BBL 10: Alex Hales re-signs with Sydney Thunder for one year

Swashbuckling batsman Alex Hales has signed a one-year contract with Sydney Thunder, making him the third Englishman to join the Big Bash League caravan. Hales is also the first cricketer to pen a deal amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.

Hales had a phenomenal outing with Thunder last year – where he scored 576 runs in 17 matches to finish as the second-highest run-getter of the season. His partnership with Australia’s Usman Khawaja bode well for the franchise, and the duo is set to team up at the top once again.

Hales is joined by two other countrymen, Tom Banton and Tom Curran, who have struck multi-year deals with Brisbane Heat and Sydney Sixers respectively. Quite a few other English players are also expected to play in Australia’s premier T20 tournament this year. Hales’ unavailability for national selection means that he remains fully committed to the BBL.

“To get the chance to come back is exciting because we’re at the start of something… I think the next two-to-three years is going to be very special for Sydney Thunder,” Hales spoke about his contract.

Hales stressed on the fact that the franchise did exceedingly well despite being written off at the start of the tournament. Thunder reached the knockout stage of last year’s edition, where they lost to the Melbourne Stars in the Challenger.