Key men ruled out as falling Stars face nervous wait

UPDATE: Pakistan have confirmed Haris Rauf will return for the KFC BBL finals.

The Melbourne Stars' stuttering finish to the KFC BBL's regular season could be compounded by being without their two main international signings for their entire finals campaign.

Coach David Hussey revealed last night that leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane, who Hussey had originally expected would be available for the whole tournament, will fly out of Melbourne today after being summoned back to Nepal for an international tri-series against Oman and the USA, which starts on February 5.

And the Stars are now sweating on the fate of Pakistani pace sensation Haris Rauf, who they hope will be available for their qualifying final at the MCG this week after he made his international debut on Friday in Lahore.

Rauf picked up figures of 1-32 and 1-27 in the first two matches of Pakistan’s three-game series against Bangladesh and with the third T20 on Monday, he should be able to return to Melbourne in time for The Qualifier final on Friday.

Image Id: B882609D6FDB445E809658A12B6358F0 Image Caption: Rauf made his international debut this weekend // Getty

But with the first Test of that tour to start on February 7, Rauf will be unavailable for the Stars if his rapid rise leads to a maiden Test call-up for Pakistan.

And Hussey concedes there was a chance the in-form quick could well earn his first Test cap despite having played just three first-class games in his career.

"He might get picked to play Test cricket … (his return) is not confirmed as yet. We'd like him back," Hussey said after his side's heavy defeat to Brisbane Heat at the MCG.

"We'll see what happens there. We're still working behind the scenes.

"It's great that he started off his journey playing for the Melbourne Stars and now he's representing his country. I'm rapt for him, (he’s a) great person and hopefully we do get him back for The Qualifier.

"Whatever he does, I hope he actually represents Pakistan for 100 Tests and 400 T20s and 150 one day internationals. He's brought a different dynamic to our group, he's tried every game he's played, he fields his butt off and he's just fitted in the group perfectly."

Rauf's replacement Dilbar Hussain, another unknown Pakistani quick, returned the second-worst figures in Stars' history (1-56 off four overs) in a nervous debut last night and could potentially be their only overseas player to choose from if Rauf is unavailable.

The other two overseas players on the Stars’ books this season - Dale Steyn (who is back in South Africa ahead of their T20 series against England) and Englishman Pat Brown (who was ruled out for the tournament with a back injury) – are not available for the finals.

Adding to the Stars’ woes is confirmation that Hilton Cartwright, who Hussey labelled their "find of the tournament" after forming a successful opening bond with BBL|09's leading run scorer Marcus Stoinis, will miss the rest of the competition after fracturing his right hand.

Rauf and Lamichhane are the Stars' two leading wicket takers in BBL|09, with 16 and 15 respectively, while Adam Zampa is next best with 13.

The Stars have increasingly turned to spin towards the business end of the tournament and Lamichhane has been a key plank of that strategy, returning the miserly figures of 1-16 off four overs last night as the Stars struggled to curtail an AB de Villiers onslaught.

But his absence could force Hussey to rethink his side’s approach.

"I'm always a big believer that spin is going to your friend throughout the tournament,” he said. “It's a fantastic strategy that we have that we might have to rejig a little bit.

"I must admit I didn't deal with it too well when (Lamichhane) told me he was leaving because he's a quality person, a quality player and a big part of our plans to go deep into the tournament.

"But when you get called up to international cricket, it should be celebrated. It was a couple of days of kicking cans about losing a great player but I'm pretty happy for him.

"He's been fantastic for us for the last two years, he's a great person. Unfortunately he has to go back (and) he won't represent us in the finals. When you get called up to play international cricket, it's pretty special."

Hussey said Hussain could have a big impact on the finals despite his rude introduction to the BBL, with the Stars set to weigh up their best bowling attack having rotated the likes of pacemen Nathan Coulter-Nile, Daniel Worrall and Lance Morris in recent games.

Left-armer Jackson Coleman looms as a wildcard as he recovers from a minor side strain having been player of the match in his only game of the tournament so far against the Perth Scorchers last week.

"It's his (Hussain's) first time at the MCG in front of a decent crowd representing a new team, his English is not great, he's only arrived with the Stars in the last couple of days," said Hussey.

"Foreign conditions (but) I thought there was a lot to offer – 145kph away swingers, good slower ball, good fast bouncer … good control, good yorker. I think he's got a pretty good future in the game.

"I think he's going to ruffle a few feathers later on in the tournament."

The Stars have been the season’s standout side but have now lost their last three games and hold a reputation for falling short at the business end of the competition.

They have made the finals in all but one of the previous eight tournaments but are one of only two teams (the Hobart Hurricanes are the other) to have never won the men’s title.

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