Photo Credit: ICC
Sydney Thunder Head Coach, Lisa Keightley, confirms WBBL title winner Heather Knight will captain the team this summer in Weber WBBL|09.
Knight is the “perfect fit” to lead Thunder into the club’s new era says recently appointed Lisa Keightley.
The announcement comes just over two weeks before Thunder start their WBBL|09 campaign against rivals Sydney Sixers in the Sydney Smash at North Sydney Oval on Sunday, October 22.
“We’re thrilled to have Heather captain Thunder this summer. She’s an incredibly experienced leader and the perfect fit to take us into this new era at the club.” Keightley said.
The England Women’s captain assumes the role having had a busy winter leading her national side through a nail-biting Ashes series followed by picking up the reins at London Spirit in The Hundred.
Keightley continued, “She’s one of the most gutsy and determined individuals I’ve worked with and I’m excited to see the effect she’ll have on the group. Her positive energy will be a great asset to an already strong side with the other international signings and domestic players we have lined up.”
Thunder boosted their side through the inaugural WBBL Overseas Draft in August, picking up South African superstar Marizanne Kapp and Knight’s own international opening bowler Lauren Bell.
The overseas contingent will be backed up by a host of exciting young domestic players including Claire Moore and Paris Bowlder, who both featured in the U19s World Cup for Australia earlier this year.
Knight will of course, also be managing Thunder and Australia’s own emerging star, Phoebe Litchfield, who equaled the fastest ever 50 in T20I women’s cricket against the West Indies earlier this week.
Knight played a pivotal role in Thunder’s title winning season back in WBBL|06, under the captaincy of club and international legend Rachael Haynes. Scoring 446 runs in her 16 appearances, Knight remains in the top 10 run scorers in Thunder women’s history.
The part time off-spinner is also handy with the ball, proving her best figures for Thunder against Brisbane Heat achieving three wickets in one over conceding just four runs.
Keightley and Knight headed up the England Women’s side together from 2019-2022 guiding the team to the 2022 ODI World Cup Final and 2020 semi-finals in the T20 World Cup and Commonwealth Games:
“I’ve known Heather for a long time, we worked closely together in the England set up and found our leadership styles complimented each other well. I’m looking forward to her arrival and setting out what we plan to achieve this summer.”
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