In the North South 1st XI game in Australian Grade Cricket, India cricketer Basil Thampi took five wickets to help Ivanhoe 1st XI defend 168 against Oakleigh 1st XI.
Basil Thampi takes five in Australian Grade Cricket
In a 50-over match at the Warrawee Park in Oakleigh, Ivanhoe were bowled out for 167 in 40.3 overs. Andrew Donovan top-scored with 64, lifting his side from 30-4. For the hosts, Alexander Jones claimed 3-25 and Max Getley 3-28.
Opening bowling, Thampi now clean bowled Brendan Grace with the first ball of Oakleigh’s innings and trapped Kamesh Nirmal Lokuge leg-before with the second. Rithvik Rao averted the hat-trick, but Thampi got him in his third over: trying to pull a ball that was too quick for him, Rao lobbed it in the air, and wicketkeeper Henry Tyler held the catch.
Aayushdeep Pathania (43) helped Ashleigh recover from 14-3, but when he fell, they were still only 67-6. The seventh wicket put on 38 before Thampi bowled Alexander Jones. Ashleigh recovered again, this time to 144-8, but Thampi broke through yet again, this time to have Bhanuka Samarakkody caught behind.
Ashleigh could add four more runs: they were bowled out for 148 in 43.1 overs. Thampi finished with excellent figures of 9-2-19-5.
A fast bowler who played for Kerala, the 32-year-old Thampi had won IPL contracts with Gujarat Lions, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Mumbai Indians. He had played for India A, and had was even called up to the Indian T20I squad for their home series against Sri Lanka in 2017/18. However, he never played for India.
His last appearance in professional cricket was in February 2025, when he took 1-44 and 0-73 in a Ranji Trophy match for Kerala against Jammu & Kashmir in Pune.
