Former England captain back in lime green for WBBL|12

Former England captain Heather Knight will again wear the lime green in Weber WBBL|12 after signing a new one-year deal with the Sydney Thunder.

Knight called time on her international career in July, announcing her retirement during England's historic first Test at Lord's.

She also stepped away from The Hundred this year, turning her hand to administration as the general manager of London Spirit's women's team.

But Knight – who is currently roadtripping around Europe in a van with her partner Tim – will be back in the middle for the Big Bash, as she plays her fifth season with the Thunder.

"I've really enjoyed playing with the Sydney Thunder over the years," Knight said in a statement.

"It's a fun group, a group that I've captained, and I think what Trent (Copeland, general manager) and Lisa (Keightley, head coach) are trying to do and trying to build to is really special.

"My role as GM with London Spirit has shown me a lot. It's shown me how busy you can be that's for sure.

"However, seeing how a franchise works from another view has been very cool. It's made me appreciate what a lot of the league and coaches and support staff do.

"I guess in terms of leadership qualities, this year I'm going to try and bring that level of experience and try and keep pretty level and calm which is how I am always going about my cricket."

The 35-year-old, who claimed the Alex Blackwell Medal as the Thunder's best player in three of her four seasons at the club, will again add valuable experience to a star-studded batting order that also includes Australia top-order batters Phoebe Litchfield and Georgia Voll, alongside two players on the cusp of international selection in Tahlia Wilson and Anika Learoyd, and the explosive Laura Harris.

Knight's extensive leadership experience will also support Litchfield in her second season at the helm.

"Heather was a no-brainer for us. Her leadership, experience, and ability to adapt to whatever the team needs makes her incredibly important to this group," said Copeland.

"She's also a real enabler for players like Phoebe Litchfield, Georgia Voll and Laura Harris, being able to provide an expertise that other teams don’t have access to.

"When Heather announced her international retirement, she messaged me straight away to reaffirm her commitment to the Thunder, which says a lot about how much this club means to her."

Knight is the first overseas signing to be revealed by the Thunder, who have now confirmed nine of their 15 list spots.

At the end of last season, the Thunder opted to not activate the third-year option in Chamari Athapaththu's contract, leaving the club with a maximum of two more overseas spots to fill.

Coach: Lisa Keightley

 

Contracted for WBBL|12: Sam Bates, Hannah Darlington, Hasrat Gill, Laura Harris, Heather Knight (England), Anika Learoyd, Phoebe Litchfield, Georgia Voll, Tahlia Wilson

 

Uncontracted: Ella Briscoe, Sienna Eve, Lucy Finn, Taneale Peschel, Tara French (LRP), Alex Mavros (LRP), Chamari Athapaththu (Sri Lanka), Shabnim Ismail (South Africa), Em Arlott (England)