Sydney Thunder
Sydney Thunder is one of the most famed Australian franchise cricket teams in the Big Bash League. They, along with Sydney Sixers, are the successors of New South Wales Blues, who played in the KFC Twenty20 Big Bash League that has now become obsolete. Sydney Thunder has been playing since the conception of the league in 2011-12.
Currently led by Chris Green and Jason Sangha (acting captain), the team has witnessed immense growth under the captaincy of Michael Hussey (2013-2016), Shane Watson (2016-2019) and Callum Feguson (2019-2021). However, the team has won the championship only under the leadership of Michael Hussey in 2015–16.
Moreover, the team has gained multiple honors till date in the BBL. While they became the champions in 2015-16, they have appeared three times, in 2019–20, 2020–21, 2021–22, in the final 4s.
On the other hand, they have also ranked at the last position during the 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, and 2016–17 seasons, showcasing their growth as a team during their BBL journey until now. It remains to be seen how the team will perform in the upcoming season of BBL 2022-23 and once again emerge as league champions, meeting the fans expectations.
| Sydney Thunder Details | |
| Full Name | Sydney Thunder |
| Founded | 2011 |
| Ground | Sydney Showground Stadium |
| Captain | Chris Green, Jason Sangha (Acting) |
| Coach | Trevor Bayliss |
Sydney Thunder BBL 2022-23 Squad
The current squad of Sydney Thunder can be considered as the Cream of the crop as they have signed David Warner in the team. Moreover, with the DRS introduced, along with an innings clock in the run, Thunder seem to be prepared for the upcoming season.
| Players | Age | Batting Style | Bowling Style |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gurinder Sandhu | 29 | Left Hand | Right Arm Fast-Med |
| Nathan McAndrew | 29 | Right-handed | Right-arm fast medium |
| Chris Green | 29 | Right-handed | Right-arm off break |
| Daniel Sams | 29 | Right-handed | Left-arm fast medium |
| David Willey | 32 | Left-handed | Left-arm fast-medium |
| Tanveer Sangha | 20 | Right-handed | Right arm leg spin |
| Baxter Holt | 22 | Right-handed | Right-arm medium |
| David Warner | 35 | Left-handed | Right arm leg break |
| Jason Sangha | 23 | Right-handed | Right arm leg spin |
| Alex Ross | 30 | Right-handed | Right-arm off break |
| David Willey | 32 | Left-handed | Left-arm fast medium |
| Rilee Rossouw | 33 | Left-handed | Right-arm off break |
| Ben Cutting | 35 | Right Hand | Right Arm Fast-Med |
| Oliver Davies | 21 | Right-handed | Right-arm off break |
| Matthew Gilkes | 23 | Left-handed | Left-arm medium |
| Brendan Doggett | 28 | Right-handed | Right-arm medium fast |
| Alex Hales | 33 | Right-handed | Right-arm medium |
Sydney Thunder BBL 2022-23 Match Schedule
Sydney Thunders will be playing their first and last league match against Melbourne Stars on Tuesday, Dec 13, 2022 at Manuka Ovaland and Wednesday, Jan 25, 2022 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, respectively.
Considering their last season performance and the entry of David Warner in the team, Sydney Thunder surely hold the chance to outperform almost every team in the league matches.
| Date | Fixtures | Venue | Time (IST) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday, Dec 13 | Sydney Thunder vs Melbourne Stars | Manuka Oval | 1:45 PM |
| Friday, Dec 16 | Sydney Thunder vs Adelaide Strikers | Sydney Showground | 2:45 PM |
| Sunday, Dec 18 | Melbourne Renegades vs Sydney Thunder | Marvel Stadium | 1:45 PM |
| Tuesday, Dec 20 | Adelaide Strikers vs Sydney Thunder | Adelaide Oval | 1:45 PM |
| Tuesday, Dec 27 | Sydney Thunder vs Brisbane Heat | Sydney Snowground | 1:45 PM |
| Thursday, Dec 29 | Brisbane Heat vs Sydney Thunder | Metricon Stadium | 12:35 PM |
| Saturday, Dec 31 | Sydney Thunder vs Hobart Hurricanes | Lavington Sports Ground | 10:00 AM |
| Tuesday, Jan 4 | Perth Scorchers vs Sydney Thunder | Optus Stadium | 3:45 PM |
| Saturday, Jan 8 | Sydney Thunder vs Sydney Sixers | Sydney Showground | 1:45 PM |
| Thursday, Jan 13 | Sydney Thunder vs Perth Scorchers | Sydney Showground | 1:00 PM |
| Saturday, Jan 15 | Hobart Hurricanes vs Sydney Thunder | Blundstone Thunder | 8:10 AM |
| Wednesday, Jan 19 | Sydney Thunder vs Melbourne Renegades | Manuka Oval | 1:45 PM |
| Friday, Jan 21 | Sydney Sixers vs Sydney Thunder | Sydney Cricket Ground | 1:35 PM |
| Tuesday, Jan 25 | Melbourne Stars vs Sydney Thunder | Melbourne Cricket Ground | 1:45 PM |
Best Sydney Thunder Players in Big Bash League 2022-23
Sydney Thunder is one of the few teams that are capable of tipping the game in their favor at any point of the match. Thunders are feeling a boost in their confidence especially after the seasoned middle-order batsman Alex Ross signed a two-year contract with the team.
