Hugh Weibgen and Lachlan Hearne join Matthew Renshaw in signing with Brisbane for BBL|15 and beyond
Renshaw recommits, Heat secure Queensland young guns
Matthew Renshaw has committed to the future of the Brisbane Heat as the club also secured their next generation with rising stars Hugh Weibgen and Lachlan Hearne earning deals.
As reported by cricket.com.au in February, the Heat today confirmed Renshaw had re-signed on a three-year deal, winning out over rival clubs who showed interest in the left-hander during the league's post-season free agency period.
The 29-year-old was the club's top run-scorer (280 at 35.00) in KFC BBL|14 and joins teammates Xavier Bartlett, Max Bryant and Spencer Johnson in recommitting to the Heat until at least the end of BBL|17.
Queenslander Weibgen – Australia's Under-19 World Cup-winning captain in 2024 – has also committed to his hometown club for the next three seasons after impressing as a replacement player for Sydney Thunder in their run to the last season's grand final.
Brisbane Heat BBL|15 squad (so far): Xavier Bartlett, Max Bryant, Lachlan Hearne, Spencer Johnson, Usman Khawaja, Matt Kuhnemann, Nathan McSweeney, Colin Munro, Michael Neser, Jimmy Peirson, Matthew Renshaw, Callum Vidler, Hugh Weibgen
Ins: Lachlan Hearne, Hugh Weibgen (Thunder)
Out: Mitch Swepson (Stars)
Uncontracted: Tom Alsop, Tom Banton, Daniel Drew, Marnus Labuschagne, Will Prestwidge, Tom Straker, Jack Wildermuth, Paul Walter, Tom Whitney, Jack Wood
The 20-year-old off-spinning allrounder is yet to debut for the state and didn't bowl all summer due to injury, but finished the season in the Queensland Second XI.
Weibgen played six games for the Thunder, including their Knockout and Challenger final wins after being signed mid-season as an injury replacement for Tanveer Sangha.
He made his T20 debut as a concussion substitute in Perth, scoring nine not out at the death to help guide the Thunder to a memorable final ball win after losing Cameron Bancroft and Daniel Sams mid-match.
Left-hander Hearne has penned a two-year deal with the Heat after a strong Sheffield Shield and one-day season for Queensland, and with teenage tearaway Callum Vidler and Test-capped batter Nathan McSweeney both locked away until the end of BBL|16, Brisbane are intent on setting themselves up for the future.
Securing Renshaw's long-term recommitment is boost for the BBL|13 champions, with the dynamic batter one of the Heat's shining lights in an otherwise tough title defence where they crashed to second last in BBL|14.
Renshaw hit 17 sixes last season with his tournament strike rate of 170 the highest of his eight Big Bash campaigns.
He also led Queensland's run-scoring in the One-Day Cup (305 at 50.83) for the 2024-25 season with a strike rate of 114, and said he wanted keep raising the bar in the white-ball formats.
"We didn't get the results we were seeking in BBL|14 after such a successful BBL|13 season but there was still a lot to build on," Renshaw said today.
"Personally, I really enjoyed challenging myself in the white ball formats during the season and my immediate goal remains to keep improving myself."
Brisbane Heat CEO Terry Svenson said re-signing Renshaw on a long-term deal and recruiting Weibgen had been priorities for the Heat after missing the finals.
"Hugh was highly sought-after by a number of clubs after his efforts with the Thunder, and as a Queensland product, we were very keen to secure him for the Heat," he said.
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"Likewise, Lachy Hearne has made every post a winner in Queensland since making the big decision to pack up and move from Sydney after missing out on a NSW contract."
Hearne relocated from NSW in 2023 and was contracted by Queensland for the 2024-25 season after impressing for Premier Cricket club Toombul, and was last week named the state's one-day player of the year after finishing second behind Renshaw in the 50-over runs tally with 277 at 46.16, including a top score of 107.
The 24-year-old also hit a century for a Cricket Australia XI against England Lions in January and registered three half-centuries during the Sheffield Shield season before being left out of their XI for the final.
Hearne is yet to make his T20 debut but spent time with the Heat as a replacement player during their BBL|13 championship campaign and Sydney Sixers in BBL|14.
The Heat said they had completed an extensive "signing blitz" having filled 13 of their 18 list spots for BBL|15.
New Zealander Colin Munro will be back next season after signing a two-year deal last year and they will need to add two more overseas players in the BBL draft.
But like the past few seasons, the club is likely to leave at least two of their remaining three domestic player spots open until after the T20 Max competition in August-September.
The third spot could be filled by Australian batter Marnus Labuschagne, with high performance general manager Joe Dawes previously telling cricket.com.au the Test No.3 was a "huge part of the Heat", and they absolutely wanted him on board for BBL|15.
Labuschagne and Usman Khawaja only played one game for the Heat last season due to their international commitments where the right-hander hit a career-best BBL score of 77 from 44 balls against eventual champions Hobart Hurricanes.
"In his one game this year, we saw just how dangerous he can be in this format," Dawes said.