Photo Credit: Brisbane Heat
The Brisbane Heat has once again secured the services of Australian Test and ODI star and ICC number three ranked Test batsman in the world Marnus Labuschagne for the coming KFC Big Bash League season.
Labuschagne, currently playing in the third Ashes Test at Headingley, will be available for the Heat in-between his national commitments this summer.
The 29-year-old Queenslander made his Heat debut in 2017 and has played 25 games in teal.
Labuschagne played a crucial role in the Heat’s last two runs to the BBL finals in BBL|10 and 12, with his top score of 73 last summer coming in the club’s knockout final victory against the Sydney Thunder.
Heat coach Wade Seccombe welcomed Labuschagne’s signing.
“Marnus is an internationally recognised player, a multi-dimensional and highly under-rated T20 cricketer and someone we always want to be part of our club.”— Wade Seccombe , Brisbane Heat Head Coach
“We have seen the enormous impact that Marnus can have not only on a match, but more importantly on a season and on the entire squad, even if he’s only available for a few games, so we treated his re-signing as a priority.
“We don’t know yet exactly how many games he’ll be available for given his international commitments, but we know what he’ll bring to the table both on and off the field whenever he puts the Heat jersey on.”
As announced by Cricket Australia earlier this year, a new contracting initiative has been introduced for BBL|13 where player payment relief is provided to clubs that sign national players who are expected to have limited availability over the season.
Labuschagne joins fellow Ashes squad members Usman Khawaja, Matthew Renshaw, Michael Neser and Jimmy Peirson on the Heat BBL|13 list. The International Player Draft will return for the coming summer and take place in September.
The Heat announced their fixtures for BBL|13 earlier this week which are highlighted by five primetime games at the Gabba during the festive season holidays. The Heat will host the Opening Night fixture against the Melbourne Stars on December 7 and the New Year’s Bash on January 1 against the Sydney Sixers as two marquee matches.
Brisbane Heat Memberships are currently available via brisbaneheat.com.au/membership
Current BBL|13 Squad:
Usman Khawaja (captain), Max Bryant, Spencer Johnson, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Michael Neser, Jimmy Peirson, Will Prestwidge, Matthew Renshaw, Mark Steketee.
