David Warner extends stay with Sydney Thunder, signs one-year-deal for BBL 16

Sydney [Australia], January 23 (ANI): Sydney Thunder skipper David Warner has re-signed with the club for the next edition of the Big Bash League (BBL), extending his stay with the franchise after a bumper season with the bat, despite his team's struggles to do well as a collective in the tournament.

A statement from the franchise said, "Sydney Thunder captain David Warner has re-signed for KFC BBL|16, committing his immediate future to the club on the back of a dominant individual campaign. Warner showed why he's still one of Australia's best batters with two unbeaten centuries in BBL|15, including a club record 130* at ENGIE Stadium."

The 39-year-old finished as the league's leading run-scorer with 433 runs at a strike rate of 154, with two centuries and two fifties, despite missing two matches due to injury. His standout season also earned him a second consecutive Team of the Tournament selection, once again named captain. Sydney Thunder though finished at the bottom of the points table, with two wins and eight losses, giving them just four points.

The former Australian all-format legend with almost 19,000 international runs to his name is not slowing down in T20s, recently becoming the fourth player to breach the 14,000 run mark in the format. Now in 432 matches, he has 14,028 runs at an average of 37.11 and a strike rate of over 140, with 10 centuries and 115 fifties.

"I am really excited to commit to another season with Thunder," Warner said in a statement by the club.

"It was certainly a challenging year for us, we are a much better team than what we put on the field this season and were unable to put a consistent game together. But the support from our fans - turning up in numbers every game - it played a massive role in my decision to stay."

"I feel I have got plenty more to give to this team and to this game. I felt pretty comfortable with my performance and was proud to give the team a fighting chance. We have already begun reviewing the season and putting the right plans in place to ensure we deliver a much stronger campaign in BBL|16," he concluded.

Thunder General Manager Trent Copeland said it was a no-brainer to extend Warner after another huge season.

"We are stoked that Davey is staying on for another season. He has had an incredible year, not only is he one of the greatest T20 players in the world over the last 15 years, but still very clearly one of the best batters in the BBL and his fitness levels are elite. His hunger and his drive as a leader to improve upon a disappointing season for the squad is as strong as ever," he concluded. (ANI)

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