McCullum a ‘huge loss’ for TKR

TRINBAGO Knight Riders manager Colin Borde said the loss of Kiwi Brendon McCullum for the remainder of the 2017 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL), is huge for the team and the entire league.

McCullum suffered a fractured to his arm just above his left wrist after getting hit by a bouncer from South African Wayne Parnell in a match against Barbados Tridents on Saturday night. Borde said McCullum, who has already left the Caribbean, will miss four to six weeks.

McCullum is the second leading run scorer in the CPL with 335 runs (before last night’s Tridents/Patriots match) at an average of 55.83 with a highest score of 91. He has scored three half centuries and has struck the most number of sixes in the tournament with 25.

Yesterday, Borde said McCullum brought a lot of positive attributes to the CPL.

“It is a huge loss to both the league as well as the team,” Borde said.

“I think we (Knight Riders) have done a fantastic job entertaining the crowds so far. CPL is about excitement and he brought a lot of excitement to the cricket, he brought a lot of experience.

Certainly as a team member his knowledge and team camaraderie will certainly be missed there is no doubt about it.

He has thrilled us (CPL) for the last three years and we are hoping that he can continue to do it in the future.”

This is the second experienced opener Knight Riders have lost since the start of the tournament. South African Hashim Amla was injured shortly before the tournament bowled off in early August.

“We already lost Amla at the beginning of the tournament. To lose him means we have lost two heavily experienced opening batsmen.”

Borde said a replacement for McCullum may be arriving in Trinidad in the next 24 to 48 hours.

Borde could not reveal the replacement.

The Knight Riders have had to make do without key players this season, missing leg spinner Shadab Khan of Pakistan for a short period after he was recalled by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

Knight Riders will play in qualifier one against Jamaica Tallawahs or St Kitts and Nevis Patriots at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba at 8 pm, tomorrow night.