Team Cricket has announced NRL legend Johnathan Thurston will be their wildcard, with hopes his talents on the league field can transfer to cricket.
Over a 16-year career, his impressive kick saw him clock 2222 points - including 923 goals - over 323 NRL games for the Cowboys and Bulldogs and a host of scoring records.
He’s also loved and recognised for his cheerful personality and unique laugh.
“I’ve always been a massive cricket fan, so the chance to get out there and have a crack alongside some incredible sporting legends is amazing,” Thurston said.
He said he’ll be modelling his game off his favourite Australian cricketer, Mark Waugh.
Rugby league legend Johnathan Thurston has joined the playing roster for the Black Clash at Bay Oval.
He’s also a “massive” Brian Lara fan and couldn’t wait to see his talent in person, but did not want to be too close.
“Hopefully, the captain puts me on the boundary when he’s batting.”
This year, he was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.
He was the only player to play in all 24 games of Queensland’s eight-year State of Origin winning streak from 2006 to 2013, and played 36 consecutive Origin matches from his debut in 2005.
He’s been voted the best Clive Churchill Medal man-of-the-match winner, the first four-time Dally M Medallist for the NRL season’s best player, and the first three-time winner of the Golden Boot Award for the world’s best player.
Team Cricket captain Daniel Vettori said they were “stoked” to have the “proven winner” on board.
“You just know he’ll pull out something special on the day. Legends like that always do.”
Vettori said Thurston scored more points in his rugby league career than he did in nearly 300 one-day internationals.
Daniel Vettori.
“That’s pretty freakish... Hopefully, that translates into some big numbers at the Black Clash.”
Event director Carlena Limmer was delighted to confirm Thurston’s appearance, saying he was a “true character” and “one of the most well-loved Aussies among Kiwi sports fans”.
“That’s not an easy thing to achieve.”
She said fans would be intrigued to see how he gets on with the bat and cricket ball.
She said the Black Clash would feature some of the biggest stars and personalities of New Zealand and international sport.
With over 70 per cent of tickets already sold, she urged fans to get their tickets before they sold out, as they always do.
The first five matches came down to the last over, with Team Cricket edging the series 3-2. The Black Clash annually attracts more than one million accumulated viewers on TVNZ 1 and sells out every year.
Hot Springs Spas T20 Black Clash in association with Wolfbrook confirmed players:
