The Brisbane Heat have confirmed the addition of English middle order batsman Sam Hain for the 2022-23 Big Bash League season.
The little-known 27-year-old was born in Hong Kong, before moving to the Gold Coast, where he grew up as a prodigious talent, representing Queensland under-17 and under-19, and the Australian under-19 team.
He has since made the move to England, where he has been a mainstay of the Warwickshire system, playing 107 first-class games, 59 List A games and 97 T20s.
He has also played for the England Lions since moving to England, with his parents born in the country.
In the shortest format, he has hit 2811 runs at an average of 36.96, and a strike rate of a tick over 130, while also going beyond the 50-run barrier on 19 occasions.
The 27-year-old will join the club to train from the start of the tournament, and then become a replacement player for either Sam Billings or Colin Munro, both of whom are set to depart the Big Bash in early January for other tournaments around the world, with the BBL in direct competition with the United Arab Emirates ILT20 competition, and South Africa's new domestic T20 tournament.
“It's been a few years since I have been back to Queensland, so I've enjoyed re-visiting a lot of the places I remember from growing up," Hain said in a statement.
“It's been great to catch up with so many of the guys I played with in the Queensland teams and the Gold Coast Dolphins since I have got out here.”
“I'm so excited to be able to play in the BBL. It's been a big goal of mine for a few years now and it is a massive thrill be able to be a part of things with Brisbane this summer.”
The Heat kick start their BBL campaign on December 15 against the Melbourne Renegades in Cairns, before playing the same team six days later in Geelong.
