Andre Russell unveils a unique bat during the BBL opener

Sydney Sixers got off to the best possible start in their BBL campaign defeating defending champions Sydney Thunders comprehensively by 9 wickets. Andre Russell’s black and pink bat and Jason Roy’s once in a lifetime catch was the talk of the day as Sixers skipper Moises Henriques guided his team to a comprehensive victory.

After restricting the Thunders to a modest 159/8, the Sixers chased down the total with utmost comfort as they eased their way to 160/1 at the Showground Stadium. Henriques played a brilliant knock of 76 of 41 balls, an innings constructed with four fours and four sixes. Youngster Ryan Gibson also chipped in with a fluent half-century on his debut.

Jason Roy struck a quickfire 27 with the bat but the most enthralling moment of the match was yet to unfold. Roy set the crowd in raptures after taking a blinder of a catch to dismiss opposition captain Ben Rohrer. Rohrer played a beautiful late cut of Joe Mennie but it was slightly uppish. As the ball was in the air Roy launched himself sideways at the backward point. He moved horizontally to complete one heck of a catch. The catch might well be in contention for the ‘Catch of the Season”.

If you thought the exceptional display by the Sixers was over it was not to be. The most outrageous moment of the day was when Jamaican hard-hitting all-rounder Andre Russell unleashed a unique bat in Sixers colours with a black blade and a pink handle. His teammate and captain Brad Haddin questioned the legality of the bat.

“So if he had of batted for any time, it may have proven hard to see.” Cricket Australia though revealed that the bat was legal.

“A player can use a coloured bat subject to CA approval. The bat may be the same colour as the club’s primary colour or black,” a CA spokesman was quoted by the ABC News

“CA retains the right to withdraw approval at its absolute discretion and the umpires can also request a player to change the bat if they believe it affects the integrity of the match.”