BBL: Brisbane Heat spinner Mitch Swepson says his side has found form when it matters

With Australia’s tour of South Africa off, Mitch Swepson is focusing is on spinning Brisbane Heat to BBL glory.

The Heat have found form at the right end of the BBL season. Picture: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

HEAT leg-spinner Mitch Swepson says Brisbane’s irresistible momentum has the players believing they can snatch BBL glory.

Swepson’s form with the ball since returning to Heat duties is a major reason for Brisbane’s late-season surge that has them just two wins away from a Big Bash title.

A win over the Perth Scorchers on Thursday night in Canberra will secure the Heat – who struggled for form early in the tournament – a place in Saturday night’s final against the Sydney Sixers at the SCG.

“We’ve come this far now, it would be really nice to go all the way,” Swepson said.

“We’ve got some nice momentum now so it’s a great feeling among the group.

“It’s something we really want to work hard to achieve over these next two games. BBL’s a tournament where it might just take a couple of things to click in one game and you pick up that momentum and feed off wins as you go along.

“That’s something we’ve done over the last three or four games – just feed off those wins we’ve been able to get and those close games we’ve been able to close out.”

Queensland’s Test spinner-in-waiting was looking forward to Australia’s Test tour of South Africa before the series was abandoned on Tuesday night. With Cricket Australia vowing not to jeopardise the safety of its players and staff, the challenge of living and playing in the COVID-hit nation proved insurmountable

One more step before the big dance! 🏆 #BBLFinals #BringtheHEAT #BBL10 pic.twitter.com/NJzgVeeEgu

— Brisbane Heat (@HeatBBL) February 1, 2021

Swepson, who continues to bide his time behind off-spinner Nathan Lyon, remains upbeat about his place in the Australian Test set-up.

“I’m always keen to be part of that Australian team,” said Swepson, who was part of Australia’s extended squad for the recent four-Test series against India.

“To get into that set-up is such a great achievement and so tough to crack into that you’d be a little bit silly to knock it back.

“So as much as it’s been a hard strain on personal life, and being away from home, these bubbles and all these hubs have been quite tough, it’s something that as part of professional sport you’ve got to deal with, especially in the current times. It’s just something we’ve got to get on with.”

Swepson is happy to be bowling again for the Heat, but treasured his time in the Test hub despite not playing a game.

“It was a great experience for me,” he said. “Just the professionalism of the guys at that level – you feed off that,” he said. “Spending so much time with those guys, you pick up lots of little things along the way.”