Stars’ Lamichhane shines but ends up in losing side, again

Melbourne Stars’ Sandeep Lamichhane (centre) celebrates with teammates during their Big Bash League match against Hobart Hurricanes in Hobart on Monday. Photo Courtesy: Melbourne Stars

Kathmandu, December 24

Nepali star legspinner Sandeep Lamichhane stole the limelight in the Big Bash League but ended up in losing side for the second straight match in Hobart today.

Lamichhane, who is playing for Melbourne Stars in Australia’s premier Twenty20 league, returned with the impressive figures of 3-24 from four overs but that was not enough for his team from going down to Hobart Hurricanes by six wickets. Batting first, the Stars posted 155-5 in 20 overs before the Hurricanes reached 156-4 with eight balls to spare.

After Scott Boland broke the opening partnership in the sixth over removing opener D’Arcy Short (34), it was Lamichhane who took next three wickets. Lamichhane got the ball in the seventh over and he did the trick by bowling Alex Doolan out in the third ball to reduce Hurricanes to 60-2. He conceded five runs in his first over, while he gave away seven in the next.

Lamichhane was brought back to action in the 14th over when the Hurricanes were 112-2 and they needed 44 runs off 42 balls to win the match. And Lamichhane did not disappoint his team and dismissed Matthew Wade, caught by Adam Zampa at short fine leg in the second ball of the over. Wade scored for Hurricanes with 52 off 37 balls hitting five fours and a six. Ben McDermott hit Lamichhane for a six over deep square leg as the bowler went on to conceded eight runs in the over.

Lamichhane kept his team into the match when he trapped McDermott (28) leg before the wicket in the first ball of the 16th over and he conceded just four runs. The Hurricanes needed run-a-ball 24 when Lamichhane completed his spell. George Bailey (27) and Simon Milenko (six) took the Hurricanes home without further loss in 18.4 overs. Lamichhane had returned with 2-36 from four overs in the Stars’ 15-run defeat under D/L method against Sydney Thunder on Friday.

Earlier, skipper Glenn Maxwell top scored for the Stars with 31-ball 47 that included five sixes, while Nick Larkin scored 45 off 33 balls hitting five boundaries. The Stars along with Brisbane Heat and Perth Scorchers have faced two straight defeats in the eight-team tournament. Melbourne Renegades and Hurricanes have accumulated four points each with perfect record.

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