On top of that, the addition of David Warner besides the recent performance of David Willey, Alex Hales and Rilee Roussow during a draft match has put them in the cross hairs of critics and fans.
That being said, let’s look at the players who can prove to be match-winners for the Sydney Thunder.
Alex Ross
Ross is a crafty batsman, who is known for his three half-centuries in the starting of the tournament itself during the last season. He scored a match-winning knock of 61 not out against the Brisbane Heat at Manuka Oval in Canberra a not out score of 77 – his best ever BBL innings – against the Melbourne Stars.
David Warner
This famed cricketer has only played three league matches in the league. Of those three matches, the first and third were for Thunder Nation, while the second one was for Sydney Sixers.
He made a brilliant knock of 102* against the Melbourne Stars in Thunder’s first ever BBL match, which is his highest score till date in the BBL. However, he was dismissed in his second BBL match for a second-ball duck.
On the other hand, he made a knock of 52 runs from 31 balls when playing against Sydney Sixers on his third match in BBL. It remains to be seen whether the 36-year-old Warner can use his international experience to help the Thunder win their second league title.
David Wiley
The 30-year-old Left Arm Fast-Medium bowler has played 27 matches till date in the Big Bash League. He has scalped 26 wickets at an economy rate of 7.42 and strike rate of 19.62. The left-handed all-rounder has played an important role in Perth Scorchers’ 2016-17 BBL championship-winning campaign.
Alex Hales
The 30-year-old right hand batsman has played 79 matches in the BBL till date. He has collectively scored 1500 runs with a strike rate of 128.98 and 51 Sixes. Alex Hales has made a high Score of 77*. His favourite shot is sweep shot and can easily turn the tide in the favour of his team with his exceptional batting skills.
Rilee Rossouw
The 33-year-old Rossouw has vast experience in T20 leagues and can use that experience to easily help his team score a win. With 2 half centuries and a strike rate of 136.36 in 7 matches, can Rilee Rossouw continue his exceptional performance to help his team win its second league title is the question going through everyone’s mind.
Fans will have a lot of expectations from Sydney Thunder this year, especially from David Wiley, Alex Hales, Rilee Roussow, Alex Ross and David Warner out of which few have recently joined the team.
They will also be expecting the team to replay their stellar performance of Season 5 and play together as a team in a perfect balance of inter-dependability. It will be interesting to see if the team comes together in the upcoming season of the league and wins their second league title.
Sydney Thunder BBL Performance
Season Wise Performance in BBL
| Season | Played | Win | Loss | Points | Finishing Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011–12 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 8th |
| 2012–13 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 8th |
| 2013–14 | 8 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 8th |
| 2014–15 | 8 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 7th |
| 2015–16 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 8 | Champions |
| 2016–17 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 8th |
| 2017–18 | 10 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 6th |
| 2018–19 | 14 | 6 | 7 | 13 | 6th |
| 2019–20 | 14 | 6 | 7 | 13 | 5th |
| 2020–21 | 14 | 8 | 6 | 31 | 3rd |
| 2021–22 | 14 | 9 | 5 | 35 | 3rd |
Sydney Thunder: Batting Stats
Most Runs
| UT Khawaja | 1818 |
| AD Hales | 1502 |
| CJ Ferguson | 1325 |
High Scores
| CJ Ferguson | 113* |
| AD Hales | 110 |
| UT Khawaja | 109* |
Highest Averages
| David Warner | 152.00 |
| Michael Hussey | 39.00 |
| PJ Cummins | 38.00 |
Highest Strike Rates
| AD Hales | 152.33 |
| DR Sams | 148.92 |
| SW Billings | 148.22 |
Most Fifties (and Over)
| AD Hales | 12 |
| UT Khawaja | 12 |
| CJ Ferguson | 8 |
Most Ducks
| DR Sams | 7 |
| AD Hales | 5 |
| CJ Ferguson | 5 |
Highest Strike Rates in an Innings
| DR Sams | 260.00 vs Brisbane Heat on 14 Dec 2020 254.54 vs Sydney Sixers on 24 Dec 2018 254.54 vs Sydney Sixers on 26 Dec 2021 |
| AD Hales | 244.82 vs Melbourne Stars on 29 Dec 2020 |
| SW Billings | 237.03 vs Brisbane Heat on 19 Dec 2021 |
Most Runs in a Series
| AD Hales | 576 (2019/20) 543 (2020/21) |
| JJS Sangha | 445 (2021/22) |
| CJ Ferguson | 442 (2018/19) |
Sydney Thunder: Bowling Stats
Most Wickets
| DR Sams | 75 |
| GS Sandhu | 59 |
| CJ Green | 52 |
Best Bowling Figures in an Innings
| Fawad Ahmed | 4.0, 0, 14, 4 |
| T Sangha | 3.2. 0, 14, 4 |
| DP Nannes | 4.0, 0, 17, 4 |
Best Averages
| CR Brathwaite | 14.16 |
| AB McDonald | 14.25 |
| Mohammad Hasnain | 15.71 |
Best Economy Rates
| Mohammad Hasnain | 6.00 |
| RJG Lockyear | 6.00 |
| BAW Mendis | 6.25 |
Best Strike Rates
| IA Moran | 6.0 |
| AB McDonald | 9.0 |
| S Mahmood | 10.6 |
Most Four Wickets in-an-Innings
| DR Sams | 2 |
| JK Lalor | 1 |
| S Mahmood | 1 |
Best Economy Rates in an Innings
| AF Milne | 1.50 |
| DR Sams | 2.50 |
| GS Sandhu | 2.66 |
Best Strike Rates in-an-Innings
| CH Gayle | 3.0 |
| AB McDonald | 4.0 |
| SR Watson | 4.0 |
Most Runs Conceded in-an-Innings
| N McAndrew | 57 |
| GS Sandhu | 55 |
| DR Sams | 54 |
Most Wickets in a Series
| DR Sams | 30 (2019/20) |
| CH Morris | 22 (2019/20) |
| T Sangha | 21 (2020/21) |
Sydney Thunder: Rivalry
Sydney Thunder’s League journey since 2011 has been full of ups and downs. While the only up they experienced was them winning the league title after 4 years, they had experienced a fair share of their downs.
