BBL12, Captain Jason Sangha has completed a miraculous comeback from a fractured collarbone, giving the Sydney Thunder a big boost ahead of their crucial final regular season contest. Sangha has been included to the Thunder’s 16-man squad for Wednesday night’s match against the Stars, only five weeks after injuring himself while diving to save a ball during the club’s previous trip to Melbourne to face the Renegades on December 18.
BBL12, Sangha is attended to after breaking his collarbone
Also Read: BBL: Hurricanes alive as Heat crumble in last in Big Bash 2023, Match 55
On Saturday, the 23-year-old made his Premier League debut for Randwick-Petersham, hitting four runs off four balls to open the batting in a two-day match. He also caught but did not bowl, suggesting that although he can bat, he may be restricted in other areas. Sangha had surgery after crashing severely on his left shoulder during the Thunder’s final-over defeat to the Renegades, with tests subsequently revealing that he had broken his left clavicle.
If Sangha is picked to the final XI on Wednesday, it is anticipated he would resume leadership responsibilities having being appointed the Thunder’s new skipper before to the season’s start, but the club could not confirm this on Tuesday. The Thunder are presently fifth, tied on 12 points with the fourth-placed Renegades and one point behind the third-placed Brisbane Heat.
Also Read: BBL: Finch guides ‘Renegades back into finals, ends Strikers’ season in Big Bash 2023, Match 54
If both of those teams win their last home-and-away games of the season (the Renegades against the Strikers on Tuesday night and the Heat against the Hurricanes on Wednesday afternoon), the Thunder will have qualified for the playoffs before their match against the Stars. However, if one of those teams loses, the Thunder will need to win in order to advance to the KFC BBL|12 finals.
This season has been a bit of a roller coaster. “Some of our performances have been incredibly fantastic at times and really bad at other times,” said acting captain Chris Green. “(We’ve) perhaps missed a little of consistency which we’ve enjoyed in prior years. We like a little underdog status. When the chips are down, many players prefer to step up, and that will undoubtedly be the message and hope on Wednesday as well.”
Also Read: BBL: Super Smith stars again as Sixers topple Canes in Big Bash 2023, Match 53
BBL12, Warner revisits his favorite T20 moments
David Warner will play his first MCG match since his Test double-century this summer against the Stars, and he will be eligible for either or both of the Eliminator and Knockout finals (should the Thunder qualify) before heading to India with Australia’s Test team. The Thunder last met the Stars in the first match of the KFC BBL|12 in Canberra, when Stars wicketkeeper Joe Clarke gave a bye on the penultimate ball of the match, allowing the Thunder to win by one wicket.
Also Read: BBL, Scorchers hang on to secure Home Final over Renegades in Big Bash 2023, Match 52
The tournament’s last game has come around pretty fast, and the wonderful thing is that we’re in a situation where we control our own fate; if we win, we’re certainly in and can finish as high as third,” Green said. Prior to this game, our results had been favorable…
If we can reach the finals and play our style of cricket, we can be a deadly opponent.” The Stars, on the other side, were the first team eliminated from KFC BBL|12 contention, marking their third consecutive season without a finals participation after falling to the Sixers in BBL|09. Wednesday night will be David Hussey’s last match with the club after 48 years as a player and 47 years as a coach, as he prepares to take on the full-time post of Head of Male Cricket at Cricket Victoria.
Also Read: BBL: Heat win thriller over Stars by 4 Runs in Big Bash 2023, Match 51