Photo Credit: Brisbane Heat
The Brisbane Heat will welcome back allrounder Simon Milenko to the club as one of three replacement players confirmed today for BBL|10.
The Heat can replace injured players, International players or those on International duties prior to the start of the KFC Big Bash League, which gets underway next week in Hobart and Canberra.
The former Queensland and Tasmanian first class and one-day player has been joined by fellow replacements Jack Wood and Lachy Pfeffer in the Heat squad for the initial stages of BBL|10.
Milenko,31, will replace his Redlands teammate Marnus Labuschagne, Wood will take the place of Mitch Swepson and Pfeffer will fill in for Joe Burns.
Labuschagne was involved in the Dettol One Day International series against India that finished last night in Canberra and will now focus on the T20I component of the tour.
Burns, Swepson and Mark Steketee are preparing for the pair of Australia A tour matches against India as part of the extended national squad set-up in Sydney.
The BBL Technical Committee approved the replacements earlier this week.
Milenko, who played with the Heat in 2014-15 as an injury replacement, returned to Brisbane this year after four years in Tasmania where he played 36 BBL games for the Hobart Hurricanes including four semi-finals.
Wood, 23, is in his first season as a Queensland Bulls contracted player while wicket-keeper Pfeffer has played first class and one-day cricket for the Bulls as a ‘keeper and also as a batsman.
The duo are products of the Laidley Blue Dogs club in the Ipswich competition, with wrist-spinner Wood playing for the Ipswich/Logan Hornets in the Bulls Masters First Grade competition.
Pfeffer has scored 648 runs so far for Valley in the First Grade competition, while Milenko has hit a century and five half centuries for the Tigers on the way to 586 runs for the season.
Heat coach Darren Lehmann said he was pleased the club had secured the three local players to join the squad.
“Milly is a seasoned pro and has been excellent in a leadership capacity for Redlands this season,’’ he said. “It’s great to have him back in teal and around the group.”
“Lachy Pfeffer and Jack Wood give the squad some very handy depth in key positions and some useful selection options. They are all talented players and will do a good job for us while the Aussie boys are away.”
Lehmann said the Heat would continue to keep a close eye on Premier Cricket performances, especially with further T20 rounds this weekend on Saturday and Sunday.
New recruit Tom Cooper has linked with the Heat this week and the ex-Renegades and Strikers batsman is set to play for Sandgate-Redcliffe over the weekend ahead of next week’s trip to Canberra for matches.
International batsman Dan Lawrence is completing quarantine requirements and will link with the Heat early next week.
The Heat have announced the following squad for BBL|10:
Tom Banton (Eng)
James Bazley (NEW)
Xavier Bartlett (NEW)
Max Bryant
Joe Burns
Tom Cooper (NEW)
Lewis Gregory (NEW, Eng)
Sam Heazlett
Matthew Kuhnemann
Marnus Labuschagne
Ben Laughlin
Dan Lawrence (NEW, Eng)
Chris Lynn
Morne Morkel (NEW)
Jimmy Peirson
Mark Steketee
Mitch Swepson
Mujeeb Ur Rahman (Afghanistan)
Matt Willans (NEW)
Jack Wildermuth (NEW)
Simon Milenko (Replacement)
Jack Wood (Replacement)
Lachlan Pfeffer (Replacement)
