Queensland allrounder Jack Wildermuth is off the market for other KFC Big Bash League clubs after locking up a new two-year deal to play for the Brisbane Heat.
Wildermuth Signs On
Wildermuth, who recently joined the Knight Frank Australia Commercial Property team as part of their student internship program, converted his stirring end of season form for the Bulls in the Sheffield Shield into his latest BBL contract.
The 31-year-old produced consecutive Shield centuries for the Bulls against South Australia, hitting 104 in the last regular season game to secure Queensland a spot in the Shield Final, and then scoring 111 to give the Bulls the scent of an upset victory against the home side.
His end of season surge was seized upon by Bulls and Heat coach Johan Botha as being a sound investment in local talent.
“With the international player draft coming up this week, it was an excellent chance for us to extend Jack’s involvement with the Heat and fill an allrounder spot’’ he said.
“An opportunity didn’t arise for him during the BBL but the way he finished the season with the Bulls was exceptional, in both one-day and first-class cricket.
“He showed his skills and composure in those key middle order partnerships with Jimmy Peirson in the last Shield game and then with Jack Clayton in the Shield Final that gave us a shot.”
Wildermuth also scored a career-high 83 from 56 balls and took 2-42 in a Domestic One Day Cup match against NSW in February.
The new deal will see Wildermuth bring up seven consecutive years with the club, having been part of the squad since 2020-21 after making his debut with the Heat in 2016-17.
He spent two seasons with the Melbourne Renegades, including the club’s 2018-19 BBL title, a feat he emulated in 2023-24 when he was part of the victorious Brisbane Heat BBL championship squad.
His signing kicks off a big week for the Heat, with the club holding the prized number one pick in the BBL international player draft that takes place this Thursday in Melbourne.
The Heat has signed 14 players to date for BBL|15 and beyond, with the player draft set to deliver two more international recruits alongside former NZ international Colin Munro who enters the second year of his contract after being an overseas player pre-signing last year.
BBL|15 Brisbane Heat squad to date:
Xavier Bartlett, Max Bryant, Lachlan Hearne (NEW), Spencer Johnson, Usman Khawaja, Matt Kuhnemann, Nathan McSweeney, Colin Munro (overseas pre-signing), Michael Neser, Jimmy Peirson, Matthew Renshaw, Callum Vidler, Hugh Weibgen (NEW), Jack Wildermuth.
Thursday’s WBBL and BBL Player Draft will be broadcast and streamed on Channel 7 from 4pm, appearing on 7Mate and 7Plus Sport, as well as through Kayo and Fox Sports.
The Heat gained the right to have first look at the elite international talent available in the KFC BBL|15 Draft after drawing the coveted Pick One in the draft lottery.
The WBBL Heat, which finished as runners-up for the second season in a row, drew eighth pick in the WBBL draft.
The Heat have a multi-year contract with Munro for BBL|15, and South African allrounder Nadine de Klerk for WBBL|11.
Clubs must select their pre-signed international players in their salary band and then can retain one other overseas player with a draft pick.
Their international players who could be eligible for retention include Paul Walter, Tom Banton and Tom Alsop in the BBL and Jemimah Rodrigues, Shikha Pandey and Lauren Winfield-Hill in the WBBL.
The Lottery determines the order of selections in Rounds One, Two and Four of the Draft. Round Three is conducted in reverse order.
The Heat will have BBL picks at 1, 9, 24 and 25 and WBBL picks at 8, 16, 17 and 32.