THE 2024/25 Big Bash League (BBL) season is right around the corner, kicking off with a clash between the Perth Scorchers and Melbourne Stars on December 15. Another bumper schedule plays host to 40 matches followed by a finals series which will see the BBL|14 title awarded on January 27.

With plenty of water passing under the bridge since BBL|13, including a draft and signing period, we get you back up to speed with all the ins and outs before the new season. The final instalment of our preview series features Sydney Thunder, who will look to storm back into the finals race.

>> PREVIEWS: Heat | Sixers | Strikers | Scorchers | Hurricanes | Stars | Renegades

BBL|13 RECAP

Record: 8th | 1-7, 2NR | -0.652 NRR

The Thunder held the unfortunate title of being last season’s cellar dwellers, managing just one win from eight full games. They beat the Stars before Christmas but otherwise lost seven times and missed out on finals for the first time in five seasons.

BBL|14 SQUAD

Wes Agar, Cameron Bancroft, Sam Billings, Ollie Davies, Lockie Ferguson, Matthew Gilkes, Chris Green, Ryan Hadley, Liam Hatcher, Sam Konstas, Nic Maddinson, Nathan McAndrew, Sherfane Rutherford, William Salzmann, Daniel Sams, Jason Sangha, Tanveer Sangha, David Warner

IN: Wes Agar (Strikers), Sam Billings (Heat, pre-signed), Lockie Ferguson (draft), Ryan Hadley, Nic Maddinson (Renegades), Sherfane Rutherford (draft)
OUT: Liam Doddrell, Blake Nikitaras, Alex Ross (Strikers), Gurinder Sandhu (Renegades)

The Thunder have the ironic luxury of having no players in the Australian Test squad, leaning towards a settled and uninterrupted squad. David Warner will captain the side after having his lifetime leadership ban lifted, set to play out his first full BBL season without other commitments.

His homecoming is sweetened by that of Nic Maddison. The dashing left-handed batter returns to his native state after spending several years in Melbourne playing for the Stars and Renegades. He had previously started his Big Bash career with New South Wales and the Sixers.

Keeper-batsman Sam Billings is the Thunder’s marquee overseas coup. They beat out several BBL rivals, including former club Brisbane Heat, to lock him away on a multi-year priority deal. Billings was the first international signed under the new contract rules for overseas players.

New Zealand quick Lockie Ferguson entered via the draft alongside West Indian batter Sherfane Rutherford. Having lost Gurinder Sandhu to the Renegades, Ferguson bolsters the Thunders’ pace stocks in addition to new signing Wes Agar (Strikers).

Complimenting such experienced heads is a good crop of emerging young talent. Plenty of eyes will be on opening batter Sam Konstas, while Ollie Davies and the Sanghas – Jason and Tanveer – have established themselves in domestic cricket. Quick Will Salzmann is another to watch.

FIXTURES

vs. Adelaide Strikers
Tuesday December 17 @ Manuka Oval

vs. Sydney Sixers
Saturday December 21 @ ENGIE Stadium

vs. Melbourne Stars
Saturday December 28 @ Manuka Oval

vs. Melbourne Renegades
Monday December 30 @ ENGIE Stadium

vs. Perth Scorchers
Friday January 3 @ Perth Stadium

vs. Brisbane Heat
Monday January 6 @ The Gabba

vs. Hobart Hurricanes
Wednesday January 8 @ ENGIE Stadium

vs.  Hobart Hurricanes
Friday January 10 @ Bellerive Oval

vs. Perth Scorchers
Monday January 13 @ ENGIE Stadium

vs. Sydney Sixers
Friday January 17 @ SCG

PUT IT IN YOUR DIARY

The Thunders’ season gets underway with a clash against BBL|13 finalists, Adelaide Strikers in Canberra on Tuesday December 17. That is one of four consecutive games the Thunder has at either Manuka Stadium or ENGIE Stadium to open the season. Included in that run is a derby against the Sixers on December 21. The Thunder also closes their season against the men in magenta with a Friday night blockbuster at the SCG on January 17.

SEASON PREDICTION

Ladder range: 5-8

There’s some romanticism about some of the Thunders’ signings and they also mean serious business having dramatically fallen away from finals contention last season. A relatively settled squad and favourable early draw should see them contend, though a bounceback postseason appearance would be quite spectacular. Perhaps it’s a bridge too far at this stage but they’ll shake things up.