Carlos Brathwaite, who led the West Indies to their second T20 World Cup win in March last year by smashing four consecutive sixes to Ben Stokes, was seen asking for a pair of shoes, gloves and bat ahead of his BBL debut for Sydney Thunder on Sunday.
Spending some quality time with his better-half in Europe, Brathwaite was called in as the replacement for Andre Russell, who sustained an injury during Thunder’s match against Melbourne Stars on January 4. Since his joining wasn’t planned and he was’t prepared for it either, Brathwaite was without his cricketing kit ahead of his debut match for the Thunders.
So what now? The all-rounder had to borrow the gear from either his team-mates or friends in order to play the match.
“My kit is being shipped from Barbados and should be in Sydney by now but I didn’t have them for the first game.”
Australia seam bowler Pat Cummins was the one to lend him a pair of shoes. “Thanks to (teammate) Patty Cummins who lent me a pair of shoes”, said Brathwaite later on. WBBL Hobart Hurricane player Hayley Matthews, however, came to his rescue, giving him a bat for the match. After the match, she said, ‘He messaged me after his net session and was like ‘I need a bat because the one I’ve got is way too soft’. I had three here so I said ‘after my game you can have a go and see which one you like best.’
Nice of Hurricanes star @MyNameIs_Hayley to lend Carlos Brathwaite a bat for tonight’s @BBL! ?? #BBL06 pic.twitter.com/Bu3uZAe5rr
— Rebel WBBL (@wbbl) January 8, 2017
Brathwaite did well with the ball, scalping two wickets for 19 runs, while with the bat he just scored six runs, contributing in his side’s six-wicket win over Hobart Hurricanes. Sydney Thunder will now face Sydney Sixers in a derby on Saturday.