Heat chasing winning captain

THE Brisbane Heat are chasing World Cup winning captain Eoin Morgan with negotiations to intensify when coach Darren Lehmann heads to England for the Ashes.

Lehmann will be in England for business and family reasons during next month’s Ashes with a key priority being finding a Big Bash replacement for the long-serving Heat import Brendon Mccullum. Morgan, who has played in the Big Bash for Sydney Thunder, heads a list which includes South Africans JP Duminy and David Miller.

Morgan is the toast of England after his team broke a 44-year drought to win the World Cup and would be an ideal signing as the experienced shepherd in the Heat’s hot and cold top order.

“We have been chatting to Morgan,’’ Lehmann said after the Heat unveiled a new multimillion-dollar three-year deal with sponsors Credit Union Australia (CUA) yesterday.

“We have also looked at Miller and Duminy. The preference is to have them available for the whole time but if it’s a case you only get them for half the tournament so be it.

“Morgan is nice and relaxed. He is very much in the vein of Mccullum. He keeps everyone relaxed in the change rooms. That is what you want. And to help Chris Lynn out as well. He is a young captain so he would appreciate having Morgan around.’’

The Heat are confident of signing mesmerising Afghanistan spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman who bowled well for them last season but have a vacancy for a second import and perhaps a third if Mujeeb can only stay for part of the competition.

“Mujeeb looks as if he is going to sign which would be great. It is really just finding the right overseas player to fill the role, probably a number four batsman and some experience to help Lynny out.”