Joe Burns (cricketer)

Early life

Burns' parents were both school teachers. He was a good cricketer as a child, though not a prodigy. "I finished uni, thinking I was going to get a job in business," he said. "I didn't play cricket with the ambition of playing professionally … but you make a few runs, go up the grades, and it all happened so quickly from there." Burns grew up in Brisbane's northern suburbs and attended Nudgee College.

Domestic and T20 career

Burns made an exceptional start in his Sheffield Shield debut against South Australia, scoring 140 in February 2011.

In the 2011–12 Sheffield Shield season, Burns was the fifth highest run scorer in the Australian first-class cricket season, scoring 781 runs. This was followed by 587 runs in the 2012–13 Sheffield Shield season.

Burns performances resulted in a call in early 2013 up to the Australia A to face the touring party from England, where he scored 114 in a one-day game, not long after being named the Bradman Young Cricketer of the Year.

Burns continued his good form on his return to Australia and was top scorer for the Brisbane Heat in their win over Perth Scorchers in the final of the 2012–13 Big Bash League season.

Burns performances brought him to the attention of Leicestershire who signed him as a replacement for their overseas player, Ramnaresh Sarwan, between May and August of the 2013 County season. This was curtailed in July, when a hip injury forced Burns to end his spell in England and return home to Queensland.

Burns deputised for the Middlesex captain Adam Voges during the 2015 English season.

In December 2017, Burns scored his maiden first-class double century, batting for Queensland against South Australia in the 2017–18 Sheffield Shield season. In March 2018, Cricket Australia named Burns in their Sheffield Shield team of the year. In 2019, he signed with Lancashire ahead of the 2019 County Championship in England, but returned to Australia for personal reasons after making only one appearance.

In April 2021, Burns was signed by Lahore Qalandars to play in the rescheduled matches in the 2021 Pakistan Super League.

International career

In December 2014, Burns was selected to play for Australia in the Boxing Day Test against India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground following an injury to all rounder Mitchell Marsh. He batted at number 6 and scored 13 runs before being caught behind off Umesh Yadav.

Burns then managed to score two half centuries (58 and 66) in his second Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

In November 2015, Burns made his first Test century against New Zealand at the Gabba, bringing up his century with two consecutive sixes off the bowling of off-spinner Mark Craig.

Burns made his One Day International debut for Australia against Ireland on 27 August 2015 in Stormont, Belfast, Northern Ireland. In his ODI debut, he scored a half century.

Home and away Test series against the West Indies and New Zealand in 2015–16 produced Burns two more centuries, but lean scores followed in Sri Lanka in the latter half of 2016 which resulted in Burns being dropped after the Hobart Test against South Africa in November 2016.

Recalls

On 28 March 2018, Burns was urgently recalled to the Test side following the suspensions of Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft for ball tampering during the third Test of the Australian 2018 Tour of South Africa.

In February 2019, Burns was again recalled to the Test squad for the two match series against Sri Lanka, and opened the batting in both matches. In the first match, across both Sri Lanka innings, Burns fielded at slips and took three catches. In the second match, in Canberra, Burns scored his fourth Test century, hitting 180 in the first innings.

In June 2019, Burns was diagnosed with a fatigue disorder, dating back to a viral infection that he suffered in October 2018. He recovered, and was recalled in the home Test series against Pakistan in November 2019, scoring 97 in Australia's only innings.

Burns went on to play the subsequent three Test home series against New Zealand in December 2019 and January 2020, scoring a half century in the first Test at Perth. In April 2020, Cricket Australia awarded Burns with a central contract ahead of the 2020–21 season.

Move to Italy

In May 2024, Burns confirmed that he will be representing Italy as a tribute for his late brother. He is eligible to represent Italy through his mother's side and will now be a part of their squad for the sub regional qualifiers. He also revealed that he will be wearing the number 85 on his jersey to honor his brother as 85 was the number in the last team played.

