Gilkes to stay in lime green for BBL|15

A squad member since his debut in BBL|08, Gilkes has committed to extending his Big Bash League journey with the Western Sydney side, signing on for his seventh season in lime green.

Gilkes featured in nine matches during Thunder’s run to the BBL|14 Final. His most notable performance came in the club’s historic run chase – a four-wicket victory over Perth at Optus Stadium - where he struck 43 runs from 36 deliveries, sending the ball over a lengthy boundary twice.

Securing the signature of the in-form left-hander was a key move for General Manager Trent Copeland, especially with Gilkes fresh off winning the Michael Bevan Award as NSW’s One-Day Cup Player of the Tournament and earning selection in the Australia A squad to face Sri Lanka next month.

“We’re thrilled to have Gilkesy back on board for BBL|15,” Copeland said. 

“He has the talent to dominate in white-ball cricket, and his selection in the Aus A squad alongside being awarded the Michael Bevan Trophy for NSW is further testament to that. 

“We’re well aware of the hard work he puts into his game, and he knows the effort he’s made to improve. When Gilkesy hits his stride, he has the potential to be one of the most dangerous players in the competition."

Gilkes highlighted Thunder’s strong sense of camaraderie as a key reason behind his decision to re-sign.

“I’ve always really enjoyed my time at Sydney Thunder,” Gilkes said.

“I’ve been here for six seasons now and know the boys well. They’re some of my closest mates, so it was an easy decision.”

A strong finish to the 2024/25 season with consistent white-ball performances has left Gilkes full of confidence and excitement heading into BBL|15.

“We had a good season last year and did well to make the final. I’m really looking forward to this one coming up.

“A few years ago, I had some decent innings but lacked consistency. I feel like I made some improvements last year, especially in the one-day format. I’m still chasing those bigger scores, so hopefully I can keep building on that this season.

“I don’t think we need to change too much from last season. We played well at home at ENGIE Stadium, had some great finals wins, and unfortunately Mitch Owen had a blinder in the final.”  

Sydney Thunder KFC BBL|15 squad to date: 

Wes Agar, Cameron Bancroft, Sam Billings (INT), Ollie Davies, Matthew Gilkes, Chris Green, Sam Konstas, Nathan McAndrew, Daniel Sams, Tanveer Sangha, David Warner.  

The countdown is on! Sydney Thunder memberships go on sale in two weeks on Friday, June 20. Fans and members, stay tuned and get ready to lock in your spot for WBBL|11 and BBL|15 at early bird prices.