Greg Chappell in sad development as cricket world rallies around Aussie legend

Greg Chappell’s teammates and friends are rallying around the Australian cricket legend as news emerged that he has reluctantly asked for money after coming into financial hardship. The cricketing great has had a GoFundMe page set up for him along with a testimonial lunch at the MCG organised to raise funds for his retirement.

Chappell is widely considered as one of Australia’s greatest ever batsmen amassing 24 centuries in 87 Test matches in the 1970s and 80s. However, unlike other greats of his era such as Dennis Lillee and Rod Marsh, Chappell didn’t receive a fundraising testimonial upon his retirement to help him set up for life after cricket.

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The 75-year-old rents a property in Adelaide and told NewsCorp while he is not in "desperate straights" he isn't "living a life of luxury". “I think most people assume that because we played cricket that we are all living in the lap of luxury," he told NewsCorp. "While I’m certainly not crying poor, we’re not reaping in the benefits that today’s players are.”

Two of the cricket legend's friends, Peter Maloney and David Evans, explained while the Chappell's foundation has raised millions for youth homelessness charities - he doesn't see any of that money. They say Greg is a "very proud man" and is doing it much tougher than he makes out.

"If you put your name to a foundation you’re entitled to take some money out of it," Chappell’s friend Peter Maloney said. "But Greg hasn’t taken a cent out of it, even though he could have. I guess that was the irony that he was the face of it and turning up to every function and he’s raising all this money while he didn’t have a hell of a lot himself."

Greg Chappell is known for his great eye for talent

Chappell has worked more recently as an Australian cricket selector who gained a reputation for having a good eye for talent. He famously declared that Cameron Green was the best cricketer he had seen play since the great Ricky Ponting before the all-rounder broke into the Test team.

The cricketing great hopes that Australian cricketers can learn from his situation to look after players from the past who didn't make the money that the stars of today do. Chappell believes there are others of his era in a worse position and says the game hasn't done enough to look after players of his era.

Chappell played 87 Tests and captained Australia 48 times in his illustrious career. He retired from the sport in 1984 as the highest run-scorer in Australian Test history with 7,110 runs, topping the previous record held by Sir Donald Bradman of 6,996.

The GoFundMe has raised more than $85,000, with the target set at $250,000.

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