West Indian tweaker Samuel Badree says he's ready to become the gamebreaker the Brisbane Heat desperately need in the Big Bash League.
The world's second-best Twenty20 bowler according to the ICC, Badree will make a belated BBL debut for the Heat against the Melbourne Renegades on Saturday night at the Gabba.
The leg-spinner was supposed to have played for Brisbane last season but popped his shoulder just days before the tournament began, and the Heat suffered without him, slumping to a wooden-spoon finish.
"It was disappointing for me, but thankfully I'm here and I'm looking forward to great things," Badree said.
"Obviously as one of the international players, you have to step up to the challenge and try and make an impact on the team.
"Both Lindl (Simmons) and myself will be looking to do that and help the Heat first of all, qualify for the semi-finals, and then take it from there."
Silencing the Renegades and the big-swinging Chris Gayle would be a good start.
But Badree admits it will take a "bit of luck" to dismiss the charismatic 36-year-old Jamaican, who, keeping completely in character, will be wielding a blinged-up gold-infused Spartan bat for the BBL.
"Obviously we've got a gameplan - I don't want to disclose that yet. After the game, if it works, I will tell you," he said.
Badree said he was looking forward to playing with, and against, so many West Indians in a tournament he reckons any Caribbean cricketer would jump at to be involved.
"We are fun-loving guys, we are entertainers. We are here to make sure that we have fun and at the same time, try to do our best as well," he said.
Badree and Simmons will make their Heat debuts alongside fellow first-timers, interstate pace recruits Josh Lalor and Andrew Fekete.
Simmons has some solid form behind him - he was the second-highest run-scorer in the Indian Premier League this year, and top-scored earlier in the week in the Bangladesh Premier League elimination final with 73 from 57 balls.
