Back where it started
Salzmann was born and raised in Camden, in Sydney's south-west, and he was first listed with the Thunder in BBL|13. He did not get a game then, and he went back to New South Wales to earn his way back — which is exactly what he did.
The performance that sealed his return came in New South Wales' One-Day Cup opener against Queensland in October 2026: a player-of-the-match 70 off 65 balls, helping the Blues chase down a target of 359 to win by four wickets. It was the kind of innings that makes selectors take notice — a young all-rounder winning a game his side should have lost.
The Thunder signed him on a one-year deal in October 2026, with general manager Trent Copeland saying the club had been keen to secure him and that he had never been better placed to take the next step. His junior club is the Tahmoor Turtles, and he marked the signing with a clinic for their young cricketers at Cricket Central.
An all-rounder in the Thunder's mould
Salzmann is a right-handed batter who bowls right-arm seam — a middle-order all-rounder in the Daniel Sams mould, and the Thunder have room for more than one of those. Squad coverage lists him among the side's three middle-order all-rounders, alongside Sams and Aidan O'Connor, moving around based on the situation.
His batting is his calling card: the 70 against Queensland was not a one-off, but the latest in a string of impressive performances for New South Wales. His bowling is the complement — seam-up overs that give the captain a sixth or seventh option, and a fielder who covers ground in the deep.
He is 22, and he has time. The Thunder have signed him for BBL|16, not for a decade — but the club's language suggests they see a player who can grow into a regular, not a one-season story.
Still waiting for the first game
Salzmann has never played a Big Bash game. He was listed in BBL|13 without playing, and he has spent the seasons since making himself impossible to ignore. BBL|16 is the season where that changes — or where the wait continues, if the competition for places is too fierce.
The competition is real. The Thunder's squad is stacked with all-rounders — Sams, Green, O'Connor — and with two New Zealand quicks in Boult and Ferguson. Salzmann's chance will come from form, from fitness, or from a tactical change. When it comes, he will be ready: he has been ready for three years.
His first chance to play comes against Adelaide Strikers at Manuka Oval on 16 December.
What's next for Salzmann
The Thunder open in Canberra, then play the Sydney Smash at home. The full list of every BBL fixture is on the BBL Schedule.
- Match 3 — Sydney Thunder vs Adelaide Strikers: Wednesday 16 December 2026, 1:45 PM IST (1:15 PM PKT), Manuka Oval, Canberra.
- Match 6 — Sydney Thunder vs Sydney Sixers: Saturday 19 December 2026, 1:45 PM IST (1:15 PM PKT), Sydney Showground Stadium.
- Match 10 — Adelaide Strikers vs Sydney Thunder: Wednesday 23 December 2026, 1:45 PM IST (1:15 PM PKT), Adelaide Oval.
Follow every BBL result as it happens on SialTV, with the points table updated after every match day.
Frequently asked questions
Has Will Salzmann played in the BBL?
Not yet. He was listed with the Thunder in BBL|13 without playing, and he returns for BBL|16 still waiting for his Big Bash debut.
What did Will Salzmann do for New South Wales in October 2026?
He scored 70 off 65 balls in the One-Day Cup opener against Queensland, winning player of the match as NSW chased 359 to win by four wickets.
When do the Thunder play first in BBL|16?
Match 3, against Adelaide Strikers at Manuka Oval in Canberra on Wednesday 16 December 2026, starting at 1:45 PM IST.