Queensland Cricket set to drop ex-Test opener Joe Burns from contract list

Despite a productive summer and an outstanding Sheffield Shield career, Joe Burns will almost certainly need to find a new state to continue his domestic career, reports DANIEL CHERNY.

Former Test opener Joe Burns will almost certainly need to find a new state to continue his domestic career next summer after Queensland indicated that he is unlikely to receive a deal with the state beyond the end of this season.

Burns, 34, has been left out of the Bulls’ squad for the Sheffield Shield match against South Australia beginning on Friday at Adelaide Oval despite a solid season to date in which he has led the state for runs with 446 at 37.16.

However with Queensland sitting on the bottom of the Shield table and with Burns no longer in serious contention to play for Australia, the state’s cricket leaders are planning for a future without the batter, who sits sixth on the state’s all-time Shield runscorers list across 112 matches in the competition.

While the formalisation of list decisions is still several weeks away, state cricket sources this week indicated that Burns would not be on the state’s list next season.

Joe Burns has had a productive summer for Queensland. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

The decision comes as Queensland seeks to regenerate its state program on the back of the recent success of the Brisbane Heat.

A list spot crunch is looming for the Bulls given Queensland produced four members of Australia’s successful under-19 World Cup team including captain Hugh Weibgen and paceman Callum Vidler, who is in contention for a Shield debut against the Redbacks.

Queensland’s squeeze for spots in its XI is such that Test spinner Matt Kuhnemann has been named to play for the state’s second XI against Victoria at Casey Fields next week.

Burns played the most recent of his 23 Tests for Australia against India in late 2020, dropped midway through what proved to be an epic Border-Gavaskar Trophy series win for the tourists.

Joe Burns’ celebrates one of his four Test centuries. Picture: Saeed Khan/AFP

He posted four Test centuries across a stop-start international career.

He may not be the only former Test batter looking for a new state next season with Kurtis Patterson’s contract at NSW due to expire.

Patterson finds himself on the outer at the Blues after losing the state’s captaincy at the end of last season.

Queensland has meanwhile announced that Marnus Labuschagne will lead the Bulls in the Shield against SA, having already done so in a one-dayer on Wednesday.

It is part of a push to expose Labuschagne to leadership opportunities.

Burns is also out-of-contract with the BBL’s Melbourne Stars.

Originally published as Queensland Cricket set to drop ex-Test opener Joe Burns from contract list