Sixers, Thunder bound for UAE training camp

Sydney Sixers and Sydney Thunder are sending their Women’s Big Bash League squads to the United Arab Emirates as they look to gain an advantage over the competition ahead of the tournament’s second season.

The Sydney clubs, who played each other in January’s inaugural WBBL final, will kick off their WBBL|02 preparations with a six-day preseason camp in Dubai.

There, the teams will train at the International Cricket Council’s Academy and play each other in a practice match at the Sheikh Zayed International Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

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Sixers skipper Ellyse Perry hopes the camp would put her team, who staged a remarkable turnaround to make the WBBL|01 final after losing their first eight games last summer, on track to go one better after finishing runners-up to the Thunder.

"It’s just really exciting as a group to go to Dubai on a preseason camp to get ready for WBBL|02 and celebrate what was successful and fun first season in the WBBL,” Perry said.

"They have world class facilities there and we’ll get to have a hit on turf nets when it’s the middle of winter back home.

"Not many people have that opportunity at this time of year."

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Joining Perry in Dubai will be 10 fellow Sixers players, including Southern Stars wicketkeeper Alyssa Healy and New Zealand star Sara McGlashan.

The Thunder are sending 11 member of last year’s champion squad, including Southern Stars Lauren Cheatle and Alex Blackwell and West Indies skipper Stafanie Taylor.

While in the UAE, the players will also meet with local children and train with the UAE women’s team.

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Thunder captain Blackwell said she was keen to see what the home of the ICC had to offer.

"I’m really interested to see what the facilities are like at the ICC Academy, I’ve heard great things about them,” Blackwell said.

"It will be good to see how we are challenged and how we respond in what will be a very different environment and in hot conditions.

"We really enjoyed playing the Sixers in the final of the WBBL and it’ll be great to meet them over in Dubai. It's another way to further strengthen women’s cricket in NSW."

Thunder general manager Nick Cummins said the camp was a sign of the growing professionalism of women’s cricket.

"We’re delighted to offer our team the chance to further their cricket development at the ICC Academy,” Cummins said.

"Women’s cricket is undergoing an exciting transformation and this tour is a reflection of the move towards the full professionalisation of the sport.

"Thunder had an outstanding WBBL|01 and we hope this tour will help take our game to the next level."