Gannon returns as Queensland boost fast-bowling depth

Veteran fast bowler Cameron Gannon will bring his career full circle next summer as Queensland deepened their pace stocks with the acquisition of rising stars Oli Patterson and Charlie Lachmund.

The 37-year-old, who claimed career-high 42 wickets for Western Australia last Sheffield Shield season, has signed with the Bulls for 2026-27 after it was announced last month he was returning to Queensland for family reasons.

He effectively replaces fellow right-armer Gurinder Sandhu, who has lost his state contract, on the Queensland list, with white-ball specialist Max Bryant also unable to secure a new deal.

Queensland men's squad for 2026-27: Tom Balkin, Xavier Bartlett (CA), Hugo Burdon, Jack Clayton, Cameron Gannon, Lachlan Hearne, Hayden Kerr, Marnus Labuschagne (CA), Angus Lovell, Dylan McLachlan, Michael Neser (CA), Jimmy Peirson, Matthew Renshaw, Jem Ryan, Jack Sinfield, Mark Steketee, Tom Straker, Mitchell Swepson, Callum Vidler, Hugh Weibgen, Tom Whitney, Jack Wildermuth. Rookies: Tom Campbell, Steven Hogan, Charlie Lachmund, Oli Patterson

Ins: Cameron Gannon (WA), Dylan McLachlan, Oli Patterson, Steven Hogan, Tom Campbell, Charlie Lachmund, Tom Balkin (upgraded rookie), Jem Ryan (upgraded rookie)

Outs: Gurinder Sandhu, Zanden Jeh, Benji Floros, Lachy Aitken, Max Bryant, Usman Khawaja (retired)

Queensland have again looked to the future to refresh their squad, awarding maiden rookie contracts to Australian Under-19 stars Steven Hogan and Lachmund.

Lachmund was the nation's leading wicket-taker at the U19 World Cup earlier this year with 12 scalps at an average of 16, while Hogan opened the tournament with a century against Ireland.

Tom Campbell, a member of Australia's victorious U19 World Cup squad in 2024 alongside Queensland players Hugh Weibgen, Tom Straker and Callum Vidler, has also earned his way onto the rookie list after a prolific 1,033-run season for the state's Second XI (335 at 67) and his first-grade club Western Suburbs (698 at 33).

Left-arm quick Patterson was another who scored a rookie deal after impressing for Brisbane Heat in his debut Big Bash season, taking four wickets in three games that included the wicket of Pakistan superstar Babar Azam against Sydney Sixers.

Patterson then made his List A debut for Queensland in the second half of last domestic season, dismissing the in-form Sam Harper and scoring 17 off 19 balls.

Gannon, one of six additions to the Bulls squad for 2026-27 alongside the four rookies and wicketkeeper-batter Dylan McLachlan, will provide valuable guidance for the state's crop of emerging quicks, with Queensland now boasting seven aged 23 and under.

Patterson (aged 20) and Lachmund (18) join fellow young guns Vidler (20), who missed all last season with a back stress fracture, Straker (21), Tom Whitney (23), Jem Ryan (21) and Tom Balkin (22) in the Queensland squad, with the latter duo, Ryan and Balkin, both earning upgrades from the rookie list.

The rising group will complement a pace battery already stacked with the experience of Mark Steketee, Xavier Bartlett, Test star Michael Neser and now Gannon.

Queensland finish third in both men's competitions last season, narrowly missing the One-Day Cup final by one point and the Shield decider by one win despite being ravaged by injury, which included fast bowlers Steketee (hamstring), Whitney (foot stress fracture), Vidler (back) and Sandhu (knee) to season-ending ailments.

Johan Botha's side used 25 players in the Sheffield Shield last season, including four fast bowlers from off their contract list.

Gannon returns to Queensland where he made his first-class and 50-over debuts more than 15 seasons ago. He played the most recent of his 30 first-class matches for the Bulls in 2020 before joining WA ahead of the 2020-21 season.

He played a further 36 Shield matches for WA in six seasons, taking 136 wickets.

The towering right-armer was a member of WA's Sheffield Shield-winning side in 2023-24 and was awarded the Lawrie Sawle Medal last season as the state's best men's player, with only NSW quick Liam Hatcher (44) finishing ahead of him on the competition wickets tally.

Bennett King, Queensland Cricket's new high performance manager, said Gannon would "fill an important role" for the Bulls next season.

"We're pleased to welcome some exciting talent to our list this season, with several of Australia's most promising prospects joining us on a full-time basis," he said.

"It is also a pleasure to welcome home Cameron Gannon who has produced some excellent efforts for WA in recent seasons."

Former Test batter Usman Khawaja drops off the Queensland list following his retirement from international and state cricket at the end of last season, while fast bowler Benji Floros, spinner Zanden Jeh and wicketkeeper Lachy Aitken were not contracted for 2026-27.

Despite being a regular for the Heat, Bryant hasn't received a contract after playing just one 50-over match for Queensland last season, with his last Shield appearance now more than two years ago.

Meanwhile, Sandhu has been a regular contributor since moving to Queensland in mid-2020 with 123 wickets in 46 matches across both formats, however he missed the second half of last season with a knee injury.

"As we do every season, we will monitor their performances and progress in the Queensland Premier Cricket competition across the summer," King said.

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