Kiwi Milne enters Aust T20 records
Adam Milne defied a bloodied hand to write his name into Australia’s Twenty20 cricket record books and issue a reminder to the Black Caps selectors in a World Cup year.
The fast bowler returned remarkable figures of 1-6 off four overs for Sydney Thunder in their six-run loss to Adelaide Strikers in Sunday night’s Big Bash match at Adelaide Oval.
It was the second-most economical four-over spell in the men’s Big Bash, behind former Australian speedster Mitchell Johnson’s 3-3 for Perth Scorchers against Melbourne Stars.
Milne fired down 20 dot balls out of the 25 deliveries he bowled, a rarely seen feat in T20 cricket.
He also endured a painful injury while bowling the final over of Adelaide’s innings of 159-6, but secured a wicket for his team in the process.
Australian international Travis Head (31) was the unfortunate batsman as Milne got a hand to a sharp return chance and deflected it onto the stumps for the run out with Head backing up. After receiving medical attention to tape up his right ring finger, Milne returned to bowl his final five deliveries and close out a memorable display.
Milne, 28, was a Black Caps frontliner at the 2015 World Cup but hasn’t donned national colours since November 2018 amid an array of injuries, the latest a stress fracture in his left ankle which required surgery.
After securing a release from his domestic contract with Central Stags and answering the call of Thunder coach Kiwi Shane Bond, Milne has bowled impressively at near 150kmh pace on the Fox Sports speed radar.