Sandhu picked up 4-6 in just his first 35 deliveries to have the home side 4-20 and looking completely spooked chasing 254 for the win.

They never stood a chance.

Bit-part contributions and a dogged tail was not enough to avoid falling short of three figures for the second time in three games, bundled out late for a season-low 90.

Rhys French top-scored with 22 in a fleeting 28-run stand with Ollie Wood (18).

It's been nearly five years since Sandhu played the last of his two one-dayers against England, but Raiders coach Andrew Gower was of the belief the early spell was little more about being outplayed than feeling starstruck.

"We have come up against top bowlers," Gower said.

"We rate Nathan Ellis as the best bowler we've played against without any doubts.

"Gurinder is no different - he comes from a long way, he's a tall guy, he bowls good areas, he's a smart bowler, who knows what to do.

"The wicket obviously had a little bit of rain in it too and it started doing a little bit for him and capitalised on that."

That has left the Raiders on a winless five-game start and are now one loss short of the club's worst streak in its near one-and-a-half year history.

Gower has said right from the start that the new club is about providing opportunities more so than winning games after past players in the North of the state had been forced to relocate South to seek out Tasmanian caps.

ELSEWHERE IN SPORT

So it may take a number of seasons for the Raiders to be brought up to speed, but had the advent of the Cricket Tasmania Premier League side happened years earlier the result at the NTCA Ground could have been different.

Sandhu finishing up with a tidy 4-22 sunk the Raiders, but Trent Keep set up victory.

The Latrobe-raised batter had returned to Hobart just prior to the Raiders' birth off the back of a spot in the Tasmanian development squad.

Returning back to South Hobart-Sandy Bay after a brief stint in South Australia, he again gave the Raiders the slip this year with his switch of clubs to Kingborough.

The 26-year-old looked in ominous form at stumps last week and kept up the run-a-ball pace with a 160 not out before before the Knights declared 4-253 halfway through the rain-affected match.

Watching the class of Keep, Gower had no reason at that stage to believe the run chase was out of the question.

"It just becomes a one-day game essentially," he said.

"We only had to go back to one-day cricket and we're not long out of one-day cricket.

"The message today was just to go out and bat and see what happens.

"If we get off to a flyer, we're in a position to win the game and that's fantastic.

"If we lose early wickets, we'll just keep on playing.

"There was no talk in the team about shutting up shop or just saving the game.

"It was more about playing cricket and backing in your ability like always."

Subscriptions are available here.

Sign up to our Sport email here.