Black Caps fast bowler Blair Tickner shares heartache as test debut overshadowed by Cyclone Gabrielle

Debutant Blair Tickner celebrates the wicket of Ben Duckett of England during day two of the First Test match in the series between the New Zealand Blackcaps and England at the Bay Oval. Photo / Phil Walter/Getty Images)

As Black Cap’s fast bowler Blair Tickner was making his test debut, his mind wasn’t on the monumental match.

Instead, his thoughts were with his hometown of Hastings, as Hawke’s Bay was being torn apart by Cyclone Gabrielle.

Days after England defeated New Zealand by 267 runs at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui, both Tickner, 29, and teammate Will Young were released from the squad to travel home to help their families and the communities they grew up around in the wake of the storm.

Tickner - who took four wickets in his first test - was visibly emotional as he spoke to the press about the devastation he returned to.

“Obviously, you grow up there as a kid… it’s just crazy, to be honest, it’s hard to talk about, to be honest,” he said.

Watch the Black Caps v England 2nd test live on Spark Sport

He spoke about what he thought his first test would look like, the dream of seeing your family and friends in the crowd cheering, a dream dashed by the storm.

By chance, he said his Dad was able to stop in for half an hour as he was picking up generators for the people in Hawkes Bay, just in time to see him takehis first test wicket, before going on to make the seven-hour drive back home.

It was moments like these that he described as a “bright light” for this family, which drives him to prepare for the series finale in Wellington.

“I think the only thing I sort of kept going back to is my family just saying it’s the only bright light at the moment,” he said, fighting back tears.

Will Young and Blair Tickner were released early from the squad to travel back home to help their families and community. Photo / photosport.nz

In a light-hearted moment, Tickner joked he hoped his father didn’t read the news, as he revealed he had got his dad’s loader stuck while helping his neighbour clear debris from their yard.

“It’s about a metre of mud at the moment. I probably should have driven around the neighbour’s yard and they said it wasn’t that deep and I got it stuck,” he recounted.

“So, sorry about that Dad.”

NZ Cricket and ANZ have teamed up to raise money for the Red Cross Disaster Fund in response to the cyclone’s devastation.

All ticket proceedsfrom the first one-day international between the Blackcaps and Sri Lanka, at Eden Park on March 25, will go to the cyclone recovery. $1 million has already been committed by ANZ, and public donations are also welcome.

Tickner said he and his team were wanting to help out however they could.

“It’s awesome to see NZ Cricket and ANZ coming forward for the first game against Sri Lanka,” he said.

“Hopefully, we can have a sell-out and all that money goes to them. The cyclone [has affected] all around New Zealand.

“It’s been hard for everyone throughout the country, not just Hawke’s Bay. I just want everyone to go out and support.

“You can help [by] donating food, and clothing all around New Zealand at the moment.

“Everyone can help.”

He is dedicating this next game to his home and the people within, and hopes lessons have been learned from the first test.

“There was a lot going on, but it was great to have a full crowd, with the Barmy Army,” he said.

“It was a good experience.

“The first one’s always the hardest, I hear.

“I definitely want to get my first win in test match cricket and really want to do it for the people of Hawke’s Bay.

“Now we’ve banded together as a team and fundraising this money, it’s going to be very special for me.”