McCullum: Bravo asked us for four road wins

Brendon McCullum of Trinbago Knight Riders hits a six during the Hero Caribbean Premier League match between Barbados Tridents and Trinbago Knight Riders at Kensington Oval on August 26, in Bridgetown, Barbados.
Brendon McCullum of Trinbago Knight Riders hits a six during the Hero Caribbean Premier League match between Barbados Tridents and Trinbago Knight Riders at Kensington Oval on August 26, in Bridgetown, Barbados.

TRINBAGO Knight Riders batsman Brendon McCullum, says the team will aim for their fourth straight road win, and deliver on the wishes of their captain Dwayne Bravo when TKR play St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in the 2018 Hero Caribbean Premier League, at Warner Park, St Kitts, from 6 pm, today.

After starting the tournament with one win and two losses at home at the Queen’s Park Oval, TKR have won three matches in a row on the road. They defeated St Lucia Stars, Jamaica Talllawahs and Barbados Tridents all away from home.

TKR will want a positive result against Patriots on this occasion, after losing to them by 42 runs at the Queen’s Park Oval earlier in the tournament. Both teams, which played each other in the final last year, are again poised to advance to the knock-out phase.

McCullum, who scored 66 in the last match against the Barbados Tridents, said the last time TKR played the Patriots they were unsettled after losing the match before.

“I think we were probably a bit shell shocked after what happened the night before with Andre Russell so, we probably took a little while to settle in that game and we are very determined to perform in this next game,” McCullum said.

Russell slammed 121 not out to lead the Jamaica Tallawahs to an unlikely four-wicket win over TKR at the Queen’s Park Oval. TKR posted 223 for six, before Tallawahs got to 225/6 in 19.3 overs.

McCullum said the team is trying to make the TKR captain happy.

“Bravo asked us, when we left Trinidad, it will be a great achievement to win four on the road. We have won three on the road, it is not easy to do, if we can win this fourth one, we can head back home with a whole lot of confidence as a unit.”

McCullum, who injured his hand last year, was unable to complete the tournament in 2017. This year, he wants to help TKR to the title. “It was a shame to miss out on the final, but it was great to see what the guys were able to achieve and to win the title was amazing. I was watching it from back home…so I was very determined to come back this year and keep that good form going. Definitely (I want to stay until the end), especially the senior players, you want them standing up in the big games as well. The finals are the biggest games on this stage so, for us we know it is going to be hard to go back-to-back because other teams are looking at us in a different light.”

McCullum has opened the batting for TKR in the past, but is now batting at number four. He welcomed the role saying, “It is nice to get a few contributions, although it is harder to be consistent in the middle but it is nice to make a few contributions.”

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