Marshall jets off to join Masters League
26 January 2016
Hamish Marshall says he can’t wait to pit himself against some of the greatest names in world cricket after being picked for the inaugural Masters Champions League (MCL).
The former New Zealand batsman will play alongside Brian Lara and against the likes of Muttiah Muralitharan and Jacques Kallis in the two week T20 competition for ex-internationals.
Speaking before flying out to the United Arab Emirates, Hamish said: “It should be a great tournament. To spend two weeks playing with some of the past and recently retired legends of the game will be a really good experience.
“I think it will be very competitive, the players involved are all used to winning at the highest level. The make-up of the sides – with a mix of guys still playing as well as people who have retired means it should be really good cricket.”
Hamish will play for the Leo Lions – one of six teams involved – after being picked up at an IPL-style auction.
As well as Lara, his team mates will include ex-England bowlers Darren Gough and Simon Jones, South African’s Herschelle Gibbs, Zimabwean Heath Streak and New Zealanders James Franklin and Scott Styris.
Other big names heading to Dubai include Adam Gilchrist, Brett Lee, Kumar Sangakarra, Virender Sehwag and Graeme Swann.
Hamish's first game with the Lions is on January 29 when he will face the Capricon Commanders, a team that includes Michael Vaughan and former Gloucestershire favourites Andrew Symonds and Geraint Jones.
Hamish said: “It will be nice to catch up with a lot of guys who I have played with and against. Brian Lara is the captain of my team and he’s not a bad person to be able to chat about cricket with.
“I hope we may get the odd day off on the golf course but the main reason for going is the cricket.
“The idea of touring always excites me. It’s a chance to see a different part of the world, experience a different environment and get a bit of sun on my back which is nice at this time of year.”
The 36-year-old, who played 13 Tests, 55 ODIs and 3 T20s before retiring from international cricket, took three months off following the end of the domestic season.
And he says the chance to play competitively after a month honing his skills indoors at the Bristol County Ground should be good preparation for the 2016 campaign.
He said: “Having that break has helped me come back feeling really refreshed and I am now looking forward to getting out on grass in a match situation. Playing T20 gives you a good chance to play your shots and get the rust out of the system so hopefully by the time I come back I will in a good place going into the season.”
The MCL runs from January 28 to February 14 for more information go to http://mcl-2020.com/
