Canberra is set to witness a third international star in Sydney Thunder colours this summer, after the club unveiled English wicketkeeper Sam Billings as its latest signing.
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The ex-Sydney Sixer will join big-hitting compatriot Alex Hales and New Zealand speedster Adam Milne in Canberra for the first half of the Big Bash season, with the club playing their opening five matches at Manuka Oval.
Billings and his new teammates will be based in the capital for 28 days in December, with the ACT joining Tasmania as one of two mini hubs to facilitate the start of the COVID-affected BBL.
He's the latest signing for coach Shane Bond in a busy summer that has also included the key recruit of Queenslander Ben Cutting.
"I'm really looking forward to joining up with Shane Bond, he's meant to be a fantastic coach to work with and hopefully I can contribute to some team success working alongside him this year," Billings said.
"It's a fantastic franchise [with] some great personnel and some great additions."
Billings will bring plenty of energy to a Thunder side from behind the stumps, and stacks of experience having represented his country 30 times at T20 international level.
He also boasts 21 one-day internationals including a top score of 118.
"I like batting in the middle order, I like finishing games of cricket for the team and hopefully putting in strong team performances and getting us across the line," Billings said.
"It's a role that I really enjoy in that middle order that not many people like to do. That's hopefully something I do consistently over the Big Bash.
"I always play with a smile on my face and hopefully that can rub off on the rest of the guys."
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Meanwhile, women's skipper Rachael Haynes will play her 75th WBBL match on Saturday when she leads the Thunder out against the Melbourne Renegades at Hurstville Oval.
Haynes has been instrumental in the ladder-leading Thunder's strong start to the year, averaging a staggering 105 through four innings so far this summer. The Thunder also square off against Hobart on Sunday.
"They're two very dangerous sides," Haynes said.
"Both of those teams have players who can take the game away from you very quickly. We've spoken about how we want to bowl to them, and how we'll approach their bowling as batters.
"We're ready for tough contests - particularly at Hurstville Oval where the boundaries are quite small."
Thunder coach Trevor Griffin hailed Haynes as one of the most inspiring cricketers across the globe.
"You only need to look at the footage that's online about Rachael Haynes, to see how popular she is throughout Australian cricket, around the world, really," Griffin said.
"She's a genuine leader within the game. There's probably not many players that she doesn't know about - her tactical awareness is outstanding, and her thoroughness in the way she prepares both physically and mentally sets her apart.
"When you take all of that into consideration you can see she sets herself up to go out and perform."
James Buckley
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
