Should the Sydney Thunder complete the ultimate chumps-to-champs turnaround in Monday’s Big Bash final, they will look back to a special speech by David Warner beneath Engie Stadium as the defining moment of their campaign.
Warner has arguably been the best thing to happen to the domestic Twenty20 tournament in a long time. Cricket Australia will be glad they lifted a six-year leadership ban for Warner’s part in the Sandpapergate ball tampering scandal in Cape Town, which allowed him to lead the Thunder this summer.
The Thunder edged past cross-town rivals the Sydney Sixers by four wickets on Friday night to book a date with the Hobart Hurricanes in the decider.
First-year Thunder chief executive and Warner’s former teammate Trent Copeland was quick to pinpoint a special moment involving the skipper on the eve of their campaign.
“We were at Engie Stadium when Davy addressed the group for one of the first times,” Copeland said.
“Chris Green has been a great captain and leader of this club, he has been for a long time, and that hasn’t changed. But when [Warner] speaks to the room, like he did this day, he speaks about purpose, about who we are and about how we carry ourselves. Just looking around the room that day and the captive audience, they were all ready to go on the journey with him.
David Warner leads the Sydney Thunder onto the field on Friday.Credit: Getty Images
“The best version of David Warner is what we are seeing right now.
“I think it started with the leadership stuff quite some time ago. That was about much more than the Thunder, that was about legacy, family and some things in his opinion that needed to change. And I’m glad they did.”
The Thunder were the BBL laughing stock last summer when they notched just one win. The western Sydney franchise were no strangers to the wrong end of the ladder.
Warner in action for the Thunder.Credit: Getty Images
But they proved nine years ago how quickly they could turn things around after going from second last to winners of the 2016 final.
Mike Hussey was involved in that campaign and would love for history to repeat, especially with Warner at his inspirational best.
“It’s definitely on the cards,” Hussey told this masthead. “The way David Warner has led the team this year has been phenomenal. It’s given this team so much belief. They’ve had to deal with so much adversity, but they keep finding a way to get over the line.”
The Thunder have churned through players this season, including the double loss of Cameron Bancroft and Daniel Sams following an ugly collision in Perth at the start of the month. The Thunder showed great ticker to win that game on the final ball. They also farewelled cricket’s hottest new play thing, Sam Konstas, who is on tour with the Australian team.
“We’ve had 10 changes to the roster since the draft, two overseas replacements, nine injuries; Tommy Andrews was pulled out of a financial planning office [to play],” Copeland said.
“Perth is a tough place to win any time, but to win the way we did after the injuries … I remember Davy in the dugout jumping around like a six-year-old who had won their first game of cricket. You can’t fake that stuff.
“It’s been a proper scrap to get here, and only good teams do that.”
Englishman Sam Billings, who finished unbeaten on 42 against the Sixers – and whose six off the final ball of the 18th over all but assured the result – has played in enough tournaments around the world to know “the best team on paper doesn’t always win”, which Hobart have been.
Billings also nominated Warner as the man capable of breaking Tasmanian hearts.
“He makes everyone who steps on to that field with him [feel] a foot taller, and makes them feel a million dollars,” Billings said.
“He puts bums on seats. I’m convinced he’s still the best player in the tournament, by a country mile.
“It’s hard to describe, and this is coming from an Englishman, but you can see why he’s been one of the best players the last 15 years in this format of the game.
“He’s incredible and an unbelievable talent the way he thinks about the game as well. It’s brilliant for this tournament and also for our team. Hopefully we can do the job for him.”
Warner is already signed on for the Thunder for next season, with plenty of senior figures at the franchise backing him to play beyond 40 years of age.
