Big Bash a good fit for platinum pick Willey

David Willey's name may have surprised a few when it popped up on the BBL|12 Draft platinum list last Monday but for the Sydney Thunder it was a no brainer.

Willey, although a proven Big Bash performer for the Perth Scorchers in previous summers, has floated in and out of the England's white-ball sides over the past few years.

While he has featured in eight of England's nine one-day internationals under new coach Matthew Mott in 2022, he's only made the XI for three of 11 T20Is and didn't play a game in the T20 World Cup last year despite being named in the 15-player squad.

Alongside Liam Livingstone, Andre Russell, Kieron Pollard, Rashid Khan, Faf du Plessis and Trent Boult, it may have seemed that Willey lacked the box-office marketing appeal to be considered a platinum pick.

But the one thing that Willey had that the others didn't was availability.

And as we discovered on Sunday night at the inaugural BBL overseas player draft, that's an important quality for Big Bash clubs.

It's understood the 32-year-old left-armer had offers to play in the South African T20 league that will clash with the Big Bash when it gets underway on January 4 but his desire to play in Australia where his family could also tour was stronger.

Willey will be available for the entire BBL|12 season including finals, which Sydney Thunder assistant coach Shawn Bradstreet said was the reason they settled English quick as their number one pick in Sunday's draft.

"He's got great experience with the Scorchers over the years and being available for the full tournament was a big thing for us, so we were really happy he was still available," said Bradstreet.

Willey said the decision to play in the Big Bash this summer was a good fit for him and his young family, who will join him for the two-month season to spend Christmas in Australia.

"Although I could have potentially made myself partially available and then gone and played in the South Africa league, in my circumstances from a family point of view, it was important that we were together for an extended period and doing that in one country," he said after being selected with pick No.7 in the BBL|12 Draft.

"This calendar year I spent about 16 out of 18 weeks away at the start of the year with the (Pakistan Super League and Indian Premier League) and … I've got two young children, so it was really important for me and my family that we spend time together.

"As you've probably picked up from the draft, there was a lot of discussion and comments about availability.

"And you look at some of the guys that haven't been picked up and I'm sure availability is a massive part of that.

"Sides that generally do well are sides that have got some continuity in selection throughout the competition so how that's played out has been a pretty big part in the draft this year."

Image Id: F2F7FFE2F1A34088BBCBB3C46C9DC2F0 Image Caption: Willey in action for the Northern Superchargers in the Hundred // Getty

Willey said his four seasons with the Perth Scorchers from BBL|05 to BBL|08, where he claimed 26 wickets in 27 matches, also helped make Australia an enticing proposition.

"I know the competition well," he said.

"The weather in Australia is a lot better than the weather in England at that time of year so that's always a pull and I think it's a fantastic competition.

"I'd also been twice previously as a young professional playing grade cricket, so I've spent a lot of time in Australia and loved it every time.

"I'm really looking forward to it. I played for the Scorches when they won it (in BBL|06) but I missed the final, which was disappointing so hopefully this year I can go the full distance with the Thunder."

Willey also has a link to the Thunder where he will once again team up with former England coach Trevor Bayliss, who is now head coach of the BBL club.

Willey was unluckily left out of Bayliss's 2019 World Cup squad in favour of Jofra Archer who had made his ODI debut a few weeks earlier, with England going on to win the 50-over tournament for the first time.

But the left-armer said the pair have always had a great relationship, with the Bayliss texting his prized platinum pick to congratulate him shortly after his selection in Sunday's draft.

"Trevor is as cool as you like, he completely takes all the pressure of international and franchise cricket away," Willey said.

"He facilitates and creates a great environment for you to go out and play the style of cricket that you want to play.

"That's one of his great strengths, there's enough pressure on players in high profile competitions and to take that added pressure off guys and give them the best opportunity to go out and perform is the way it goes about it.

"He's a man of few words, so I don't expect that to be any different.

"He dropped me a message this morning and I think that's the first time he's ever messaged me.

"There's no emotional roller coaster with him. He's been great to me …  and I'm looking forward to working with him again."

Unlike Willey, compatriot Alex Hales and South Africa's Rilee Rossouw, who the club selected with their gold and silver picks, will depart for rival T20 leagues in South Africa and the UAE in early January after the Thunder's opening eight or nine matches, which is when Aussie superstar David Warner is likely to become available following the Sydney Test.

"I have played against (Warner) plenty of times – him, Hales and Rilee, I'm pretty pleased that they're on my team," Willey said.

"I think we've got a great side and if you get guys in form through that period, I think we'll go a long way."

Sydney Thunder BBL|12 squad (so far): Oliver Davies, Brendan Doggett, Matthew Gilkes, Chris Green, Alex Hales (England), Baxter Holt, Nathan McAndrew, Alex Ross, Rilee Rossouw (South Africa), Daniel Sams, Jason Sangha, Tanveer Sangha, David Warner, David Willey (England)