Sydney Thunder sign Prior and Guptill for BBL 2 – Cricket News Update
Australian Big Bash League franchise, Sydney Thunder, have signed on England’s http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shahid-Afridi-c2482 during the upcoming second edition of the tournament.
Big Bash rules dictate that franchises are permitted to sign up to 4 overseas players, although only two are allowed to be on the field at any one time.
Commenting on the new signings, Thunder coach Shane Duff claimed that Guptill was “an outstanding player in all formats”.
“His T20 record is exceptional and he will be of vital importance to us in the round one game against our cross town rivals,” Duff said.
Guptill, a veteran of 111 T20s, with 3200 runs to his credit, will be stepping in for Gayle during Thunder’s first match of the tournament – a “derby” due to be played at the Sydney Cricket Ground on December 5, against the Sydney Sixers. Gayle will then
take his place in the line-up for the remaining matches.
Prior’s role as a substitute for Afridi, however, is less clearly defined. Serving as wicketkeeper for England’s national team, Prior, who has played 88 T20s with 1960 runs to his name, will only be available for Thunder after the Poms round up their Test
series against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750 on December 17.
Slated to begin on December 7, the second edition of the Big Bash League sees Thunder boasting a formidable line-up with features star T20 batsmen Gayle and Afridi, led by newly appointed captain http://www.senore.com/Cricket/MJ-Clarke-c1978.
While Gayle played for Thunder last year, Afridi was affiliated with the Melbourne Renegades last season, and his signing could be the franchise’s attempt to widen their fan base by including more Asian players in their roster, as advised by Cricket http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746
in February this year.
The inaugural edition of the BBL saw Thunder, led by then skipper http://www.senore.com/Cricket/DA-Warner-c1301, getting off to a fair start, as they won both of their first two matches. However, they were unable to win any games from there onwards, and failed to qualify for the semi-finals,
with Warner forced to bow out of the last few matches owing to national duties.
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