Renshaw yet to sign on as Heat quartet earn new deals

Rising pace star Xavier Bartlett has committed long-term to the Brisbane Heat who will have a battle on their hands to retain key batter Matthew Renshaw after he wasn't one of 10 players re-signed prior to the BBL's Player Movement Window.

Both the club and Renshaw appear keen to get a deal done but it will now have to wait until after a contracting embargo – that kicked in at the end of the KFC BBL|14 regular season – is lifted in March.

Clubs were only permitted to re-sign 10 players prior to the embargo with fellow Test-capped batter Nathan McSweeney and teenage speedster Callum Vidler filling the last two spots for the Heat.

Brisbane Heat list for BBL|15: Xavier Bartlett (contracted until BBL|18), Max Bryant (BBL|18), Spencer Johnson (BBL|17), Usman Khawaja (BBL|15), Matt Kuhnemann (BBL|15), Nathan McSweeney (BBL|16), Colin Munro (BBL|15), Michael Neser (BBL|15), Jimmy Peirson (BBL|15), Callum Vidler (BBL|16).

 

Out of contract: Marnus Labuschagne, Will Prestwidge, Matthew Renshaw, Mitchell Swepson, Jack Wildermuth, Jack Wood

The pair have both signed new two-year deals to keep them at the club until at least the end of BBL|16.

The league's eight clubs will only be able to add to their lists between now and the embargo lifting in March during a 10-day Player Movement Window that commences at 9am next Tuesday, the day after the BBL|14 Final.

But clubs will only be able to trade or sign players from other clubs during the window, as well as trading overseas draft positions, and are not permitted to re-sign or extend contracts of their own players during the period, meaning Brisbane will have to wait to secure Renshaw.

The Queenslander enjoyed another strong season with the Heat in a "disappointing" BBL|14 campaign that saw the reigning champions fail to qualify for the finals.

The out of contract left-hander was Brisbane's leading batter with 280 runs at 35, which also came at an impressive strike rate of 170, form which is likely to put him on the radar of rival clubs during the Player Movement Window.

Each club can have up to 12 players on their list for BBL|15 at the period's conclusion at 5pm on Thursday, February 6.

Meanwhile Bartlett, one of the fast bowlers is understood to be on stand-by for next month's 50-over Champions Trophy tournament in Pakistan, has signed a three-year contract extension prior to the embargo to remain with Brisbane until at least the end of BBL|18.

The 26-year-old was already contracted for next season, but the club moved quickly to lock in the internationally-capped quick before he reached the final year of his deal.

Bartlett has seamlessly taken to international cricket since making his 50-over and T20 debuts for Australia last summer with eight wickets in his first two ODIs, and 11 scalps at 14.72 in his seven T20I appearances to date.

After topping the competition wickets tally last season as the Heat claimed their second men's title, Bartlett put in another a solid showing in BBL|14 with 12 wickets in nine matches despite the team's indifferent results.

Max Bryant – second to Renshaw for the Heat this season with 259 runs at 43.16 – also extended his contract by three years prior to the embargo until BBL|18 following his most productive tournament with the bat since BBL|10.

Test No.3 Marnus Labuschagne and leg-spinner Mitch Swepson are the other big names yet to secure new deals for next BBL season.

Heat CEO Terry Svenson said the squad was well placed to rebound in BBL|15.

"We'll take some time to review the season and then get on with the process of building on, and maintaining, what we have achieved over the past few summers," he said.

"We've signed a strong core to work with, and we will continue to offer attractive opportunities for talented players coming into BBL|15 and beyond."

KFC BBL|14 standings

Team	Matches played M	Wins W	Losses L	Ties T	No results N/R	Net Run Rate NRR	Deductions Ded.	Total points PTS
1 Hobart Hurricanes Men HUR	10	7	2	0	1	-0.12	0	15
2 Sydney Sixers Men SIX	10	6	2	0	2	0.156	0	14
3 Sydney Thunder Men THU	10	5	3	0	2	0.34	0	12
4 Melbourne Stars Men STA	10	5	5	0	0	0.135	0	10
5 Perth Scorchers Men SCO	10	4	6	0	0	0.219	0	8
6 Melbourne Renegades Men REN	10	4	6	0	0	0.139	0	8
7 Brisbane Heat Men HEA	10	3	6	0	1	-0.831	0	7
8 Adelaide Strikers Men STR	10	3	7	0	0	-0.122	0	6

Legend

M: Matches played

W: Wins

L: Losses

T: Ties

N/R: No results

NRR: Net Run Rate

Ded.: Deductions

PTS: Total points