Heat’s ultimate X-factor tipped to become BBL ‘superstar’

If Xavier Bartlett bowls one over and gets subbed out yet again in the biggest game of his short T20 career on Thursday, don’t expect him to complain about it.

His Brisbane Heat teammates call him ‘X’, which has proved fitting given Bartlett holds the unusual accolade of being the most regularly removed player during the KFC BBL’s first season with the new ‘X-factor’ rule. 

It’s unlikely there is another Heat player who better embodies their mantra of ‘What does the team need from me?’ having now been yanked after 10 overs five times in the Heat’s past seven games.

The Chris Lynn and Darren Lehmann-led outfit see it as a tactical ploy to essentially get five overs out of one player; Bartlett, an out-swing bowler, bowls an over with the new ball before a more experienced paceman like Morne Morkel delivers four overs at the death.

The Heat have won all but one of the games in which they substituted Bartlett out early.

The first time he was benched, he had dismissed Melbourne Renegades star Shaun Marsh for a golden duck. On Sunday, he was removed after bowling a maiden to one of the league’s most damaging opening pairs in Sydney Thunder duo Alex Hales and Usman Khawaja.

Last week against the Scorchers – who the Heat face again in Thursday’s Challenger final – he was substituted out having not bowled, batted or fielded a ball.
Yet Bartlett has no hard luck story.

As the 22-year-old notes, “it’s better than sitting on the pine”.

Crucially, he has learnt lessons from South African great Morkel (who has been the subbed-in player for Bartlett three times) that could reap benefits years into the future.

“You’ve just got to be prepared to do anything the team requires,” Bartlett told cricket.com.au. “In our team meetings, we talk about ‘What does the team need from me?’ 

“That’s what the team has needed from me in the last couple of games. 

“It’s worked well – especially from a guy like Morne Morkel coming in. He’s pure class, he is one of the best bowlers of his generation. To be able to bounce stuff off him about how to handle that sort of thing (being subbed out) has been amazing.”

Bartlett’s attitude has not gone unnoticed.

“He’s taken it in his stride really well,” said leg-spinner Mitch Swepson. “Everyone in the team is quite frustrated for him because we know how good he is, we know how skilful he is as a bowler and really he deserves to be bowling four overs every game. 

“I’m sure he’d love to be bowling four overs and playing the full game but he hasn’t looked down and out about it, he’s always taken a positive step and just wants to do what he can to help the team.”

Bartlett is also in the early stages of a promising first-class career with Queensland, having snagged 20 wickets 24 in his first five Sheffield Shield games, and has been a sponge to Morkel during their time together at the Heat.

He’s even forgiven the towering paceman for dismissing him with a short ball in a tour game on South Africa’s 2016 tour of Australia when he was still a teenager.

“I remind him about that one – that he bowled a bouncer to a 17-year-old kid,” laughed Bartlett.

“But the stuff I’ve learnt from him has been amazing. It’s helped me not only with my short-form game but also my red-ball game, about staying on the park and recovery – all the little things he has learnt over his career, he has passed onto me. 

“If it’s good enough for Morne Morkel and Dale Steyn, it’s good enough for me.”

Heat skipper Chris Lynn admits he has felt a little sorry for Bartlett, who has exceeded all expectations in his maiden BBL season.

Having played 10 full games in addition to the five times he has been subbed out early, the right-arm quick has taken 12 wickets at 24 and gone at under eight runs per over. 

Lynn even entrusted him with the final over in their tight defeat to the Sydney Sixers last month, with Bartlett recovering from being hit for six first ball to hold his own against a rampant Dan Christian before the veteran eventually got the better of him on the final delivery.

He sees the over, which could have easily gone his way had a catch not gone down on the fourth ball, as an invaluable lesson in staying calm under immense pressure.

"He was one of our last contracted players for the Brisbane Heat (for BBL|10) but now one of our most important,” Lynn said of Bartlett. 

“I do feel for the guy when you’re injected into the game for only over and then subbed (out) for someone like Morne Morkel like the last couple of games. 

“The thing we talk about at the Brisbane Heat is ‘What does the team need from me right now?’. That, right now, for ‘X’ is one over.

“What I absolutely love about X is that he’s a team man. What goes around comes around - he's doing a bit of the dirty work now but ... he's going to be a superstar."

BBL|10 Finals Series
(all matches will screen on Channel 7, Fox Cricket & Kayo)

The Eliminator: Brisbane Heat (4) beat Adelaide Strikers (5) by six wickets

The Qualifier: Sydney Sixers (1) beat Perth Scorchers (2) by nine wickets

The Knock-Out: Brisbane Heat (4) beat Sydney Thunder (3) by seven wickets

The Challenger: Perth Scorchers (2) v Brisbane Heat (4). Thurs Feb 4, Manuka Oval, 7:40pm AEDT

The Final: Sydney Sixers v Winner of The Challenger. Sat Feb 6, SCG, 7.40pm AEDT