Cricketer Shane Warne has become the latest high-profile sportsperson to help raise money for the Australian bushfire relief fund.
The former leg-spinner is auctioning off his Baggy Green cap, which is set to fetch hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Bushfires across Australia have led to loss of life, nature and property and many major sportsmen and women have got involved with raising money.
The Baggy Green cap is considered iconic by many attached to Australian cricket, with one of Don Bradman’s selling for $420,000 at auction a few years ago.
Warne, who took 708 Test wickets in 145 matches, has pledged the only one he ever wore and the auction website crashed on Monday within 15 minutes of launching.
An hour later the bidding was into six figures.
“I thought, ‘what do I own that I think could get a significant amount of money?’ And the baggy green cap,” said Warne.
“Even though I didn’t wear it religiously like everyone else [Warne liked wearing a floppy hat], it still meant the same to me as everybody else.
“I will miss it. This was the one I wore the whole time and it’s sitting in my office.
“But I think it’s touched all of us, these bushfires and the devastation it’s caused. It’s been horrific watching. Lives are lost, families have lost everything.
"There’s over 500 million animals that have died.”
