The Team Cricket roster is locked and loaded for The Good Guys T20 Gold Clash in association with Hot Spring, Australia’s newest must-see sporting event.
Former Australian representatives Dan Christian and James Pattinson are the final two members of the powerful Team Cricket side that will take on Team Footy at Cazalys Stadium in Cairns on Sunday 22 November.
Fans have been booking tickets from all over the country for the inaugural T20 Gold Clash that will bring together the country’s biggest cricket, NRL and AFL names for a night of live entertainment, fan activations and family-friendly experiences.
Christian and Pattinson join a Team Cricket squad headlined by West Indian icon Brian Lara and Australian greats Adam Gilchrist, Usman Khawaja, Matthew Hayden, Michael Hussey, Darren Lehmann, Michael Kasprowicz and Callum Ferguson, alongside Aussie sporting icon Ash Barty, and wildcard Gary Ablett Jr.
They will take on a Team Footy side featuring AFL stars Dustin Martin, Nick Riewoldt, Joel Selwood, Dale Thomas, Isaac Smith, Marc Murphy and Kate McCarthy, and NRL legends Johnathan Thurston and Sam Burgess.
The Team Footy wildcards and another NRL player are expected to be announced in coming days for the match that will be broadcast live and free on Seven and 7plus.
Christian is a former Australian representative and one of the world’s most decorated T20 specialists, winning nine domestic titles globally. A powerful lower-order batter and clever right-arm medium-pacer, the proud Wiradjuri man represented Australia in more than 40 white-ball internationals before retiring from professional cricket in 2023.
Pattinson was a fast bowler renowned for his blistering pace and aggressive spells. The fiery right-armer played 21 Tests for Australia, claiming 81 wickets at an impressive average of 26.33. He also featured in 15 limited-overs internationals before retiring from international cricket in 2021.
The T20 Gold Clash concept was created by Kiwi cricketing great and England Test coach Stephen Fleming, alongside international event promoters Duco Events, building on the success of the T20 Black Clash in New Zealand. The T20 Black Clash has been played in front of sold-out crowds and is New Zealand’s most-watched free-to-air sporting event of the year.
David Higgins of Gold Clash promoters Duco Events said Team Cricket had put together a formidable squad.
“Dan (Christian) and James (Pattinson) round out Team Cricket’s roster nicely for the first ever T20 Gold Clash,” Higgins said.
“They are both not long retired from the professional games so will add some spice to the match but you have to remember, in the Black Clash in New Zealand, Team Footy have won twice so this won’t be one way traffic.
“This game is going to be amazing and it’s not too late for fans that are thinking of travelling to Cairns and Tropical North Queensland for the game to book their trips now.”
