BBL: Brisbane Heat could spring a selection shock after naming Joe Denly in latest squad

Out of quarantine, English import Joe Denly will fly to Brisbane on Wednesday to link with his Heat teammates.

Joe Denly has been included in an extended Brisbane Heat squad. Picture: Stu Forster/Getty Images

The Heat have left the door slightly ajar for Joe Denly to make a shock appearance at the Gabba on Wednesday night by naming the English import in an extended 17-man squad for Brisbane’s return clash against the Hobart Hurricanes.

Denly was due to finish two weeks of hotel quarantine in Perth on Tuesday night before flying to Brisbane on Wednesday morning to link with his new teammates.

While it’s unlikely the 34-year-old batsman will play, he remains a chance to be named in the Brisbane’s match-day 13-man squad, which includes two potential “X-Factor” players.

“It will be beneficial for Joe to be in and around the boys on a match day and he will get a chance to experience the build-up to the game,” Heat coach Darren Lehmann said.

Teenage off-spinner Jack Sinfield has also been added to the Heat squad as an injury-replacement player for South African speedster Morne Morkel, who is completing two weeks of isolation due to his being a resident of Sydney’s northern beaches region.

Two changes to our squad for another BIG game at the Gabba tomorrow! 🎆

👉 https://t.co/H5Fa708ItU#BringtheHEAT #BBL10 pic.twitter.com/BtiZJbDFhP

— Brisbane Heat (@HeatBBL) December 29, 2020

“Jack is learning every moment he is here, and this gives him more opportunities to work alongside Mujeeb (Ur Rahman) and Matt Kuhnemann ahead of a match,” Lehmann said.

“Morne will keen to get up and going once he rejoins us in the hub so we will get working with him and map out the best way forward for him to resume playing.”

The Heat will be forced into a least one chance to the team that beat the Hurricanes by four wickets at the Gabba on Sunday night, with Englishman Dan Lawrence having completed his short Brisbane stint.

Former Hurricanes all-rounder Simon Milenko could replace Lawrence, with Lachy Pfeffer another option.

The Hurricanes will be without star all-rounder James Faulkner, who injured his hamstring on Sunday night.

Star Hurricanes import Dawid Malan said his side would be better prepared for the Heat having played them on the weekend.

“We as a team, can watch how they approached it, watch how they approached their batting, their bowling, what their plans were, and hopefully we can put that into practice (on Wednesday night) so we can be slightly ahead of the curve and not sort of reactive to what they were doing in that first game,” Malan said.