Sydney Thunder re-sign Alex Blackwell, Rachel Haynes for upcoming WBBL

Sydney [Australia], Aug 28 (ANI): Sydney Thunder on Wednesday confirmed re-signing batters Alex Blackwell and Rachel Haynes for the upcoming edition of the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL).
Haynes will be taking over the captaincy from Blackwell in the upcoming tournament.
Blackwell had previously led Thunder for four seasons, leading the team to a tournament victory in the very first edition.
"I am very proud of what we achieved in WBBL|01. We were a group of cricketers who were somewhat underrated on paper by outsiders, who went on to win the inaugural WBBL title. My biggest role in this was ensuring that each person felt valuable to our club objectives because of their skill set and because of their unique personality," Blackwell said in a statement.
"Rach is decisive and reads the game incredibly well. She is successful in her own game because she is calculated and has a clear game plan to each opposition bowler that matches to her strengths. She fearlessly puts the team ahead of personal milestones. She is a wonderful role model to us all," she added.
Blackwell is the team's all-time leading run scorer with 1,435 runs at an average of 35.87.
Haynes has been with the team since the inception of the tournament. She has played 57 matches for the side, scoring 1416 runs at an average of 25.74.
"I am really excited about the opportunity ahead and to take over from Alex Blackwell who is set such a fantastic foundation for the club and was a key part of the inaugural win for the club in WBBL|01," Haynes said.
"We have got a really great summer ahead of Australian cricket, and I think particularly WBBL as a standalone format is really exciting for players and fans. It is a great opportunity for the players to go out there and showcase their skills, and really show the fans and general public what they're capable of," she added.
The WBBL season will commence from October 18 this year and the final will be played on December 8.
Sydney Thunder will play their first match against the Sydney Sixers at North Sydney Oval on October 18.
Each team will play 14 matches in the WBBL tournament, and the top four teams in the group stage will progress to the semi-finals. (ANI)