Champion skipper McSweeney delivers on Heat faith

While every team enters a new season with the hope of being crowned champions, Nathan McSweeney admits he never imagined he'd be the one lifting the trophy at its conclusion as captain of the Brisbane Heat.

But in many ways, it symbolises exactly what the Heat have been about the past 12 months and the buy in to an unwavering team-first mentality from their entire squad and support staff that has spawned an incredible run of results since midway through last season.

Having missed their season opener against the Melbourne Stars to skipper the Prime Minister's XI, and their penultimate match of regular season due to their full list being available to pick from, McSweeney's role was to bat No.3 when Australian star Marnus Labuschagne was unavailable and to lead the side in finals in the absence of regular captain Usman Khawaja (Test squad) and stand-in Colin Munro (UAE T20 league).

Others too have missed games for the greater good of the team, including finals hero Josh Brown, Test-capped leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson and international stars Munro and Sam Billings.

"When you win a title, you rely on more than just the 11 players that are playing every game, it's a squad mentality and that's certainly what it is here at Brisbane Heat," McSweeney told cricket.com.au after his side romped to a 54-run win over the Sydney Sixers to claim the KFC BBL|13 title.

KFC BBL championship captains

 

BBL|01: Steve Smith (Sixers)

BBL|02: Chris Hartley (Heat)

BBL|03: Simon Katich (Scorchers)

BBL|04: Adam Voges (Scorchers)

BBL|05: Michael Hussey (Thunder)

BBL|06: Adam Voges (Scorchers)

BBL|07: Travis Head (Strikers)

BBL|08: Aaron Finch (Renegades)

BBL|09: Moises Henriques (Sixers)

BBL|10: Moises Henriques (Sixers)

BBL|11: Ashton Turner (Scorchers)

BBL|12: Ashton Turner (Scorchers)

BBL|13: Nathan McSweeney (Heat)

"Although we didn't play every game, the group that we have, it just shows the strength that we can bring to chop and change (our team).

"And poor Charlie Wakim played the semi-final and he missed out tonight, and Mitch Swepson vice versa to miss last game and come in tonight and play a pivotal role.

"So credit to the boys for taking it on the chin and the coaching staff to making those hard calls – all and all we're standing here today so we've probably made the right choices along the way."

McSweeney has long been touted as an emerging leader in Queensland Cricket, captaining their under-17, under-19 and Second XI teams, that also featured his Heat title-winning teammates Matthew Renshaw, Matthew Kuhnemann, Xavier Bartlett, Swepson and Max Bryant.

And now he's being recognised in Australian cricketing circles too having led Australia A in both home and away series against New Zealand A, as well as being named vice-captain of South Australia this summer.

But it wasn't until the final game of the BBL|13 regular season with the Heat already locked into top spot that the stylish right-hander was told he'd be leading the club in their final push for a second men's Big Bash title.

"When we knew that we were going to finish in first, ahead of that last game in Perth the coach (Wade Seccombe) pulled me aside the day before the game and said I was going to captain," McSweeney said.

"I've done it a lot growing up in the junior pathway, I've captained a couple of games for Australia A and vice-captain of South Australia, so I think they always knew that I could be an option but to get the nod, I'm incredibly privileged and fortunate for the opportunity.

"Four or five games before that I got added into the strategy meetings so it was probably in the back of my mind (that I could be asked to captain).

"Just sitting in them, not saying a word (and) listening to the brains of Darren Lehmann have been excellent for my cricket and obviously tactically."

And after overcoming a rocky start that had him questioning if he was the right man for the job as the Heat lost their first two games of BBL|13, including a 39-run loss to the Sixers in the Qualifier to cede hosting rights of the decider, McSweeney outmanoeuvred his vastly more experienced opposing number Moises Henriques, with 105 matches and two BBL titles under his belt, as captain to lift the trophy.

Signed by the Heat as a local replacement player in BBL|11 and again in BBL|12, McSweeney was added to the Heat's main list this summer after impressing with 164 runs at 41 in five innings in their runners-up finish last season.

Alongside the big-hitting Brown and left-armer Spencer Johnson, the trio becoming regulars in the Brisbane line-up coincided with the club's incredible winning run where they've won 16 of their past 20 BBL matches since January 14 last year.

"I can't say I pictured myself standing here at the start of the year," McSweeney said.

"But I'm thankful for the faith in me to be the leader of the Brisbane Heat, it's a pretty special team to captain.

"You put the bowlers on cruise control, they're so clear on their roles and they executed it perfectly.

"When you give the bowlers the ball with the way they're bowling, it's so easy, they're so calm and confident so it was a pretty easy job for me.

"And with the bat, Josh Brown, two games in a row he's just put us right in front of the game and super happy and chuffed that I'm standing here today.

"I've had plenty of good help along the way – Usman Khawaja, Sam Billings, Colin Munro, Marnus (Labuschagne), Jimmy Peirson – they've all been excellent for me.

"I've just tried to be a sponge in the change room for the last couple of years.

"After the first two games, I was wondering if I'm the right man for the job, but … (I'm) constantly learning and no doubt I've got plenty learn from Moises."

McSweeney hasn't looked back since grabbing his opportunity in South Australia three summers ago, which began with an unbeaten 99 to help the Redbacks end a 17-game winless run in the Marsh Sheffield Shield in their last match of the 2021-22 season.

It's a rise he says started with spending the pandemic years training alongside Labuschagne, absorbing as much as he could as Australia's No.3 also established himself in the Test team.

"I got a taste of it when I was young and I feel like I've learned heaps over the last two years, especially my last year in Queensland (where I was) fortunate enough to spend a lot of time with Marnus," he said.

"It was a Covid year so he didn't travel, and I just learnt as much as I could.

"I went to South Australia, got an opportunity (in 2021-22) and when you make a score at the first-class, List A and T20 level, you kind of feel like you belong and the more I'm playing consistently, the more confidence I get and (I'm able to) back my own game.

"So hopefully I continue to get better and that's all I can do."

And it's an upwards trend he'll hope continues when he returns to South Australia next week to resume an already career-best summer with only Cameron Bancroft (512 at 56.88) ahead of his 501 runs at 45.54 following the first six Shield rounds.

KFC BBL|13 Finals

The Qualifier: Sydney Sixers beat Brisbane Heat by 39 runs

The Knockout: Adelaide Strikers beat Perth Scorchers by 50 runs

The Challenger: Brisbane Heat beat Adelaide Strikers by 54 runs

The Final: Brisbane Heat beat Sydney Sixers by 54 runs