Heazlett makes head-start on red-ball gains

Sam Heazlett may have been one of the first picked in Queensland's one-day team last season, but he now finds himself without a state contract.

It's an unfortunate by-product of Australia's domestic fixturing – with just seven days (eight if they make the final) of 50-over cricket each season compared to as many as 45 days of Marsh Sheffield Shield, states are becoming increasingly reluctant to contract specialist white-ball players.

With a strike-rate of 98.46 from his 29 List A matches for the Bulls, no Queensland batter has ever scored at a quicker rate than Heazlett (min. 1000 balls faced), and with an average nudging 40 since his state one-day debut in 2017, he's also been one of their most consistent.

Yet having fallen out of favour in the longer format during the 2019-20 season, the 27-year-old finds himself without a home for next season after Queensland confirmed last month he hadn't been offered a contract for 2023-24.

Heazlett is not alone.

Fast bowler Tom Rogers has started the past two summers (and will do so again this year) without a Tasmania contract yet played every Marsh One-Day Cup match for the Tigers in 2022-23 to finish as the competition's leading wicket-taker with 20.

"They definitely told me that Queensland's list is just based around four-day cricket, they don't really look into one-day cricket at all," Heazlett told cricket.com.au.

"They probably see me more as a white-ball cricketer, they said I'm still in their plans for one-day cricket.

"If you're good enough to be selected in one-day cricket you can get upgraded (to a minimum full-time contract by playing six Marsh Cup or three Shield matches or a combination of both), but all they're focused on is red-ball – that's what they base their contracts around."

The one-time ODI batter heads north to Darwin later this month to take part in Northern Territory Cricket's Strike League limited-overs competition in what will be his first step towards reinvigorating his professional career and with a determination that his red-ball days are not done.

He points to his returns in the Toyota Second XI competition for Queensland last season where he averaged 117 in two matches and top scored in all four innings he batted in, and for club side Redlands, where he made an unbeaten half-century to guide them to the 2022-23 Premier Cricket premiership alongside Marnus Labuschagne, who was next man in.

Image Id: 103035052BA04C1B9F48CBD4A0C7CDC8 Image Caption: Heazlett celebrates after hitting the winning runs for Redlands in the grand final // Queensland Premier Cricket

The left-hander's opportunities in Shield cricket have been limited to just two appearances in the past three years (both last season against South Australia) and he wasn't able to convert his strong form at the lower level into a first-class score of substance.

"I see myself as definitely a red-ball cricketer as well," says Heazlett, who hit 129 and 78 in his first-class debut for Queensland in 2015.

"I probably prefer red-ball cricket to be honest and feel more comfortable there.

"Playing Test cricket is the pinnacle. I want to play Shield cricket, I want to play Test cricket, that's what I'm training (for) 90 per cent of the time.

"That gives you a good base to go in and play white-ball cricket as well.

"So that's where my focus lies, but if opportunities come up elsewhere to play T20 cricket or whatever it might be, then I'll take those as well.

"I love playing any form of cricket and just hitting cricket balls, so whatever opportunity comes up I'll take it and try to score some runs."

Heazlett will face a tough examination during the 10 one-day and 11 T20 match Strike League to run from June 25 to July 28 with fellow internationally capped quick Billy Stanlake also among the marquee recruits.

Spinners Jarrod Freeman, Toby Gray, Lloyd Pope and Wil Parker, along with former Brisbane Heat seamer Jack Wood, are the other bowlers with state and Big Bash experience in the past two seasons set to feature in the 37-day tournament.

And Bulls big-hitters Josh Brown and Max Bryant, NSW pair Ryan Hackney and Jason Sangha, Perth Scorchers KFC BBL|12 final hero Cooper Connolly and state teammate Jayden Goodwin are the notable batters heading to the Top End for some valuable off-season match time.

"Time in the middle, you can't beat that," says Heazlett. "It doesn't matter who's bowling the ball as a batter, you've (still) got to watch the ball and react to it … execute your plans and your processes."

After a refreshing post-season surfing trip to Indonesia, Heazlett jumped straight into university study upon his return and is completing his final physio placements at Griffith Health Clinic on the Gold Coast and another clinic linked to the Queensland Academy of Sport programs.

Despite losing his Bulls contract, Heazlett says he's a much better cricketer now than when he started his career and debuted for Australia as a 21-year-old in 2017, and is weighing up whether a "fresh change" interstate is the best way to try and force his way back onto a state list.

"It's been disappointing not to be given more opportunities the last couple of years when I've been scoring lots of runs in Second XI cricket and at first grade level," he says.

"But hopefully, if I keep on knocking down the door, I'll get more opportunities.

Image Id: 413C134F13554255A8A507E0D04804F8 Image Caption: Heazlett has been one of Queensland's most consistent one-day performers // Getty

"You can't control selection, all I can do is go out there and enjoy my cricket and try and score some runs.

"The biggest thing for any cricketer is always the mental side of the game and I've just found what works best for me.

"I think early on in my career a lot of people were telling me, 'Look, you're an aggressive player, go out there and look to hit the ball, show plenty of intent and try and take on the opposition'. 

"But I sort of realised now that I score more runs when I'm letting the ball come to me, being nice and clear and trusting my natural reaction to that ball."