England batsman Alex Hales has been re-signed by the Sydney Thunder franchise for the upcoming eleventh season of the Big Bash League (BBL).
The signing means that Hales will now once again join his former England coach Trevor Bayliss for the first time since being banished from the national side on the eve of the 2019 World Cup after securing a deal to be back to the Thunder in the BBL.
The 32-year-old was amongst runs for the Thunder in the previous two seasons, amassing a totals of 576 and 543 runs, which also includes a top score of 110 in the 2020-21 BBL campaign which had helped his side enter the knockouts.
The Thunder however, had went down to Brisbane Heat in the knockouts.
Commenting on the development, Hales, said: “The culture at Sydney Thunder, both on and off the field, is something special and I am excited to have the opportunity to be a part of it again. Over the last two seasons I have seen first-hand how this franchise is putting together a squad who believes they can win the BBL and that’s the case this summer more than ever.”
With Hales,Thunder have now a total of 14 players locked in for the forthcoming season and is likley to sign one more foreign player soon.
The franchise is however, yet to announce their leader after the departure of Callum Ferguson. As per reports, Usman Khawaja is most probably going to be handed the captaincy.
Earlier on Tuesday, ace Afghanistan spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman was roped in by Brisbane Heat.
In the last season, Mujeeb was the team’s second-leading wicket-taker with 14 scalps from just eight games for the Heat.
Earlier on Tuesday, Sydney Sixers had announced to re-sign England batsman James Vince for the upcoming season.
Vince, who amassed 537 runs in Sixers’ victorious campaign in the previous season, will eye to help his side win a hat-trick of BBL titles.
In the last season, 30-year-old Vince had smashed an unbeaten 98 in the first qualifier against Perth Scorchers before hitting a brilliant 95 against the same opposition in the season’s final.
Last week, the Sixers had acquired West Indies all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite for one more season.
For the tournament, every overseas players will have to serve two weeks of quarantine after they arrive in Australia due to the Covid-19 border restrictions in place
The BBL 11 will kick-off on December 5 with the opening match between defending champions Sydney Sixers and Melbourne Stars.
Sydney Thunder (Squad):
Jonathan Cook, Ben Cutting, Ollie Davies, Brendan Doggett, Matthew Gilkes, Chris Green, Alex Hales (England), Baxter Holt, Usman Khawaja, Nathan McAndrew, Alex Ross, Daniel Sams, Tanveer Sangha, Chris Tremain