The Brisbane Heat have signed Gold Coast Dolphins Qld Premier Cricket batsman Hugo Burdon

The Brisbane Heat have signed one of the most exciting young batting prospects in the state for the upcoming Big Bash League season.

A STINT at Australia’s Top End and rooming with Big Bash League paceman Chris Tremain has paved the way for Hugo Burdon tosecure his own spot in the T20 ­competition.

The Gold Coast Dolphins batsman has been signed by the Brisbane Heat as a replacement player for leg-spinner Mitch Swepsonin what is his first professional contract.

Burdon revealed he was told by Heat coach Wade Seccombe over the phone last week and labelled receiving his Heat playing kitas one of the best feelings of his life.

“It is my first opportunity at professional cricket and I’m extremely stoked,” ­Burdon said.

Hugo Burdon has signed with the Brisbane Heat. Picture credit: Getty Images, Brisbane Heat

“The call came out of the blue, I wasn’t expecting anything. I’m looking forward to getting around the group for the firsttime in a professional environment and seeing how they go about it.”

Burdon has a batting average of 70.1 in the Queensland Premier Cricket competition so far this season, scoring two centurieswhile also passing 50 three times.

The 20-year-old was set to fly to England to play in the off-season but he adjusted his plans due to Covid-19 ­restrictions.

Instead, he went to the Northern Territory to play in the TIO Strike League T20 competition where he roomed with NSW quickChris Tremain and belted 52 runs from 46 balls for the Desert Blaze against the City Cyclones in the opening game.

Desert Blaze's Gold Coast recruit Hugo Burdon works a ball lthrough mid wicket on the way to an unbeaten century against the Northern Tide. Picture: Felicity Elliott

“My time in Darwin enabled me to get away from everything and just focus on scoring runs,” Burdon said.

“There were numerous players with professional contracts playing and it made it a high level competition. I didn’t worryabout who was watching and I was in such a clear frame of mind. “The confidence I gained from that was huge and the biggestthing I took away from it. I know I have the skills and back ­myself to score.

“Rooming with Chris Tremain was great too. He is a heck of a player and it was great to watch how he goes about it and howmuch confidence he has in his game.”

EARLIER:

MICHAEL Neser’s hopes of earning a long-awaited Test call-up literally almost went up in smoke when he ran over his mobile with a lawnmower this week.

It nearly cost him photos from the first four weeks of his son Hugo’s life, left him scrambling to get a phone so selectors can call him and ruined the “Zen time” that comes with mowing his lawn.

But the 31-year-old paceman approached the situation with the same unflappable mindset that he has possessed throughout a cricketing career that has seen him carry the drinks as 12th man of the Australian cricket team over 10 times.

“My phone was resting on the ride-on and I hit a pothole and it flipped forward,” Neser said.

“It had all this smoke coming out and it made a big explosion.”

Michael Neser has opened up about his hopes of making his Test debut during the upcoming Ashes. Picture: Matt Roberts/Getty Images.

The Gold Coaster was set to appear in three day Australia’s Ashes practice match that was due to begin on Wednesday, before wet weather scuppered the red ball hitout.

It is an added hindrance for Neser who was hoping to use the trial to force his way into the team for the opening Ashes match, set to begin on his home deck at the Gabba on December 8.

The Queensland Bulls player twinged his hamstring in a Shield Game against West Australia in mid-November and was due to return via the Gold Coast Dolphins Premier Cricket clash with University of Queensland on Saturday before rain forced the game to be abandoned.

Despite the lack of matches in recent weeks, Neser said he was as fit as he had been in a long time and believed the short break would keep him fresh after a busy six months where he has played cricket for both Queensland and in the UK.

“My body is feeling good,” Neser said.

Michael Neser has been one of Queensland’s top bowlers in recent seasons. Picture: Matt Roberts/Getty Images.

“I was cautious coming back and my hamstring strain wasn’t too bad. I wanted to make sure I was 100 per cent leading into the (Ashes) series. I am all good and ready to go.”

When it comes to potential selection and a chance to wear the baggy green, Neser has never been left frustrated by his near misses and being dealt the moniker of the eternal 12th man.

“I don’t really worry about that. I’ll leave it up to (the selectors) and if I get picked then great, I would be ecstatic and it would be a great moment for me and my family,” Neser said.

“It is an honour to still be involved in the squad.”

Australia’s bowling attack is already a powerful force, with new captain Pat Cummins leading a unit that also includes Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and off-spinner Nathan Lyon while all-rounder Cameron Green provides another bowling option.

Jhye Richardson has also been putting enormous pressure on selectors with some scintillating form.

“Jhye is a class bowler. I have no illusions I am definitely not as quick as him but I have other attributes as a point of difference,” Neser said.

Those attributes include an ability to swing the ball like few others, making Neser, who has moulded his game a lot on former Australian fast bowler Ryan Harris, a tempting choice should they want to unleash him on a Gabba deck he is so familiar with or with a pink-ball under lights in the Adelaide Test.