HEAT HITS HIGH NOTE | Wood Signs For BBL|14

Wood, a squad member last season in the Heat’s BBL|13 championship run, has signed a one-year deal as the 17^th contracted player for Brisbane.

The hard-hitting top order bat is also a versatile bowler, both as a left-arm wrist spinner and more recently, left-arm pace bowler.

In his non-cricket career, Wood is a talented singer-songwriter who recently auditioned for a national television talent quest and has released his original music through Spotify.

The 28-year-old has played around the world during the winter, finishing as the third highest six hitter in the Cayman Islands MAX60 T10 tournament, and representing Australia in the recent Hong Kong International Sixes tournament.

Wood, who has played two matches for the Heat, had a highest score of 55 not out from 16 balls in the overseas tournament last week where Australia was knocked out in the semi-final by Pakistan.

The Heat announced Wood’s signing today in the wake of their latest confirmation of Brisbane’s biggest Gabba performance with the unveiling of international artist Example as the headliner for the New Year’s Bash on 1 January.

Example, whose career has seen him rack up global hits such as Kickstarts, All Night, Changed The Way You Kiss Me and a host of other high rotation tracks, will play on New Year’s Day night when the reigning BBL champion Heat host the Melbourne Stars.

This year’s New Year’s Bash is supporting the KFC Youth Foundation for the first time and will feature a 10-minute set by Example as part of the innings break show.

The KFC Youth Foundation supports and works with charity partners to support young Australians with a focus on mental health and wellbeing. As of October 2024, the KFC Youth Foundation has raised close to $11 million in funds for chosen charities including the Black Dog Institute and ReachOut

Heat fans can directly donate and contribute to the positive work of the KFC Youth Foundation through the 50/50 game-day charity raffle and Ticketek donations when they purchase a New Year’s Bash ticket.  

Tickets for the Heat’s KFC Big Bash League matches at the Gabba are on sale now, with the NYB event and 22 December opening home game against the Adelaide Strikers among the top 10 selling BBL games so far this season.

The New Year’s Bash has previously featured leading Australian artists like Pnau, Peking Duk, Ball Park Music and Stace Cadet & KLP.

WBBL and BBL tickets for the Heat are on sale now through Ticketek and at https://www.brisbaneheat.com.au/tickets

The Heat have one more spot to fill on their contracted playing list for BBL|14.

BBL|14 Brisbane Heat squad: Tom Alsop (Eng), Xavier Bartlett, Max Bryant, Spencer Johnson, Usman Khawaja, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan McSweeney, Colin Munro (NZ), Michael Neser, Jimmy Peirson, Will Prestwidge, Matthew Renshaw, Mitchell Swepson, Callum Vidler, Paul Walter (Eng), Jack Wood.