Trio fire up for the Heat

The Brisbane Heat have secured fast bowling duo Ben Cutting and Ryan Harris and powerful left-handed batsman Luke Pomersbach for the 2012-13 T20 Big Bash League series.

The trio signed today to join Daniel Vettori, Alister McDermott, Nathan Hauritz and Dan Christian on the Heat books, lifting the confirmed number of signings to seven.

Cutting, 25, and Harris, 32, were inaugural signings with the Heat last season while Pomersbach, who relocated to Brisbane recently to resume his playing career with the Queensland Bulls, will link with the Heat for the first time after initially being on the books of the Perth Scorchers.

Cutting missed the entire BBL last season after suffering a side strain after coming within a whisker of making his Test debut for Australia at the Gabba.

He admitted today that while he had enjoyed the BBL as a spectacle, he was keener than ever to play for Brisbane.

“I got to watch a lot of the BBL at the Gabba – some games from the player dugout, some from the outer and some from the Heat members seats, so I loved the whole atmosphere and the buzz that went with it all,” Cutting said.

“But deep down I wanted to be out there playing so it is definitely something I want to address this season,” he said.

Cutting, who leaves on Monday to tour England with Australia ‘A’, said he was delighted to know that Harris would again be alongside him for the Queensland Bulls and the Heat.

“Harry is just a dream to work with,” he said. “He’s one of the most respected fast bowlers in the world and sets a great example for all of us young blokes.”

Heat coach Darren Lehmann said the recruitment of quality fast bowlers was a key aspect of assembling the 2012-13 squad.

“You need guys who can be aggressive with the new ball early in the innings and smart with the older ball late in the piece, but also come on and bowl that one over which changes another team’s momentum,” he said.

“We saw last season when Ali McDermott knocked over Chris Gayle at the start of the Thunder innings at the Gabba what it can do to a run chase. Good quicks can win you games, no question.”

“We think that Harry, Cuttsy and Ali give us a nice balance in the quicks and with a few more signings to come, we’re pretty comfortable where we are headed in that regard,’’ Lehmann said.

The addition of former WA batsman Pomersbach will further strength the batting depth of the Heat, with the left-hander a veteran of 35 T20 matches.

He has scored 623 career runs at a strike rate of 129.79, the majority of games coming in IPL stints with Kings XI Punjab in the 2008 and 2009 series and with Royal Challengers Bangalore for 2011 and 2012.

“Luke can be a match-winner on his day and he will be a handy bloke to throw into the fray,’’ Lehmann said. “I know that Dan Vettori, who captained him during the IPL, gave us a resounding endorsement when we were discussing recruiting him and that sort of backing gives us plenty of confidence going forward.”

Cutting and Harris have agreed to two-year deals while Pomersbach has signed a one-year contract.

The Heat will announce further signings during the recruiting window which continues until next Friday July 20.

Each BBL team has to sign a minimum of 14 players in the signing window, with a maximum of 18 players allowed. Final squads will be completed by November 30.

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