David Warner in massive BBL development with Thunder as Steve Smith makes call on career

Retired Australian Test cricket great David Warner has announced that he will put his full attention towards playing for the Sydney Thunder in the upcoming Big Bash League (BBL) season. The gun for hire has committed to play the entire BBL campaigns for the next two years, making the domestic competition his January priority ahead of other often more lucrative T20 leagues.

Warner, who is currently playing in a little-known T10 competition in the Cayman Islands, will be a major drawcard for the tournament that has spent years struggling to lock down Australia's best cricketers largely due to conflicting schedules. The 37-year-old is arguably the greatest multi-format batter in Australia's history and has been a mainstay in Australian cricket teams for well over a decade, with the T20 World Cup his international swansong after already retiring from Test and ODI cricket.

Warner has played just two games for the Thunder since his Test retirement last summer before turning his focus to the International League T20 in the United Arab Emirates. But Thunder general manager Trent Copeland says he won't be leaving early this season as he revealed Warner had signed with the franchise for the next two years in what he described as the “biggest signing” of the BBL in recent memory.

“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. 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.”

Warner said he had always felt connected with the Thunder and is eager to get back out there. “I really liked the environment last year, the group we had brought had a lot of energy. This year, I think we can go a couple of steps better,” he said.

“I’ve always been a part of Thunder and I thought why not extend? I just love playing cricket.”

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Steve Smith eases fears he could retire from cricket

Warner could find himself in a showdown with former Australian teammate Steve Smith in the Sydney derby in late January after Smith signed a three-year extension with the Sydney Sixers. Smith is set to be available for as many as four Sixers games as he continues to prioritise the Australian international summer of cricket.

Smith is expected to be Warner's replacement at the top of the order this summer, having filled the spot on the two-Test tour of New Zealand in January, but will turn 36 next June. However, the three-year deal could see him play in the BBL beyond his international career.

The news of his new deal is significant as he has been coy about his future over recent summers, unwilling to make a definitive call about playing on. And while there's still no guarantee about his international future, the new deal means he will play on in the BBL until he’s nearly 40. “It’s fantastic news to have Steve commit to the club for the next three years,” Sixers general manager Rachael Haynes said.

“Steve is a proven performer in this format and he’s in outstanding white-ball form at the moment, leading Washington Freedom to their first title in Major League Cricket last month. Steve is a Sixer through and through and has been part of the club since the very beginning. It’s a sign of significant commitment on his part to sign on with the club for the next three years and we couldn’t be happier to have him on board long-term.” Other Aussie Test stars signed to the BBL for this season include Marnus Labuschagne and Alex Carey.

with agencies