BBL|13 preview: 'Confident' Heat out to go one better

This time around, a Brisbane Heat squad that last summer made their first Final since KFC BBL|02 brings with them the added weapon of confidence.

"We've got the belief this year," says 'keeper-batter Jimmy Peirson. "We found our way into a Final last year and we probably should have won it. It was a chance missed.

"Watching the (Heat) girls lose (the Weber WBBL|09 final) the other night, it brought back that feeling, which was horrible.

"But on the flipside, it's also given us confidence – we've been in a final, we've played in front of 50,000 people, we know what to expect, and we did it with a group that wasn't at its strongest either. So we know we can do it."

A look across their playing group only adds to that confidence. The Heat are a side with just about all bases covered.

Peirson loves their fast-bowling contingent: "You look at Xavier Bartlett, Michael Neser, Spencer Johnson – that's a really nice trio there", but he also sees an abundance of talent across the board in a side he describes as "actually really hard to get into".

Rich in batting talent even without their Test stars, perhaps their one question mark is explosiveness at the end of an innings. The acquisition of Englishman Paul Walter is designed to add that piece of the puzzle, while the likes of Max Bryant, Bartlett and Peirson are all presenting themselves as other viable options.

The team's season opener against Melbourne Stars on Thursday night at the Gabba – replete with their Test stars Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne – is set to be an absolute blockbuster and could be critical for a team that has in recent seasons been a notoriously slow starter. 

BBL|12 result: Runners-up, lost Final to Scorchers

 

BBL|13 Draft picks: Colin Munro (7th – Platinum), Sam Billings (15th – Gold), Paul Walter (18th – Silver)

 

Squad: Xavier Bartlett, Josh Brown, Max Bryant, Spencer Johnson, Usman Khawaja, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan McSweeney, Michael Neser, Jimmy Peirson, Will Prestwidge, Matthew Renshaw, Mitchell Swepson, Jack Wildermuth, Jack Wood. Overseas players: Sam Billings (England), Paul Walter (England), Colin Munro (New Zealand)

 

Ins: Jack Wood, Paul Walter

 

Outs: James Bazley (Strikers), Mark Steketee (Stars), Sam Heazlett (Hurricanes)

Possible best XI: Khawaja (c), Munro, Labuschagne, Billings, Renshaw, Peirson, Walter, Neser, Bartlett, Swepson, Johnson

Possible best XI for first game: Khawaja (c), Brown, Munro, Labuschagne, Billings, Bryant, Walter, Neser, Bartlett, Swepson, Johnson

Inside word with Heat 'keeper Jimmy Peirson

Out of the gates

"With only 10 games this year, we've got to start well. We were slow starters last year and picked up momentum at the back-end, then got a run-on in the finals. This year, ideally, we come out and win game one at the Gabba against the Stars, and from there, everything takes care of itself. We can't be late bloomers."

Familiar faces

"I like the continuity of this squad. It's essentially the same group as last year, and that's important. We've played some cricket together now, been through some tough times, some good times, and made our way through all of it together.

"So barring a couple of exceptions we all know each other a bit better this year. The team matches up the same in terms of how we structure it, and all that helps when you've got minimal prep time leading into the first game – we literally finished a Shield game last week. Hopefully it's a seamless transition."

The imports

"We saw (Colin) Munro and (Sam) Billings for us last year. Munro's a powerhouse at the top and then 'Bilbo' (Billings) is that calming, 20-over type batter who comes in at three, four or five. He's capable of some explosive knocks – we saw one against the Sixers last year at the Gabba where he teed up the short end – and he's a seasoned professional.

"'Tall Paul' (Walter) is more of an unknown quantity. I've seen some highlights, he's a huge man and he hits a big ball. He gives us that extra bowling option as well with his left-armers and we saw last year how having that left-arm angle can help defend the short end of the Gabba."

The breakout star

"He's been around a while now but I think we'll see Xavier Bartlett really reach his potential this tournament. He's back up and running from a back stress fracture and he's ready to go. He takes the new ball for us, swings it beautifully and his batting has really come on; I think we'll see some really important runs at seven or eight from him. He's been working hard on his batting and I think he's capable of some powerful match-winning cameos, where he might hit 20 off five balls, that sort of thing."

Young gun

"We've seen Nathan McSweeney start to come of age in Shield cricket, and we saw snippets of what he can do in the Big Bash last year as well – he played a match-winning innings against the Sixers. He's got all the shots and he's a classical-style batsman, and he's finding his feet in T20 cricket.

"He's in the Marnus style – he can bat three and bat through and guide an innings, he manipulates spin really well and he has power when he needs it. We've seen him step up in the leadership space too, and inevitably, you do gain confidence when you start having the sort of success he's had in the past 12 months, which will only make him a better player."

Teams to beat

"The Stars are always so strong with (Marcus) Stoinis and (Glenn) Maxwell, Haris Rauf. This year the Renegades look really good on paper, particularly with their spin options – Mujeeb and (Adam) Zampa, and even with Nathan Lyon on Test duties they're strong in that department, so they'll be hard work at Marvel (Stadium). And the Scorchers are just a powerhouse – they've been the competition's most successful side since its inception and they're always there come finals time. Honestly though, you look at them all, and there's not a bad side in the tournament."

BBL|13 team previews: Strikers | Heat | Hurricanes | Scorchers| Renegades | Stars | Sixers | Thunder

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