Thrills and spills at Ponting charity match

The match was to raise money for Ricky Ponting's charity, but the man himself was on the end of some very charitable umpiring in the North Melbourne v Hawthorn fundraiser in Launceston, and nobody seemed to mind at all.

Ricky Ponting was technically out first ball to a stunning catch on the boundary line - until umpire and fellow Tasmanian Tim Paine made a late no-ball call. The resulting free hit was also spectacularly caught. And Ponting himself later admitted there "may have been a glove" on a tickle down the leg side from his fourth ball that was well held, only for Umpire Bailey to call a wide.

But few had paid their donations to the Ponting Foundation to see the former Australia skipper head back to the sheds early and the home-town hero was soon into his stride. Swivel pulls, fierce cuts and booming drives all featured as Ponting warmed up and peppered the ground with some superb shots. 

With 62 to his name the Hawthorn players finally claimed their man; Ponting departed to a standing ovation.

The match went down the wire with North fan and Australia fast bowler Peter Siddle smacking two booming sixes from the final two balls to secure a final-ball win.

But the match was less about the scorecard than it was about the entertainment and fundraising, with Ponting saying after the match the game is the Ponting Foundation's single biggest annual fundraiser. Donate to the Ponting Foundation here.

Enjoy some more highlights of the night below.

Teams

Hawthorn FC XI: Jarryd Roughead, Daniel Harford, Grant Birchall, Luke Hodge, Isaac Smith, Damien Fleming (c), Jack Gunston, Dallas Willsmore, James Sicily, Alastair Clarkson, Cameron Bruce, John Hastings (coach) 

North Melbourne FC XI: Mick Martyn, Leigh Colbert, Jack Ziebell, Nathan Hrovat, Peter Siddle, Glenn Archer, Lindsay Thomas, Ricky Ponting (c), Darren Crocker, Brent Harvey, Jarred Moore, Anthony Stevens, Kayne Turner