hunt after former Test opener Justin Langer showed he'd lost little of his class in retirement, whacking an unbeaten 52 in a 120-run stand with a freewheeling Brad Hodge (65 not out off 45). Langer and Hodge came to their team's rescue after the All Stars lost 4-16 in 13 balls after a start of 4-83.

Symonds, in his first game in national colours since being dumped following the 'gone fishing' affair, ripped out some signature blows after a rusty start but could not get his side close to the All Stars' 4-203.

When Symonds holed out in the 14th over for 45 off 35, the Australians were at 6-105, needing 14 an over to win.

All Stars skipper Adam Gilchrist, playing his first match in six months, turned the screws on his old teammates early, rotating his three best pacemen in the first 10 overs with Steve Magoffin (2-21) and Brendan Drew (2-41) reducing them to 5-59.

"It was a relaxed way to get back into the big picture," said Symonds, who felt his Test teammates struggled to come to terms with the extra Gabba bounce after eight weeks in India.

--IANS