Their downs make them a formidable team and opponent as they know what would lead them to failure and how to avoid them.
That being said, let’s take a look at their rivalry with each team of the Big Bash League:
Sydney Thunder vs Sydney Sixers
| Matches | Sydney Thunders Win | Sydney Sixers Win | Tie |
| 21 | 7 | 14 | 0 |
Sydney Thunder vs Perth Scorchers
| Matches | Sydney Thunders Win | Perth Scorchers Win | Tie |
| 14 | 7 | 7 | 1 |
Sydney Thunder vs Melbourne Stars
| Matches | Sydney Thunders Wins | Melbourne Stars Wins | Tie |
| 17 | 7 | 10 | 0 |
Sydney Thunder vs Adelaide Strikers
| Matches | Sydney Thunders Win | Adelaide Strikers Win | Tie |
| 17 | 9 | 8 | 0 |
Sydney Thunder vs Brisbane Heat
| Matches | Sydney Thunders Win | Brisbane Heat Wins | Tie |
| 14 | 4 | 10 | 0 |
Sydney Thunder vs Hobart Hurricanes
| Matches | Sydney Thunders Win | Hobart Hurricanes Win | Tie |
| 17 | 7 | 10 | 0 |
Sydney Thunder vs Melbourne Renegades
| Matches | Sydney Thunders Wins | Melbourne Renegades Wins | Tie |
| 15 | 6 | 9 | 0 |
Sydney Thunder Stats & Records
| Type of Records | Stats |
| Series Results | One tournament won in 2015-16 |
| Highest Totals | 232/5 vs Sixers at Adelaide on 22 Jan 2021 |
| Lowest Totals | 94 vs Hurricanes at Hobart on 11 Jan 2014 |
| Highest Match Aggregates | 418 runs vs Sydney Sixers with the run rate of 10.45 at Adelaide on 22 Jan 2021 |
| Lowest Match Aggregates | 104 runs vs Sydney Sixers with the run rate of 4.87 at Sydney on 18 Jan 2020 |
| Largest Victories | By 129 runs vs Renegades at Canberra on 26 Dec 2020 |
| Smallest Victories | By 1 run vs Melbourne Stars at Melbourne on 20 Dec 2015 |
| Most extras in an innings | 24 Extras (1b, 3lb, 20w, 0nb) against Sydney Sixers at Sydney on 21 Dec 2013 |
Sydney Thunder: FAQs
Sydney Thunder has won the BBL only once since the league started in 2011-12. They won the league title in the 5th season of BBL which happened in 2015-16, putting an end to their poor performance of four consecutive seasons.
David Warner and Alex Hales will be open for Sydney Thunder.
Matthew Gilkes and Baxter Holt are two wicket keepers for Sydney Thunder. However, it is not yet decided who will be playing wicket keeper for the team.
Till date, Melbourne Stars have won more matches against Sydney Thunder. However, Thunder’s have given neck to neck competition to the Stars’ and are capable of turning the tide in their favor at any moment. Therefore, it won’t be possible to say with certainty on who will win between the Sydney Thunder vs Melbourne Stars.
Sydney Thunder have registered more wins against Adelaide Strikers in the BBL. However, the Strikers’ lag behind with one defeat. While the probability of Thunders winning the match is definitely won, nothing can be said in cricket until the last ball is bowled.
Brisbane Heat is the strongest team between Sydney Thunder and Brisbane Heat. The latter has won 10 out 14 matches played between both teams. Moreover, Heat has also won the league title once, so as per our analysts and experts, Brisbane Heat will come out on top in the match between them and Sydney Thunder.