Morkel's Baggy Green nightmare after BBL deal

For most cricketers in Australia, the prospect of wearing the Baggy Green is a dream.

Just recently for new Brisbane Heat recruit Morne Morkel, it was literally a nightmare.

"To be honest, when I got the message that I could play as a local (player in the KFC BBL), that night I actually had the worst dream – well not the worst dream – where the Australian players were all stuck in quarantine and there was a Test match starting in a couple of days' time, and they asked me to come and play for the Aussies in a Test," he told media today with a broad grin.

"But Australia's my home now, I'm loving life here and settling in nicely.”

Morkel knows he will have to be equipped with more than just the faithful combination of pace and bounce that served him so well during his international career when he returns to the Gabba during BBL|10.

The South African great was today unveiled as a prized signing for the Heat, with his qualification as a local player down to the fact he has obtained permanent residency in this country, having moved here in 2018 with his Australian wife – sports journalist Roz Kelly – and their young family.

The towering paceman adds an important piece in the Heat puzzle, particularly given Darren Lehmann's team has lost fellow quicks James Pattinson and Josh Lalor to the Melbourne Renegades as well as Ben Cutting to the Sydney Thunder.

And while the 36-year-old played his last international cricket more than two-and-a-half years ago, he has kept in touch with the game's most explosive format via participation in domestic T20 tournaments in both the UK and his native South Africa, as well as a one-off match for the Perth Scorchers in BBL|09.

Following that Big Bash match in January, Morkel had been plying his trade in the UK County Championship as a Kolpak player until an ankle injury put an end to his season, but he has witnessed first-hand the way the game has evolved since he last appeared at the Gabba almost eight years ago.

"I've had quite a lengthy ankle injury rehab and I've spent quite a bit of time watching the game, which has been nice for a change," Morkel said from Sydney today.

"It's amazing to see how the game has moved forward, the quality of the batters. To just talk about pace and bounce, that's gone out the window (in T20 cricket) a little bit.

"You need to bring other skills to the party and that's something I've been working on before I got injured. So hopefully I can contribute to the team there and get a solid role where I fit in, even if it's the Powerplay or the back-end, and really just nail what I need to do.

"I'm hoping that's where my experience can come in. Pace is not everything – you need to be street-smart at the end of the day."

Morkel played one Test match and one T20 International at what will be his main home ground with the Heat, the Gabba, and collected five wickets, including those of Ricky Ponting and Mike Hussey.

And while he may have literally dreamt about the prospect of wearing Baggy Green, the veteran quick does see a potential future out of the spotlight.

"Maybe as a bowling consultant or something, that would be great," he added of his future in this country.

"My job at the end of the day is to give back to cricket, and if I can play a vital role or a small role anywhere in Australia, and help their cricket grow a bit, that's great."

Brisbane Heat squad (so far): Tom Banton (OS), Max Bryant, Joe Burns, Tom Cooper, Lewis Gregory (OS), Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Ben Laughlin, Chris Lynn, Morne Morkel, Mitch Swepson, Mujeeb Ur Rahman (OS), Jack Wildermuth