BBL: English batting sensation Dan Lawrence joins the Brisbane Heat

With Tom Barton headed for international duty, Brisbane Heat have called on countryman Dan Lawrence to replace him.

English batsman Dan Lawrence has been added to the Brisbane Heat squad as a replacement for countryman Tom Barton for the opening stages of the BBL season.

Barton and another of the Heat’s imports, all-rounder Lewis Gregory, have been selected for England’s upcoming tour of South Africa and won’t be available for the start of the BBL campaign next month.

Lawrence, 22, starred for the English Lions on their unbeaten “A” tour of Australia last summer, scoring 498 runs, including two centuries, at an average 98.6.

He also took 11 with his right-arm off-spinners.

“Dan is a really exciting pick-up for us and has a good reputation as a young player who can influence results with his skills and experience,’’ Heat coach Darren Lehmann said.

“He caught the eye during the Lions tour with the way he adapted so successfully to local conditions and that is something we think will help at the start of the tournament when we are playing in Canberra and at the Gabba and Metricon Stadium.

“Hopefully we can assist him to further develop as a player and also provide him with the stage to showcase his skills for the English selectors and give them reasons to look at him as part of their Ashes set-up for next season.”

SIGNING NEWS | We've locked in more English batting talent! Welcome to our newest young gun, @DanLawrence288! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

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— Brisbane Heat (@HeatBBL) November 12, 2020

Lawrence can’t wait to return to Australia.

“The BBL is a bit of a staple diet for us at home during our winter and it will be enormous to be a part of the league out there this summer,’’ the Essex product said.

“The Lions tour was a rewarding one for a lot of the squad and we certainly enjoyed the competitive cricket we got.”

“We were able to play in some excellent venues during the tour. We didn’t get to play at the Gabba but we had a match at Metricon Stadium on the Gold Coast which was great.”

“I kept a pretty close eye on Tom Banton and the other English players who were in the BBL and so coming out to join the Heat is going to give me the chance now to challenge myself again in Australian conditions.

“I’m looking forward to meeting everyone at the Heat and working with the lads to get the team off to a good start.”