David Warner and Steve Smith are among the stars who have signed on to participate in the upcoming edition of the Big Bash League, providing the competition with a boost.
Sydney Sixers announced on Tuesday (August 20) that former Aussie Test captain Smith had signed a long-term deal with the club, committing to them for the next three years. Smith is a Sydney native, and has only ever played for the Sixers in the BBL, debuting in the league's inaugural 2011-12 season.
He returned to the league in 2019-20, after five season away due to international commitments. Smith also played five and two matches for the Sixers in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 season respectively.
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He has just come off a victorius Major League campaign with the Washington Freedom, in which he scored 336 runs in nine matches after being left out of Australia's squad for the T20 World Cup.
For the upcoming season, Smith is expected to be available after the conclusion of Australia men's Test summer, which sees them take on India in a five-Test series from November 22 to January 7.
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David Warner set to be available for first-ever full season
Following his retirement from international cricket earlier this year, star opener David Warner is set to be available for a full BBL season for the first time ever. He played just one match in each of the league's three inaugural seasons, before appearing six times in 2022-23 and twice in 2023-24.
But now, with no more international commitments, Warner has signed a two-year deal with Sydney Thunder and will be available for the full 2024-25 season. 10 of his 11 BBL matches have been in their colours, with just the other one coming against them, for the Sydney Sixers.
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Syndey Thunder general manager Trent Copeland said on the signing, "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."
Marnus Labuschagne to play BBL 14, Alex Carey signs four-year Strikers deal
In other news, Marnus Labuschagne, a more or less regular feature for the Brisbane Heat since 2017, is set to be available for the 2024-25 season. Like Smith, he is also likely to be engaged during the home Test summer, and will be available for at least three matches. Heat head coach Johan Botha praised the signing, calling Labuschagne "an exceptionally underrated T20 player".
Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey, also a one-club man since 2017, has signed a four-year deal to remain with the Adelaide Strikers. He is currently second on the club's all-time run-scoring charts. Tim Paine, Carey's predecessor in Test cricket, was appointed as the Strikers' new coach last week and hailed the 32-year-old's experience and leadership qualities.
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