Thunderstruck: Sammy-Jo finds a new Big Bash home

Gun allrounder Sammy-Jo Johnson has a new Big Bash home, penning a two-year deal with the Sydney Thunder.

Johnson, a two-time Rebel WBBL champion with the Brisbane Heat, took up a state contract with New South Wales earlier this year and moved to Sydney’s west, making the Thunder an ideal new home after five seasons in teal.

Described by Thunder coach Trevor Griffin as the "complete package", the 27-year-old has been one of the competition’s top seam bowlers in recent seasons, regularly picking up wickets in the power play or producing clutch performances at the death.

Johnson said while it had not been easy to leave Queensland, or Brisbane, it had made sense to sign with a Sydney club after her move to NSW earlier this year.

Now, she will join one of the world’s best fast bowlers, South Africa’s Shabnim Ismail, to form one of the league’s most formidable pace attacks.

"She’s an exciting player and I’m definitely looking forward to bowling alongside her," Johnson told cricket.com.au.

"She’s got so much international experience, so hopefully I can learn a little bit off her.

"There’s a few spots to fill but there’s a lot of young talent mixed in with us older girls, so it’s shaping up as a decent side.

"I’m looking forward to seeing what the rest of the list looks like."

Johnson has also forged a reputation as a powerful pinch hitter – a skill which came to the fore in last year’s final, when she smacked 27 runs from 11 deliveries, including four sixes in five balls, to help the Heat chase down the Adelaide Strikers' 161.

Her attributes with both bat and ball make Johnson a perfect addition to the Thunder line-up following the retirement of key seamer Rene Farrell and batting great Alex Blackwell.

It is the hole left in the middle-order by Blackwell's departure, and the loss of hard-hitting opener Rachel Priest to the Hobart Hurricanes, that will make Johnson's ability to strike at a high clip particularly useful.

"Two seasons ago I batted at three the whole summer, then last year I didn’t get as much opportunity at a set role," Johnson said.

"I’m still flexible with moving up and down the order, but looking at our list and what this team needs based on how they went last year, being an impact batter hopefully I’ll play that role more consistently with this team."

Across five seasons with the Heat, Johnson claimed 53 wickets and scored 417 runs.

Improvements made to both facets of her game in recent seasons have brought Johnson to the attention of Australian selectors and while she has yet to make her international debut, the Lismore-born allrounder has become a regular for Australia A.

"She’s a hard-hitting batter and an economical bowler who will bring a lot of experience to our squad," Griffin said.

"She has the ability to go in early in the power play and be destructive or go in at the end and take the game away from the opposition.

"With the ball, she can bowl with the new ball, in the middle or at the back end which will be vitally important to our set-up.

"She’s the complete package and we’re very excited to welcome her to Sydney Thunder."

Johnson said she was looking forward to working with the Thunder’s up-and-coming talent including WBBL|05 Young Gun Hannah Darlington, while improving her own game under the Thunder’s English coach Griffin.

"There’s so many talented young players in the squad and I think it’s just a matter of guiding them in the right direction and ensuring they know that they can handle any situation that's thrown at them," she said.

"Even as a senior player, I’ve still got plenty to learn and I want to continue to evolve as a person and a player.

"Trevor has such a such a wealth of experience and hopefully I can learn a lot from him."

Johnson is the Thunder’s second signing of the WBBL|06 contracting period, following Ismail.

The Thunder have six spots left to fill on their roster, including two international berths.

Sydney Thunder squad so far: Rachael Haynes (c) (Aus), Shabnim Ismail (SA), Sam Bates, Hannah Darlington, Saskia Horley, Sammy-Jo Johnson, Phoebe Litchfield, Rachel Trenaman, Tahlia Wilson