England quick to mark BBL return in lime green

Sydney Thunder have added experience to their pace attack for KFC BBL|15 with the signing of Reece Topley as an international replacement player.

The England quick will be part of the Thunder squad in place of Lockie Ferguson during the first half of the tournament while the New Zealander carries out his commitments in the ILT20.

Ferguson will lead the Desert Vipers in the United Arab Emirates-based league, with his team to play their final regular-season match on December 27, with the final scheduled for January 5.

Topley will hand the overseas spot back to Ferguson on the Kiwi's arrival and depart for South Africa to take part in the SA20, where he will turn out for the Joburg Super Kings.

The left-armer has been a white-ball specialist for England since his international debut at the age of 21 a decade ago.

He has claimed 80 wickets across 65 limited overs internationals in a stop-start career marred by injuries.

"Like Ferguson, Reece Topley is a genuine strike bowler who can take wickets with the new ball and at the death," Thunder GM Trent Copeland said in a statement.

"He's proven himself in high-pressure situations across both T20I and ODI cricket, and his ability to generate bounce and movement makes him a natural fit for the Thunder attack."

This will be Topley's second Big Bash campaign, having represented the Melbourne Renegades in BBL|11, where his eight starts produced nine wickets.

He also spent time with the team in red during their championship run in 2019, when he was invited to train with the group during his recovery from a back surgery following a stress fracture.

"I'm really looking forward to joining the Thunder and getting stuck into the Big Bash again," Topley said.

"It's a competition I've loved being part of, and the chance to step in and help the team start the season strongly is something I’m genuinely excited about.

"I enjoy those pressure moments, and I know that's a big part of what the Thunder expect from me.

"I'm keen to bring my experience, play my role, and hopefully set things up nicely for when Lockie returns later in the season."

While his last international came in November 2024, Topley represented the Mumbai Indians in the IPL and the Southern Brave in The Hundred this year.

He will join Big Bash veterans Daniel Sams, Wes Agar and Nathan McAndrew and rookie Ryan Hadley on the Thunder pace roster for the start of the season, and will have a familiar face in English wicketkeeper-batter Sam Billings in the side.

Pakistan's leg-spin allrounder Shadab Khan is the other overseas star for the club, while India’s retired spin great Ravichandran Ashwin was forced to withdraw after undergoing knee surgery.

The Trevor Bayliss-coached side will kick-off its campaign on 16 December against the Hobart Hurricanes at the Ninja Stadium.