WBBL: Trevor Griffin named Sydney Thunder head coach

Sydney, Sep 4: Fresh from winning his second Kia Super League title, T20 specialist English coach Trevor Griffin has been appointed the head coach of Sydney Thunder for the upcoming Women's Big Bash League in Australia.

He replaces Joanne Broadbent, who stepped down from the role in April after four successful seasons at the club.

Griffin has been the head coach at Western Storm in the Kia Super League in England since 2016, where he worked with the likes of England captain Heather Knight and India T20 captain Smriti Mandhana.

He led Storm to title victories in 2017 and 2019, as well as to the final in 2016 and 2018, making the side the most successful team in the league's history.

Griffin's signing follows the announcement that Australia vice-captain Rachael Haynes will take over the captaincy duties at Sydney Thunder from Alex Blackwell.

"I loved my time working with Sydney Thunder as an assistant coach last season and being part of the Thunder Nation, and I'm really looking forward to working with the players again this season," Griffin said.

"I think the success that I've had in the Kia Super League with the Western Storm has been primarily due to the environment that we've built which is very much like a family, just like Sydney Thunder, and I think that's something that's going to put me in a good position to support the team," he added.

Sydney Thunder are set to open the first ever standalone WBBL season with a match against Sydney Sixers under lights at the North Sydney Oval on October 18.