Following the best season of his Big Bash career, Matthew Gilkes has re‑signed with Sydney Thunder on a two‑year extension, keeping him in lime green until the end of KFC BBL|17, a milestone that will mark a decade at the club.
Gilkes’ most recent campaign saw him emerge as one of Thunder’s most damaging batters, piling on 232 runs — his highest return since the season length format change — and averaging 23.2 at a strike rate of 155.7.
The highlight for the 26-year-old was his Player Of The Match performance against the Brisbane Heat in Canberra, where he notched up an impressive 76 runs and a 127-run opening partnership with Sam Konstas.
“I’m stoked to be continuing my career with the Sydney Thunder,” Gilkes said.
“They’ve been a massive part of my playing career for the last seven years and most of the boys are now my best mates.
“I love playing for this club, the fans get around us at ENGIE Stadium no matter what. We saw that this season, which was pretty disappointing from a results point of view, but we’re ready to put that behind us and look towards next season.”
General Manager Trent Copeland said Gilkes will play a major role in the future of the club.
“This season was by far Gilkes’ best season in the BBL, and we’re thrilled to have him on board for a further two years,” Copeland said.
“He showed this season that he can be one of the most damaging white ball players with the bat. That game in Canberra was some of the best batting I’d seen in a long-time and we can’t wait to see him continue to develop over the next couple of years.”
