The Sydney Thunder’s most recent captain, Jason Sangha, has one word to describe David Warner rejoining the club, “awesome.”
They batted together as club mates at Randwick-Petersham and Sangha, 22, is delighted to be rekindling their partnership in the Big Bash.
A former Australian Under 19 captain who has now found his feet in the big league, Sangha is looking forward to more international stars joining, or rejoining the Thunder during the BBL’s inaugural overseas draft in Melbourne on Sunday night.
Such is his growing stature in the game that Sangha will be part of the Thunder table deciding which players to select.
“Just to be there on the night it’s just nice that the club thought of me and gave me that opportunity. And I’m thrilled,” Sangha told this masthead.
The Thunder have the right to retain England livewire batsman and wicketkeeper Sam Billings, one of 12 internationals who have been listed as $340,000 top level platinum players under the new four-tiered draft system introduced by Cricket Australia to revive the BBL.
Along with platinum players, anyone nominated in the gold category can receive $260,000, silver $175,000 and bronze $100,000. The select groups are among more than 330 overseas players from 20 countries who have nominated for the draft.
Interestingly, destructive Thunder stalwart Alex Hales from England and Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Hasnain have nominated at a level lower than platinum.
Hasnain had the Thunder’s best bowling average of 16 and best economy rate of six across the five matches he played for the Thunder last season.
Each club can only retain one player meaning that if the Thunder retain Billings they will have to take their chances with Hales and Hasnain in the draft.
Teams can take three overseas players in all, meaning the Sydney Sixers would not be able to keep all their overseas players from last season, even if they last in the draft.
Veteran England seamer Chris Jordan and Pakistan’s leg-spinning allrounder Shadab Khan are listed as platinum while England batsman James Vince and allrounder Tom Curran are available on lower tiers.
A number of the best overseas players are expected to sign up for the first half of the BBL, beginning in December, then leave for the more lucrative UAE tournament from mid-January, where they can earn up to $700,000.
The BBL is facing unprecedented competition from new T20 competitions in South Africa and the UAE, which is being heavily funded by Indian IPL owners and businesses.
Sangha is excited by the draft concept.
“I’m a massive NBA fan,” Sangha said. “I’ve always wondered within in the NBA, when teams are the first, second, third pick, who they’re going to select.
“I’ve always wanted to be like a fly on the wall at one of those tables so I guess, in my own way, I’m kind of getting to live that dream a little bit being on the table for the Thunder.
“When there’s going to be overseas players involved it’s always going to be exciting.”
NSW state captain Kurtis Patterson, who has returned to Sydney with the Sixers after blossoming at the Perth Scorchers, believes the draft will be good for the BBL.
“I think everyone wants the Big Bash to succeed here in Australia, and everyone’s got their thinking caps on regarding what we can do to make it succeed,” Patterson said.
“It’s a bloody good product and it’s nice to be challenged. I think this draft’s really exciting as a cricket fan.
“As an NBA fan who loves drafts and stuff like that I’m excited to see how that overseas draft works.”
