Photo Credit: Twitter photo of @chrisgreen_93
Thunder spinner matches Mitchell Johnson’s mark for most economical T20 spell during Caribbean Premier League clash
Sydney Thunder star Chris Green equalled an Australian record after returning extraordinary figures during a Caribbean Premier League (CPL) game in Trinidad on Wednesday morning (Australian time).
Captaining the Guyana Amazon Warriors, Green finished with the remarkable analysis of four overs, two maidens, three runs and one wicket to help his side notch a comfortable victory over the Barbados Tridents.
His figures are the most economical by an Australian in a T20, a record he now jointly holds with Mitchell Johnson who took 3-3 for the Perth Scorchers in the BBL06 semi-final against the Melbourne Stars.
Green, who is returning form a bowling ban due to an illegal action, is one of only 11 male players to concede three runs or fewer in a four-over spell in a T20 and the fifth to do it in the CPL. Mohammad Irfan’s figures of 2-1 from four overs for the Barbados Tridents in 2018 is the overall men’s record.
The off-spinner’s effort is made all the more impressive given he opened the bowling and delivered three overs in the Power Play with only two fielders allowed on the boundary.
His fifth ball brought the wicket of Tridents opener Justin Greaves lbw as his first over finished as a maiden. Just two more runs came from his next two overs, before Green rounded out his spell with a second maiden to finish with an economy rate of 0.75 as Barbados fell into a heap, slumping to 4-9 and then 8-27.
Twenty-one of Green’s 24 deliveries were dot balls.
It continues a frugal campaign for the crafty Green, who has taken eight wickets in as many games and conceded just 5.64 runs per over for the tournament.
He helped Guyana defend the lowest total in CPL history in a bizarre game last month, taking 2-10 off three overs as the Jamaica Tallawahs fell 14 runs short of victory despite Andre Russell hitting five sixes.
Green, who will link up with Indian Premier League side Kolkata Knight Riders after the CPL, had been considered a smokey for Australia’s T20 World Cup squad before this year’s showpiece event was postponed.
He suffered a major setback last summer when he was banned for throwing during the Big Bash, but has since had his bowling action cleared after considerable remedial work.
“It’s like when you get pulled over by the police,” Green told AAP last month. “You know you haven’t been drinking or speeding, yet when you blow into the thing you have that little bit of anxiety.
“The surprise I got in being banned just made me realise how much I want to enjoy my time on the field and not take anything for granted.”
Along with Chris Lynn, Ben Dunk and Fawad Ahmed, Green is one of four Australians competing in the CPL, the first major domestic T20 competition to restart after the pandemic upended the sporting world.
The competition is being played with strict bio-security protocols.
Sydney Thunder is set to open its tenth KFC Big Bash League campaign on 5 December against the Melbourne Stars at the MCG.
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Name of Author: Sydney Thunder
The Sydney Thunder is an Australian professional cricket team competing in the Big Bash League (BBL). Based at Sydney Showground Stadium, the Thunder, along with the Sydney Sixers, succeeded the New South Wales Blues from the defunct KFC Twenty20 Big Bash.
