Queenslander on his way to Glamorgan to play T20s, will return before the start of Australian domestic season
Burns to replace Marsh in the UK
Australian Joe Burns is on his way to the United Kingdom to replace countryman Shaun Marsh at English county side Glamorgan.
Glamorgan is set to announce Burns as Marsh's replacement for England's domestic T20 competition after the Western Australian was ruled out for the rest of the season due to a shoulder injury.
Burns could be available as early as Glamorgan's match against Somerset on Friday. He will return home before Queensland's JLT One-Day Cup opener on September 16, meaning he won't be available for the end of the county T20 finals, should Glamorgan qualify.
It's understood Burns is not in the frame to play first-class cricket for Glamorgan during his stint in the UK, even though the Welsh county have an overseas vacancy to fill following Marsh's injury.
Burns will link up with his Queensland captain Usman Khawaja, Glamorgan’s other overseas recruit, before the left-hander departs next month for Australia A's tour of India.
Burns enjoyed a breakout T20 campaign for the Brisbane Heat last summer, scoring more than 200 runs in seven games in the middle order at an impressive strike rate of 142.
The right-hander was in such good form that he publicly spruiked his case to be considered a part of the Heat's famed Bash Brothers, but the duo of Chris Lynn and Brendon McCullum rejected Burns’ application to transform the duo into a trio.
First rule of “Bash Brothers” NEVER invite yourself into the “Bash Brothers” @joeburns441— Brendon McCullum (@Bazmccullum) December 21, 2017
In May, Burns was a surprise omission from the A tour to India in a blow to his hopes of selection for Australia's Test campaign against Pakistan in the UAE in October.
The Queenslander was parachuted in to open the batting in Australia's most recent Test, the turbulent match in Johannesburg that immediately followed the South African ball-tampering scandal.
He scored 4 and 42 as Australia were thrashed by a record 492 runs, but he's the only member of the top six from that match not named in the A squad apart from Marsh, who is arguably Australia's best player of spin and seemingly safe for the Pakistan series if fit.
Khawaja, Matthew Renshaw, Peter Handscomb and Mitchell Marsh - who all played at The Wanderers - will travel to India for a tour that includes two four-day matches, but Burns has been left out in favour of uncapped left-handers Travis Head and Kurtis Patterson.
Coach Justin Langer has flagged that the A campaign will be a critical selection pointer for the Pakistan series and the absence of Burns, who averaged 55 as Queensland won the JLT Sheffield Shield title last summer, indicates he's got plenty to do to force his way into the Test side.
Burns was also overlooked for a Cricket Australia contract in April.