Adelaide Strikers coach Jason Gillespie has confirmed Phil Salt as second overseas signing
Phil Salt says inside knowledge of Adelaide Strikers meant it was a no-brainer to join Jason Gillespie’s BBL unit.
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Phil Salt says reuniting with cricket’s No.1 Twenty20 tweaker Rashid Khan and Australian keeper Alex Carey means he will hit the ground running as Adelaide Strikers target a BBL resurgence.
Strikers boss Jason Gillespie will turn to his Sussex stars Rashid and aggressive batsman Salt as overseas imports this season. Carey also fronted for Gillespie’s Sharks in the Vitality Blast after the World Cup which gave Salt an insight into the quality of character at Adelaide Oval.
“I love working with Dizz, Rash and Alex, it’s so key when you’re trying to build a great environment to have guys who you know are going to put 100 per cent in at all times and give everything they’ve got to the cause,” said Salt who The Advertiser last week revealed would replace South African Colin Ingram in Adelaide’s top order.
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“I’ve worked really well with Dizz over the course of my career so far and hope that we can be even more successful here at the Strikers.
“The squad that we have is more than good enough to challenge for the title. We’ve got some great players who have plenty about them, not only cricket-wise but in character also and that’s so important in a team.”
Adelaide slipped to seventh in its title defence last season but Salt predicts a swift riposte.
“The squad that we have is more than good enough to challenge for the title. We’ve got some great players who have plenty about them, not only cricket-wise but in character also and that’s so important in a team.”
Salt’s 355 runs at a strike rate of 172 was instrumental in Sussex’s run to the 2018 Blast final. He led the Sharks T20 run aggregate and strike rate this season with 406 and 161.1 respectively.
“We are incredibly excited to have signed Phil who has showed real signs of promise and has performed well for the Sharks in the Blast,” said Gillespie of Salt, who spent two months with the Darren Lehmann Cricket Academy and grade side University early last year.
“He’s beyond excited to get started, obviously we have (had) Carey over here in England and Phil has been chatting to him non-stop about how it’s going to work, when he can come out to Adelaide and meet everyone and get stuck in.”
Salt joins former Australian batsman Cameron White to bolster Adelaide’s batting. Keeper-batsman Harry Nielsen will play a frontline role with Carey on international duty this summer.
“After some inconsistency last year we have bolstered our squad with the signing of Phil and we know also that recruiting Cam White with all of his experience can only be a massive positive and I’m certainly looking forward to working with him and learning from him, “ said Gillespie, now focusing on Adelaide’s December 21 BBL away opener against Sydney Thunder.
“Someone of Harry’s quality is just brilliant, and the way he played against Perth showed us all what a skilful young player he is.”
Originally published as Adelaide Strikers coach Jason Gillespie has confirmed Phil Salt as second overseas signing