Sydney Thunder have signed Western Sydney allrounder Will Salzmann on a one-year deal for KFC BBL|16, returning the 22-year-old to the club three seasons after he was first named in their squad.
Salzmann has been in strong form for New South Wales, scoring 70 off 65 balls to earn player-of-the-match honours in the Blues' One-Day Cup opener against Queensland last month, an innings that helped chase down 359 and win by four wickets.
The Camden product was part of the Thunder squad for BBL|13 and BBL|14 before signing with the Melbourne Renegades for BBL|15. He missed that entire season after tearing his hamstring while fielding in the Sheffield Shield and undergoing surgery.
"It's just such a great feeling to be back. It's a great energy around," Salzmann said.
Salzmann said conversations with new Thunder head coach Andrew Flintoff had encouraged him ahead of the summer.
"It was really encouraging speaking with Freddie," Salzmann said.
He said he wanted to be a player who could influence a match with either bat or ball.
"I want to be sort of a player that can make a play and a player that can change the game," Salzmann said.
He reflected on the frustration of the past two seasons sidelined by injury.
"Last few years have been tough and frustrating watching from the sideline and having to go through injuries, I've felt like I'm so close but yet so far," Salzmann said.
Thunder general manager Trent Copeland said the club had pursued Salzmann's signature.
"Will was a player both Freddie and I were really keen to secure, and we're delighted to have him on board," Copeland said.
"He's an exciting allrounder who brings plenty of firepower with the bat and genuine pace with the ball," Copeland said.
Copeland said the Thunder's decision to sign Trent Boult and Lockie Ferguson as their overseas players, rather than an overseas allrounder, reflected the depth of domestic allrounder talent available to the club.
Salzmann marked his return with a cricket clinic for junior players from his old club, Tahmoor Turtles Cricket Club, at Cricket Central. The Macarthur region club has about 50 junior players and runs an annual bus trip to a Big Bash match in support of the Thunder.
Salzmann was part of the Australian under-19 side that finished third at the 2022 Under-19 World Cup, taking 12 wickets across six games, the most of any Australian bowler at the tournament.
He joins a Thunder squad for BBL|16 that includes Cameron Bancroft, Boult, Sam Billings, Chris Green, Ferguson, Ryan Hadley, Sam Konstas, Matthew Gilkes, Nic Maddinson, Aidan O'Connor, Daniel Sams, Tanveer Sangha and David Warner.
The Thunder's home schedule for BBL|16 includes matches against the Adelaide Strikers on December 16 at Manuka, the Sydney Sixers on December 19 at ENGIE Stadium, the Melbourne Renegades on December 27 at ENGIE Stadium, the Perth Scorchers on January 2 at ENGIE Stadium and the Melbourne Stars on January 11 at Manuka.