Big Bash news: Brisbane Heat sign Matthew Renshaw
Brisbane Heat has moved quickly to replace Adelaide-bound slugger Chris Lynn, locking in a batter with Test experience as his replacement for the next BBL campaign.
Queensland batsman Matthew Renshaw has been released from the Adelaide Strikers with a year to run on his contract for family reasons.
Renshaw and wife Josie are expecting their first child in December and the former Test opener will rejoin the Brisbane Heat and be closer to the couples’ families for the birth.
Renshaw has signed a a three-year deal with the Heat he accepted this month while playing for Somerset in the English County competition.
Watch The Hundred. Every Match Live & Exclusive to Fox Sports on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >
“It was not an easy discussion to have by any means, and I have nothing but gratitude for the professional and considerate way Jason Gillespie and Tim Nielsen at the SACA went about making their decision when I approached them about a release,’’ Rensahw said.
“It’s a very exciting time for Josie and I, and we wanted to be able to share that with our families at home in Brisbane when the baby comes.”
“I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the Strikers. I have a lot of good mates there and enjoyed the environment that the club provided for us.
“I wish them all the best for the coming season and take plenty of positives away from my time in Adelaide.”
Renshaw played 24 matches for the Heat before switching to Adelaide for two seasons.
He returns from England in good form, having finishing his stint as Somerset captain with 620 county runs at 48.37 and 271 runs at 38.71 in one-day cricket.
Brisbane Heat head coach Wade Seccombe said the Heat were pleased to have Renshaw back.
“We’re grateful for the understanding shown by the Strikers,’’ Seccombe said.
“We’re all in a competitive environment but is very heartening to know we can put that aside and come together to help each other out.”
“He’s not far away from making a return to the national team in our opinion, and the fact he has produced good performances while filling a variety of roles for the teams he has played in shows he has the skills and the mental toughness to go much further with his cricket.”
CA URGED TO MAKE SMITH GODFATHER BBL OFFER
Ben Horne
Cricket Australia has been told to stop taking Steve Smith for granted and make him a David Warner-like offer to return to the Big Bash.
The former Australian captain has declined to sign with the Sydney Sixers for the upcoming season and as it stands, the league will simply cross its fingers and hope that Smith might ultimately change his mind and play the back end of the BBL for match payments.
Smith was happy to do just that last summer only to be sensationally blocked from suiting up for the Sixers by rival clubs who demanded he instead enter a player pool where he could be picked up by anyone.
Sixers’ captain Moises Henriques has declared the time is overdue for Cricket Australia to take the initiative and make Smith an offer that shows his value is appreciated and actually incentivise him to commit to the Big Bash.
Watch The Hundred. Every Match Live & Exclusive to Fox Sports on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >
“Absolutely they should be. I think they should be doing it to as many players as possible and they had a pretty good opportunity last year to just let him play for a lot cheaper than what Davey is going to cost them to play this year,” Henriques told News Corp.
“It’s better late than never. But that should be happening across the board.
“I’m very hopeful (Smith will play). I speak to Steve every day. That phone line will never get completely hung up.
“I think it’ll depend on how their (Test) summer goes. How he’s feeling physically and mentally and at this stage he just doesn’t want to commit to something if he’s not feeling his best at that time.
“But again, I think there might be a little bit of needing that extra motivation after seeing the precedent that’s been set here with Davey and (CA providing) some extra help around the side.
“I’m sure if something like that got lined up for him as well, maybe all the stars could align. We’ll see – that’s a work in progress.”
Henriques praised the Sydney Thunder and Cricket Australia’s marquee signing of Warner and said the competition will only flourish further if other stars like Smith are courted.
“I think it’s terrific. Even though he’s not playing for us (Sixers), it’s exactly what the competition needs,” said Henriques.
“Even when he turns up to a registration day like (on Sunday), these are the names that the families and the kids want to see.
“As a professional cricketer you want to play against the best cricketers … the more David Warners we can get in the competition, the better the competition will get, the better all the players will get and the better all the teams will get as well, just from being able to observe and learn and reflect on what he does well.”
Cricket NSW chief executive Lee Germon said the game needed to do whatever possible to convince Smith to play the BBL – but believes the type of top ups CA gave to Warner is not a long-term solution to the competition’s fight for star players.
“It’s a hard one because we desperately want Steve Smith and all our top players playing Big Bash. And whatever we can do to bring Steve to the competition is really important,” said Germon.
“I’m not necessarily across the details in terms of why Steve doesn’t want to play at the moment, but I’m still very hopeful that he’ll change his mind and want to play for the Sixers.
“I think (the top up payments) is probably a one-season solution or solve to get the best players to play Big Bash.
“ … but personally I don’t think it’s a sustainable solution moving forward … it probably needs to be talked through as part of the MOU discussions that are coming up collectively with players in terms of how we really partner with our players and don’t just see them as commodities we can trade.”
MARNUS COMMITTED TO BBL AMID BUSY SCHEDULE
Robert Craddock
Big Bash and little feet will be themes of a life-changing summer for father-to-be Marnus Labuschagne.
At a time when the Big Bash is craving star power, Labuschagne, 28, will provide welcome gravitas by signing a one-year deal in what is expected to be his busiest Brisbane Heat summer.
He is set to squeeze in at least six games despite his heavy international commitments which start next week with Australia playing three 50 over matches against Zimbabwe in Townsville before three more against New Zealand in Cairns.
Memberships and tickets for this summer’s Heat WBBL and BBL matches go on sale to the public at 2pm Thursday through Ticketek.
But nothing means more to him than the looming prospect of being a father for the first time with wife Rebekah expecting a baby girl in early October.
Labuschagne and Steve Smith are Australia’s most acclaimed cricket tragics but Labuschagne, raised in a tight knit South African family who moved to Australia when he was 10, has no doubts where his priorities lie.
Watch The Hundred. Every Match Live & Exclusive to Fox Sports on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >
“Cricket is always been sort of the main priority and I’m sure that priority will shift very quickly once our baby girl comes,’’ Labuschagne said.
“It’s going to be very exciting time for us. I mean, that’s how I grew up. My parents made a lot of sacrifices for me and I’m sure we will do the same for our family.
“I’m really excited for that part … being a family and the challenges that will come with it. There will be a lot of travelling and being away but it’s the journey you’ve taken and you’ve got to sort of work your way through.
“Our little girl is due at the start of October so I go away and then I’m back (for the birth). It’s going to be awesome to just play some one day cricket again, and then come back and sink my teeth into fatherhood for a few weeks.’’
The cricket world has become a minestrone soup of white ball leagues scattered around the globe but Labuschagne still feels confident in Test cricket’s ability to reign supreme.
“I think Test cricket is the pinnacle for many, many players. I can’t wait to until eight o’clock tonight and switch on the television for South Africa versus England at Lord’s. As a cricket fan, that seriously excites me.’’
Labuschagne was watching not simply as a cricket fan but as a form scout for the South Africans will play three Tests against Australia at Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney this summer.
It will be the first time Labuschagne will play against the country of his birth in a Test.
More Coverage
Fresh faces to push Test cases in Aus A squad
A suite of fresh faces are poised to included in an Australia A squad that will take on India A later this month, as the battle for the remaining spot in the Aussie Test team heats up.
‘I’ll be half a chance’: Harris puts hand up for Aussie selection
Australian selectors will provide an early steer on potential replacements for Cameron Green when they unveil an Australia A squad, with a former Test opener appearing to be a good chance for selection.