The Brisbane Heat will have pace to burn in 2024-25 with Australian Under-19 fast bowler Callum Vidler the latest addition for the KFC Big Bash League.
VIDLER BRINGS HEAT | Quick Signs For BBL14
Vidler, 18, was a Local Replacement Player for the Heat last year prior to the ICC Under-19 World Cup in South Africa where he finished as Australia’s leading wicket-taker with 14 dismissals.
In the wake of Australia’s victory at the World Cup, he went onto to make his first-class debut for Queensland in the last Marsh Sheffield Shield game of the season.
Vilder, who plays for Valley in the KFC Queensland Premier Cricket competition, took five wickets against NSW at Allan Border Field and was awarded a full State contract for the first time during the off-season.
The right-arm paceman, who has been clocked at bowling speeds in the 140km/hr bracket, is currently recovering from osteitis pubis, but hopes to resume his bowling prior to the BBL.
He has signed a one-year deal with the Heat to be their 13th contracted player confirmed for BBL|14.
Vidler cited the opportunity to train alongside fellow Heat paceman Michael Neser, Spencer Johson and Xavier Bartlett for two weeks prior to the World Cup as being influential on his development.
“I was around the squad during the New Year’s Bash and the Melbourne Renegades game in Melbourne and I really enjoyed being part of it.
“Watching how Col Munro and Sam Billings went about their games, and how the team played together as mates was great.”
“We were in the field playing a game against Namibia during the Gold Coast semi-final game when Josh Brown went off, the messages kept coming out that he was on like 150.
“But I managed to watch them win the Final over my phone during training and it was very special,” he said.