David Warner has committed to playing a full BBL season for the first time in his career, having signed a new two-year deal with Sydney Thunder.
Meanwhile, Steve Smith has secured a three-year contract with Sydney Sixers, and Marnus Labuschagne along with Alex Carey have renewed their contracts with Brisbane Heat and Adelaide Strikers respectively, ahead of BBL 2024-25.
Now retired from Test cricket, Warner will be available for the entire season, a first for him, after participating in just eight games for Thunder over the past two editions.
Prior to this, he had been absent from the BBL for nine seasons due to his international duties.
“[There’s a] great bunch of people, a great coach, and I’ve always been a part of Thunder,” Warner said in a Thunder release.
“I really liked the environment last year; the group brought a lot of energy.
This year, I think we can go a couple of steps further,” added Warner, who had featured in Thunder’s inaugural BBL game back in 2011.
“Davey is popular wherever he plays, especially in India, and I know the South Asian communities in Sydney’s west will fully support him at Thunder,” said Trent Copeland, the Thunder general manager.
“With Davey, we gain a world-class talent with nearly 20 years of T20 experience.
Now that he’s retired from international cricket, we can rely on his full focus and commitment for the entire tournament, including the finals.”
However, Australia’s other Test regulars will be partially available for the 14th edition of the BBL.
They’ll be free to play after the conclusion of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at home on January 7 and before departing for the Sri Lanka tour on January 21, which coincides with the start of the BBL knockouts.
This means Smith could feature in four games for the Sixers during that window, while Labuschagne and Carey might appear in three.
Notably, Carey has signed a four-year deal with the Strikers, the club he has represented throughout his eight-year BBL career.
The Strikers will be coached by former Australia Test captain Tim Paine from this season.
“Alex brings great experience and strong leadership to our group, in addition to his 360-degree batting skills and outstanding glovework,” Paine said.
“A favorite among Strikers fans, he’s a proven big-game player and a crucial part of our squad, which is eager to make a strong start in BBL 2024-2025.”
Leave a Reply