The Brisbane Heat and Perth Scorchers squads for Wednesday’s BBL clash to conclude Round 7 have been named, with the hosts revealing a major omission while there was an update on Jason Behrendorff.

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The Brisbane Heat named a 15-man squad to face the Perth Scorchers at the Gabba on Wednesday, with Josh Brown omitted.

The availability of Test pair Marnus Labuschagne and Usman Khawaja has squeezed out Brown, while Jack Wildermuth comes into the squad. Jordan Buckingham also drops out.

Heat squad: Munro (c), Bartlett, Billings, Bryant, Johnson, Khawaja, Kuhnemann, Labuschagne, McSweeney, Neser, Peirson, Renshaw, Swepson, Walter, Wildermuth

The Scorchers named an unchanged 14-man squad, with Matt Kelly still not linking up with the traveling party for the final game of their three-game road trip, which bodes well for no more rotation of the quicks if spinner Hamish McKenzie loses his spot.

On Jason Behrendorff’s omission last game, Scorchers GM of High Performance and Elite Teams Kade Harvey told 91.3 Sport FM that the left-arm quick was fit and eager to return. He said: “We always looked at the schedule and even though we had a fair few breaks prior to Boxing Day, we always felt like with the travel on this road trip, the surface, if Dorff was going to miss one, it’d probably be this one.

“It’s still a 10-game tournament but we play those 5 games in a 10-day period. We felt on that surface it was a good chance to give Hamish McKenzie a run and give Dorff a bit of a breather. He’ll be better for that. He’ll be licking his chops to get up to Brisbane and play there and back home for a couple of games next week. He’s certainly fit and firing and going well.”

Scorchers squad: Hardie (c), Agar, Behrendorff, Connolly, Crawley, Eskinazi, Evans, Hobson, Inglis, McKenzie, Morris, Richardson, Tye, Whiteman

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On Mitch Marsh’s availability, Harvey said: “We were always hopeful. Unfrtunately Cricket Australia didn’t release Mitch for this game. Understandably they’re managing their multi-format players in particular an all-rounder like Mitch.”

On Lance Morris’ ongoing availability, Harvey said: “We thought Lance might be less available up until this point… It really is the tipping point for when the Aussie guys want to give those guys (the Test fast bowlers) a break. If they want to keep the big three for the next two Tests, which may the case, then we might have Lance a little bit longer. We’re rolling with the punches in terms of selection.”

On Matt Kelly’s fitness, Harvey said: “Kells is going really good. He’s had a tough summer. He hasn’t played any first-class cricket. He had a couple of back-to-back calf injuries. We didn’t take him on this road trip, trying to get some cricket into him, he played for Claremont on the weekend. Kells is back bowling, he’s fit and available. It’s a matter of where the opportunity is to get him into the Big Bash team. He’s back on track. I’m sure if any opportunity presents in the Big Bahs, he’s ready to take it.”

Riley Meredith exited the Hobart Hurricanes’ game against the Adelaide Strikers on Tuesday with a fresh side strain concern, having struggled with the same injury coming into BBL13 as well as in their first game.