Big Bash League: Luke Wright, England all-rounder, ends stint with Melbourne Stars
Luke Wright, Melbourne Stars’ most capped player in the Big Bash League (BBL), has bid farewell to the club after seven seasons.
England cricketer Luke Wright has ended his association with Melbourne Stars after spending seven years with the Big Bash League (BBL) club.
Wright, who showed delayed signs of concussion on Tuesday and was therefore left out of Stars’ playing XI for their next game against Sydney Thunder on Saturday, decided to end his stint with the Melbourne-based club after consulting with the team management. He received a couple of blows on the helmet while facing pacer Ben Dwarshius during the team’s eight-wicket loss to Sydney Sixers.
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The 32-year-old Englishman finishes as Melbourne Stars’ most capped player in the BBL. He played 57 matches, scoring 1479 at 29 with a strike-rate of 131.23. Wright also scored two memorable hundreds. The first of them, a knock of 117, came against the Hobart Hurricanes in January 2012. During this innings, he also shared the record BBL opening partnership of 172 with Rob Quiney. He scored his second (109*) BBL hundred against the Melbourne Renegades in January 2016.
“It’s been seven years with the Melbourne Stars, and it’s been a time that I’ve absolutely loved and will cherish. I’m enormously proud to have been a foundation member and I’m so grateful to have been given the opportunity to play for such a long time and amongst so many great players and teammates,” Wright was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.
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“I’ve forged so many good friendships on and off the field and it’s been incredible to be part of such a tremendous club. I’ve loved running out onto the MCG in front of a terrific bunch of fans who’ve been so supportive,” he added.
Luke Wright’s departure deepens the already struggling Melbourne Stars’ woes. They are currently placed at the bottom of the points table with only one victory from seven matches in the ongoing edition. They’ll soon lose the services of another England cricketer, Kevin Pietersen, who had earlier announced that he would retire from all forms of cricket by the end of this year.
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