Heat adds to Far North's festival of cricket this summer

Brisbane Heat will add to their home bases this summer when they play in Far North Queensland for the first time in the Big Bash League.

On a day when the newly redeveloped Allan Border Field in Brisbane was officially reopened, Queensland Cricket announced that the Heat will take on Melbourne Renegades at Cazalys Stadium in Cairns under lights on December 15 to open their KFC BBL|12 campaign.

It is the same venue that will host Australia and New Zealand's men's teams for a three-match ODI series from September 6-11.

"Queensland Cricket has been resolute in its ambition to bring more elite level cricket to regional Queensland for many years," said Brisbane Heat CEO Terry Svenson.

"We have been backed extensively in this regard by our stakeholders, and in this case, the Cairns Regional Council and Cricket Far North have joined with us and AFL Cairns to deliver a ground-breaking initiative for the region.

"The Brisbane Heat's purpose is to bring families together and to promote cricket to kids and new audiences, so the prospect of giving thousands of North Queensland kids the opportunity to see their heroes perform live, and hopefully inspire them to then to pick up a bat and ball, is one that greatly excites us."

The Heat have previously split their home matches between the Gabba in Brisbane and Metricon Stadium on the Gold Coast, while the women's team have also played in Mackay and at Allan Border Field, where this season they will be able to play under lights for the first time.

The AB Field redevelopment completes the $19 million National Cricket Campus project that featured a three-stage construction schedule over the past three years across the Shaw Road Redevelopment at nearby Kalinga and the Allan Border Field Precinct Redevelopment in Albion.

As well as floodlights, the redevelopment has seen the main playing field widened by 13 metres, including a larger 11-pitch centre square, an electronic scoreboard, new sightscreens and facilities, and crucially, an improved drainage system.  

The adjacent Ray Lindwall Oval has also been upgraded and features five new practice pitches, including an upgraded version of the hybrid spin pitch specifically tailored for subcontinental preparation.

Brisbane Heat women have already announced the return of NZ superstar Amelia Kerr after the young allrounder missed WBBL|07, while fellow Kiwi Maddy Green has jumped ship to the Scorchers, freeing up a place for another potential international recruit.

Test veteran and Queensland skipper Usman Khawaja was last month unveiled as the Heat men's new captain, signing a four-year deal and looming as a natural replacement for Chris Lynn at the top of the order.

Given they finished in the bottom three last year, the Heat will receive one of the first three picks in this year's inaugural BBL international player draft, with the order of those to be determined via a weighted lottery.

The Heat still have seven signings to complete their squad, including up to three overseas players from next month's draft, while a couple of spots will be left open to potentially provide opportunities for players who impress in the inaugural KFC T20 Max competition in August-September.

2022-23 Brisbane Heat men (to date): Usman Khawaja (c), Xavier Bartlett, James Bazley, Max Bryant, Sam Heazlett, Matt Kuhnemann, Michael Neser, Jimmy Peirson, Mark Steketee, Mitch Swepson, Jack Wildermuth

2022-23 Brisbane Heat women (to date): Jess Jonassen (c), Amelia Kerr (NZ), Nicola Hancock, Mikayla Hinkley, Ellie Johnston, Charli Knott, Georgia Redmayne, Courtney Sippel, Georgia Voll