The man considered by many to be Australia’s greatest ever three-format player, David Warner, is headed back to Western Sydney after signing a two-year deal with Sydney Thunder that will see him available for the entire KFC BBL|14 season and beyond.
West is Best for Warner
The new deal means Warner will have played four straight seasons for Thunder by the end of BBL|15 and well over 400 T20 matches internationally and domestically, for more than a dozen franchises around the globe.
The swashbuckling opener has a long history with Thunder, having played in the club’s first ever BBL match, way back in 2011, where he pummelled the Melbourne Stars, scoring 102 not out from 51 balls to guide his team to victory.
Warner re-joins a potent batting lineup for Thunder that includes star overseas multi-year signing Sam Billings, young guns Ollie Davies and Sam Konstas, along with the experience of Cam Bancroft, Jason Sangha, Matt Gilkes and Daniel Sams.
Tickets for the upcoming KFC BBL|14 season are on sale to the general public today! Grab your tickets: HERE
Sydney Thunder General Manager, Trent Copeland, said Warner's re-signing and availability for the full tournament is the biggest signing of the BBL in recent memory, the first time in Warner’s career he’ll be able to do so, and a huge boost to the team, the fans and the goal of lifting the BBL|14 trophy.
“Who better to announce is coming back to Western Sydney and Sydney Thunder on the day BBL tickets go on sale than David Warner,” Copeland said.
“We are a family club with strong links to the areas we represent, and Davey is a very proud family man who engages within our community like few others.
“Davey is popular wherever he plays, right around the world, particularly in India and I know the South Asian communities in Sydney’s west will get right behind him at Thunder.
“In Davey we get a world class talent with almost 20 years of T20 experience and now that he has retired from international cricket, we can count on his full focus and commitment for the entire tournament, including the finals.
“It’s very exciting for our club, especially our loyal members and fans.”
The captivating top-order batter returns to the lime green with high hopes and high expectations for the upcoming season.
“[There’s a] great bunch of people, a great coach and I’ve always been a part of Thunder,” Warner said.
“I really liked the environment last year, the group we had brought a lot of energy. This year, I think we can go a couple of steps better."
Speaking on the first Sydney Smash of BBL|14 against crosstown rivals the Sydney Sixers at ENGIE Stadium, Warner said:
“Expect us to win, win comfortably, put on a good show, and hopefully we see a sea of lime green out there.
“We know how much our fans wear their heart on their sleeve. When the team’s winning, we know the fans are happy.
“Our Thunder supporters mean a lot to us. When they come out and support us, hopefully we can reach out to each individual, sign some autographs and put some smiles on faces.”
Sydney Thunder BBL|14 Squad: Wes Agar, Cameron Bancroft, Sam Billings (INT), Oliver Davies, Matt Gilkes, Chris Green, Liam Hatcher, Sam Konstas, Nathan McAndrew, William Salzmann, Daniel Sams, Jason Sangha, Tanveer Sangha, David Warner