Cape Town - Tristan Stubbs faced just 28 balls on a balmy night in Bristol. But it was enough time to smoke two fours and eight sixes, most of them breathtaking in their design.
And just there the 22-year-old’s life changed forever. The smile he wore throughout the night was of someone that had just won the lottery. And it proved to be his winning ticket.
In this fast-changing cricket landscape, it was the equivalent of the lucky numbers for it earned him R9.2 million after a bidding war between Sunrisers Eastern Cape and MI Cape Town at the recent SA20 auction.
For a rookie that’s still studying towards a marketing degree at Nelson Mandela University that’s an awful lot of money, and he will suddenly find he has plenty of new friends to take out for drinks.
“I still live with my two flat-mates and I took them out for a quiet dinner to celebrate,” Stubbs told IOL Sport for this month’s exclusive T20 World Cup Digimag.
The timing of Stubbs’ spectacular intervention, in every sense, has created a fever pitch of anticipation ahead of the T20 World Cup that starts in Australia tomorrow with the youngster bolstering the Proteas batting line-up with his X-factor. Stubbs’ ascent to the top has been nothing short of spectacular.
It was only a few months ago that he was still sitting in the St George’s Park stands supporting the Proteas Test side. Now he counts Proteas superstar Quinton de Kock among his close friends in the national team dressing room.
Despite the age difference being almost a decade, it should not be a surprise to many that the pair have developed a bond so quickly.
They have plenty in common – none more so than their simplistic approach to batting – while they are equally “chilled” off the field.
“See-ball, hit-ball” is, of course, De Kock’s mantra. Stubbs simply just aims for the sightscreen.
“Honestly, I’ve walked out to the middle and told myself just get one, and get down to the other side. But then I hit my first ball for six!
“So, I just try to watch the ball and then react to whatever the body does.”
Stubbs gained valuable experience in England’s Hundred competition over the winter where he helped the Manchester Originals to the final at Lord’s.
Playing in front of packed houses almost daily has prepared him for the trip Down Under, but it was more the opportunity to be in the company of T20 superstars such as England captain Jos Buttler and West Indian Andre Russell that left the biggest impression on the surf-loving rookie.
“To be able to just learn from those guys, and watch how they go about their business was really cool. Certain things they do, and just to learn from them was really nice,” Stubbs said.
But how will Stubbs deal with the Proteas’ chequered history at major ICC tournaments that have caused South African cricketers – even the likes of the normally free-spirited De Kock – to choke up and seek cover?
At this stage it does not seem like Stubbs will take a backward step, and that he will resist any temptation to curtail his natural attacking instincts even on the grandest stage of them all in Australia, at his first major ICC tournament.
“I’ve never been to Australia and I’m just really excited to get down there,” Stubbs said. “I’m in the gym getting ready. The bigger boundaries just mean better cricket shots.”
Stubbs will be involved in the Proteas’ two warm-up matches against New Zealand (Monday, 6am SA time) and Bangladesh (Wednesday, 10am SA time) next week. Both matches will be played in Brisbane.