Bash brothers join the Knight Riders

BASH BROTHERS: Australian Chris Lynn,left, and New Zealand’s Brendon McCullum will be joining the Trinbago Knight Riders for the August 8 - September 16 for the 2018 Hero Caribbean Premier League T20 tournament.
BASH BROTHERS: Australian Chris Lynn,left, and New Zealand’s Brendon McCullum will be joining the Trinbago Knight Riders for the August 8 - September 16 for the 2018 Hero Caribbean Premier League T20 tournament.

JELANI BECKLES

THE TRINBAGO Knight Riders (TKR) batting will be a formidable one in the 2018 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) T20 tournament, as the team will have the bash brothers in the line-up.

The CPL draft took place in London last Thursday with defending champions TKR retaining 15 players. TKR will welcome South African Junior Dala and TT players Amir Jangoo and Terrance Hinds on the team. However, the addition that is causing the biggest stir is Australian Chris Lynn, who will join his ‘brother’ Brendon McCullum of New Zealand on the TKR squad.

Lynn and McCullum have been given the title Bash Brothers for their exciting batting in the Big Bash League in Australia for Brisbane Heat.

The pair is also both contracted to play with the Lahore Qalanders in the Pakistan Super League currently taking place. The exciting duo will make another stop when they play for TKR in the sixth edition of the CPL from August 8 to September 16.

In an interview with Newsday , on Saturday, TKR captain Dwayne Bravo was excited that Lynn will be joining his team. “To have someone like Chris Lynn in our set up (is great because) everybody knows how dangerous of a player he is. Both him and Brendon McCullum play together in Australia and they have the name of the Bash Brothers. They really light Big Bash afire when they open so I am looking forward to it.” Lynn has previously played for Jamaica Tallawahs and Guyana Amazon Warriors in the CPL, while McCullum has been with TKR since 2016.

With Lynn joining McCullum, Colin Munro, Sunil Narine, Darren Bravo, Denesh Ramdin and Dwayne, a lot of entertainment is expected by the top order of the Knight Riders during the 2018 tournament.

Bravo was happy that the majority of the squad that won the title last year will be back, as it will add to team chemistry.

“In five years, we won two titles and we have been in the semi-finals four times. In any sport, chemistry is the most important thing and I think one thing with our team – we don’t call ourself a team we call ourself a family.”

The TKR captain said the strength of the team’s local players will be important to the team’s success. “The key to any tournament in the world is your local players. When you look at our team – Darren Bravo, Denesh Ramdin, myself and Kevon Cooper – we have some of the best locally. No disrespect to the other players, but with the experience we have proven to ourself and to the region that we have some of the best players in the region and they are all in one team.”

Bravo was also glad to welcome Dala, Jangoo and Hinds to the TKR family. “I believe in our squad, we have young Terrance Hinds coming in, he is an all-rounder. It is a good opportunity for him and also young Jangoo. Junior Dala from South Africa just played for South Africa in T20 internationals. (I am) happy with the squad, happy with what we have and I know the people are happy as well.”

Bravo believes St Lucia Stars will be a team to look out for in the 2018 CPL with the experienced trio of Lendl Simmons, Kieron Pollard and Darren Sammy in the squad.

“The other teams shape up well. If you look at St Lucia they have both Pollard and Simmons which are very good buys, along with Darren Sammy who is still there,” Dwayne said.

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"Bash brothers join the Knight Riders"

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