Winx mania hits cricket as Brendon McCullum salutes wondermare

Is there anything Winx cannot do? If you decided to be smart and answer 'win a cricket match', you would still be wrong!

For a horse who operates exclusively in 1s, Twenty20 cricket may not seem like her ideal environment, but it turns out there is nothing Chris Waller's wondermare cannot win and she smashed 61 runs off just 30 balls on Tuesday to help the Brisbane Heat to a nine-wicket victory over the Melbourne Stars in Australia's Big Bash.

It turns out the Heat's superstar overseas recruit, New Zealand's Brendon McCullum – the all-time leading run scorer in International Twenty20 cricket – has named his favourite bat after his favourite horse.

Brendon McCullum scored 61 runs at a 203.33 strike-rate

McCullum is an avid racing fan and has his own bloodstock company, Vermair Racing Ltd, whose stickers adorn said bat, and when interviewed midway through his match-winning knock he was asked by commentator Damian Fleming if this particular bat had a name yet.

"This is Winx, this is the best bat I've ever had," he responded, before adding: "This one's going to Hugh Bowman once I'm done with it."

Winx is known for her long stride and explosive finishing burst but even she would have struggled to go with the relentless gallop McCullum set, striking at an otherworldly 203.33. It was a fine tribute to the mare, who has won her last 22 starts, and by the time McCullum was caught he had put the match to bed.

For the record, his opening partner Chris Lynn finished 63 not out, off 46 balls, as the Heat worked their way into the top four and a play-off spot.

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