Bird flying with Sixers again

JACKSON Bird is going home to roost.

The Test fast bowler has signed a contract to return to the Sydney Sixers and is motivated by unfinished business.

Bird looks back on his last stint with the Sixers as his worst three years in the BBL and is determined to help lead the BBL glamour club back to the title which has so far eluded him after eight years.

Born and bred in Manly, Bird, 32, took flight from NSW as a young man to break into first-class cricket in Tasmania and hasn’t looked back.

Bird only just missed Australia’s Ashes squad, squeezed out by Peter Siddle by the barest of margins.

It shows Bird is not yet done as a Test cricketer, but he is determined to deliver for the Sixers as a top priority.

“I kept in close contact with Shippy [Sixers coach, Greg Shipperd] and luckily enough there’s a spot that’s opened up for me and I’m really excited about going back to the Sixers,” he said.

“The three years I had there weren’t my best years at all really in T20, they were probably my worst three seasons I had.

“To be honest, I was probably focusing more on trying to play Test cricket at the time. I was in and out of the team at the time so Big Bash probably took a back seat which is not the right frame of mind to be in. I’m really grateful that Shippy has given me another opportunity and I can repay the faith that he’s shown in me.

“This will be my eighth season in BBL and it’ll be good to get back to do a bit of work with Shippy.

“We made the final in my second year there at the Sixers. They were really close to making the final last year.

“It’s a pretty exciting squad to be a part of.”