Big Bash League: Sam Whiteman struck down in Thunder cluster as door opens for Dunsborough’s Lance Morris

The immediate playing future of Bunbury batter Sam Whiteman is up in the air after he was removed from the Sydney Thunder’s squad amid the club’s growing COVID cluster. The Thunder confirmed on Friday four players had returned positive tests and while the identities of the players were not revealed, Whiteman was one of four players to be removed from the squad. It meant he missed both the New Year’s Eve clash against the Adelaide Strikers in Adelaide on Friday and the return fixture in Sydney on Sunday night. He was removed from the extended squad alongside English import Alex Hales, young spinner Tanveer Sangha and veteran Alex Ross. “Sydney Thunder can confirm that four players have today tested positive to COVID-19,” the club said in a statement on Friday. “The entire squad, including its coaching and support staff, underwent PCR testing yesterday after a positive Rapid Antigen Test result.” Whiteman signed with the Thunder in an 11th hour deal to replace Usman Khawaja after winning three titles with the Perth Scorchers. He made 25 runs in a disappointing first three games of the tournament and is far from a certainty to return to the Thunder line-up when available, after an impressive run of form by New South Wales opener Matthew Gilkes, who scored 93 in Sunday’s clash with the Strikers. Meanwhile, a shock move by the English Cricket Board to pull its players from the remaining part of this summer’s BBL could pave the way to more game time for Dunsborough’s Lance Morris. Morris has featured just once and bowled only nine balls after replacing Peter Hatzoglou as an X-factor substitute against the Thunder, but the Scorchers will now be without international seamer Tymal Mills. After a COVID interrupted start to the tournament, Mills and teammates have been asked to leave the country by January 7 amid the growing case numbers in Australian cricket circles. It could mean greater opportunity in the backend of the tournament for Morris, who watched on as Mills teamed up with Jason Behrendorff and Andrew Tye in the pace attack for Sunday’s win over the Melbourne Stars. Claremont-Nedlands seamer Matt Kelly missed the Stars clash after being deemed a close-contact to a positive case, but should be available for Wednesday’s return clash with the Thunder on the Gold Coast should he test negative.