Ahead of WBBL season, Sydney Thunder signs cricketer Anika Learoyd for two years

Sydney [Australia], Aug 26 : Sydney Thunder on Wednesday announced the signing of 18-year-old Anika Learoyd to a two-year deal ahead of the upcoming Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) season.
The right-handed batter, who also bowls leg-spin, has scored 541 runs at an average of 54.1 in the 2019/20 New South Wales (NSW) Women's Premier Cricket competition across the one-day and T20 formats.
"Getting a WBBL contract is a goal that I have been working towards for a couple of years now so it is exciting to see that hard work paying off," Learoyd said in an official statement.
"It was a great experience to be invited along to a couple of Thunder training sessions last season and I am really looking forward to being part of it this season," she added.
Learoyd also played a major role in the success of the ACT/NSW Country team at the Under 18 National Championships. She finished as the leading run-scorer with 384 runs at an average of 42.7.
"Anika has performed really well through Cricket NSW pathway programs and this is a great opportunity for her to step up and showcase her abilities on a bigger stage," said Trevor Griffin, Head Coach of Sydney Thunder.
The WBBL is slated to be played from October 17-November 29. Sydney Thunder will lock horns with Perth Scorchers in their opening match of the tournament on October 17.