WILDERMUTH BACK FOR HEAT

Wildermuth, 31,will complete the Heat’s 18-player squad roster, with the Queensland Bulls allrounder making a successful return from a groin injury in the past few weeks at one-day and first-class level.

Wildermuth did not play a match last season for the Heat, but with Michael Neser (hamstring) expected to miss the early part of the season, the Valley allrounder will vie for a starting role in the opening matches.

Heat coach Johan Botha said Wildermuth had been in good touch for the Bulls, which completed back-to-back victories yesterday with an outright win over Sheffield Shield leaders Victoria and a one-day win over Tasmania last week.

“Jack has worked very hard to get himself back into the Bulls squad and he is in good shape ahead of the BBL getting underway,’’ he said.

“We’re fairly happy with how we are placed coming into the BBL. A few of the Bulls players will enjoy a few days to freshen-up this week, the international players will arrive, and we will come together as a group from Friday,’’ Botha said.

Wildermuth, who played two T20 Internationals in 2018, has played 24 matches for Heat in his career, taking 24 wickets. 

The Heat are in the process of securing agreements with Local Replacement Player options to cover their early season, with Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan McSweeney and Usman Khawaja on international duties and Neser returning from a hamstring injury.

The LRPs will be announced closer to the start of the BBL once the Technical Committee has approved their integration into the squad prior Brisbane’s opening match on 18 December against the Melbourne Stars at the MCG.

BBL tickets for the Heat are on sale now through Ticketek and at https://www.brisbaneheat.com.au/tickets, with the New Year’s Bash game supporting the KFC Youth Foundation and headlined by international artist Example selling strongly.

The NYB event between the Heat and Melbourne Stars and the 22 December opening home game against the Adelaide Strikers are 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.

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 Wildermuth, Jack Wood.