Photo Credit: Brisbane Heat
The Brisbane Heat have added highly-credentialled English batsman Joe Denly to their squad for the remainder of the KFC Big Bash League.
Denly, who played 11 games for the Sydney Sixers across BBL|07 and BBL|08, will arrive in Australia early next week and link with the squad in the first week of January as soon as he completes two weeks of mandatory hotel quarantine.
Denly, who had a highest score if 76no for the Sixers, will replace fellow Englishman Tom Banton who was granted a release from his contract for BBL|10 due to ‘bubble’ fatigue after being in a series of ‘bio-secure’ environments across the year.
A mainstay with Kent where he has scored more than 10,000 first class runs and nearly 5000 in limited overs cricket, he has played 15 Tests, 16 ODIS and 13 T20 Internationals for England.
His career T20 record features 213 matches across England, Pakistan, Bangladesh, the BBL and the Indian Premier League, and includes four centuries and 30 half-centuries.
The right-hander is also a handy leg-spin bowler, with 68 first class scalps.
Heat coach Darren Lehmann said Denly would be a valuable addition to the squad, providing another experienced batting option.
“Joe has a reputation of having a cool head in pressure situations and I can see him helping to control our innings, whether chasing or setting a target,’’ he said.
“We have said all along that this year’s BBL is going to be a squad game and we need to be adaptable and confident in our plans.”
“As well as his obvious batting skills, Joe can be a good sounding board for our younger players and of course, give his insights around the group. We’re pretty excited to welcome such a classy and well-credentialled player to the club.”
The Heat will also monitor the availability of Australia ‘A’ duo Mark Steketee and Jack Wildermuth ahead of Monday’s game, with their pink-ball three-day game at the SCG due to finish this evening.
Brisbane will release their squad tomorrow morning for the Thunder match which starts at 6.15pm Queensland time.
Tickets are on sale now through Ticketek for the Brisbane Heat home games at the Gabba and Metricon Stadium on the Gold Coast, with the first home game on 23 December against the Adelaide Strikers at the Gabba.
The Heat have announced the following squad for BBL|10:
James Bazley (NEW)
Xavier Bartlett (NEW)
Max Bryant
Joe Burns
Tom Cooper (NEW)
Joe Denly (Replacement Player)
Lewis Gregory (NEW, England)
Sam Heazlett
Matthew Kuhnemann
Marnus Labuschagne
Ben Laughlin
Dan Lawrence (NEW, England)
Chris Lynn
Morne Morkel (NEW)
Simon Milenko (Replacement Player)
Jimmy Peirson
Lachlan Pfeffer (Replacement Player)
Jack Sinfield (Replacement Player)
Mark Steketee
Conor Sully (Replacement Player)
Mitch Swepson
Mujeeb Ur Rahman (Afghanistan)
Matt Willans (NEW)
Jack Wildermuth (NEW)
Jack Wood (Replacement Player)
