Out of action from Indian domestic cricket for almost a year, star Gujarat Lions pacer Basil Thampi picked a five-for in Australia’s grade cricket, finding himself out of obscurity yet again.
In a 50-over
game at Warrawee Park in Oakleigh, Ivanhoe were dismissed for 167 in 40.3 overs. Philippines batter Andrew Donovan top-scored with 64 to rescue his team from 30/4, while Alexander Jones (3/25) and Max Getley (3/28) led the bowling effort for the hosts.
Opening the bowling, Thampi struck, clean-bowling Brendan Grace with the first delivery of Oakleigh’s innings and trapping Kamesh Nirmal Lokuge lbw with the very next ball.
Rithvik Rao survived the hat-trick, but only briefly. In his third over, Thampi rushed him with extra pace, forcing a miscued pull that ballooned into the air before wicketkeeper Henry Tyler completed the catch.
Aayushdeep Pathania, who has turned out for Monash University, made 43 to help Oakleigh steady the innings after slumping to 14/3. However, his dismissal left them still struggling at 67/6.
A 38-run partnership for the seventh wicket followed before Thampi removed Alexander Jones and although Oakleigh regrouped once more to reach 144/8, Thampi struck again by having Bhanuka Samarakkody caught behind.
Oakleigh managed to add just four more runs before being dismissed for a modest 148 in the 44th over, with Thampi wrapping up a superb spell of 9-2-19-5.
Thampi, who represented Kerala, had earned IPL contracts with the Gujarat Lions, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Mumbai Indians. He also featured for India A and was called up to the national T20I team for the home series against Sri Lanka in 2017-18, but never went on to make his international debut.
Thampi’s most recent appearance in professional cricket came in February 2025, when he returned figures of 1/44 and 0/73 for Kerala in a Ranji Trophy game against Jammu & Kashmir in Pune.
Thampi has played 58 first-class matches and picked 132 wickets, at an impressive economy of 3.39.
