Opener David Warner moves from Sydney Thunder to Sydney Sixers after falling out with John Dyson
By Phil Rothfield
The Sunday Telegraph
August 05, 20122:47AM
Master blaster David Warner has quit Sydney Thunder to join cross-town rivals Sydney Sixers after falling out with Thunder general manager John Dyson.
Warner accepted 50 per cent pay cut for a one-off appearance with the Sixers in the KFC T20 Big Bash League because of his reluctance to play under Dyson.
It's a huge blow for ANZ Stadium which pays Warner about $75,000 a year as an ambassador. He is now expected to lose that deal.
Michael Clarke will take Warner's position in the Thunder line-up but is hardly the same attraction in the shortest form of the game.
ANZ Stadium management had been involved with Thunder, Cricket Australia and Cricket NSW in negotiations to sign the world's most explosive opener to a four-year deal to play in the Big Bash League.
All-up it was worth $600,000.
Cricket Australia was behind the move to boost the game's interest in Sydney's west.
Sixers general manager Stuart Clark said Warner's signing was a huge boost for the club.
"Warner is a great T20 player and is clearly an asset to any team he joins," Clark said.
"We are really happy to have him with the Sixers and we're sure he'll really enjoy his time, however brief, in magenta. We have a lot of fun here."
The Test opener will play against his old team and former teammates in the season opener on December 8 at the SCG.
He's an Eastern Suburbs boy so Sixers are a good fit. But I still can't believe the coin being thrown at this guy. Not bad for a bogan with a dead eye. It sounds like his ego might be starting to believe the paycheques.