Burns debuted for Italy on June 8, against Luxembourg as part of Italy’s 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup qualification process.

In the Regional Qualifier A finals, Burns scored a century (108 not out) off 55 balls against Romania. Italy subsequently qualified for the Regional Finals.

References

References

1. Burnett, Adam. (9 May 2019). "Average Joe: Inside Burns' private world".
2. Craddock, Robert. (16 January 2017). "'Rugby nursery' Nudgee College now breeding cricket's rising stars". The Courier-Mail.
3. "Scorecard: Queensland v South Australia at Adelaide, 21–24 Feb 2011". ESPNcricinfo.
4. "Sheffield Shield, 2011/12 – Records – Most Runs". ESPNcricinfo.
5. "Sheffield Shield, 2012/13 – Records – Most Runs". ESPNcricinfo.
6. "Scorecard: 2nd Unofficial ODI: Australia A v England Lions at Hobart, 18 Feb 2013". ESPNcricinfo.
7. (11 February 2013). "Growing reputation ... Joe Burns was named the Bradman Young Cricketer of the Year last week". ABC News.
8. (19 January 2013). "2012/13 KFC Big Bash League Final – PRS v BRH". [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]].
9. "PS vs BH Cricket Scorecard, Final at Perth, January 19, 2013".
10. (7 March 2013). "Joe Burns joins Leicestershire as Sarwan replacement". [[BBC Sport]].
11. (29 July 2013). "Joe Burns to return to Australia". [[BBC Sport]].
12. (14 April 2015). "Joe Burns joins Middlesex as replacement for Adam Voges". BBC Sport.
13. "Burns makes double-century as Queensland claw back into match". ESPNcricinfo.
14. "Our Sheffield Shield team of the year". Cricket Australia.
15. "Change of season: the Australians heading to county cricket". ESPNcricinfo.
16. "Joe Burns: Lancashire batsman returns to Australia for personal reasons". BBC Sport.
17. "Lahore Qalandars bag Shakib Al Hasan, Quetta Gladiators sign Andre Russell". ESPNcricinfo.
18. Coverdale, Brydon. (21 December 2014). "Burns in line for Boxing Day debut". ESPNcricinfo.
19. "Scorecard: 4th Test: Australia v. India at Sydney, 6–10 January 2015". [[ESPNcricinfo]].
20. (7 November 2015). "Joe Burns celebrates a maiden Test century". ABC News.
21. (7 November 2015). "Joe Burns brings up maiden Test century with six". Wide World of Sports.
22. (27 August 2015). "Australia tour of England and Ireland, Only ODI: Ireland v Australia at Belfast, Aug 27, 2015". [[ESPNcricinfo]].
23. (20 November 2016). "Australian selectors swing axe after Hobart debacle". The New Daily.
24. Ferris, Sam. (28 March 2018). "Trio suspended by Cricket Australia". Cricket Australia.
25. "Trio suspended by Cricket Australia". cricket.com.au.
26. "Smith, Warner and Bancroft to leave South Africa". ESPNcricinfo.
27. "Three new faces in Aussie Test squad". cricket.com.au.
28. "Joe Burns diagnosed with 'fatigue disorder'". ESPNcricinfo.
29. (20 November 2019). "Joe Burns took a break from cricket for fatigue. Six months on he's an Aussie opener again". News.com.au.
30. "Scorecard: 1st Test, Brisbane, 21–24 Nov 2019". ESPNcricinfo.
31. "StatsGuru: Joe Burns – Test Matches". ESPNcricinfo.
32. "CA reveals national contract lists for 2020-21". Cricket Australia.
33. "Usman Khawaja and Marcus Stoinis lose Cricket Australia contracts". ESPNcricinfo.
34. (May 28, 2024). "Joe Burns honouring late brother as he makes Italy move".
35. (May 28, 2024). "Former Australian Test opener Joe Burns to represent Italy in 2026 T20 World Cup qualifiers as a tribute to late brother".
36. (2024-06-16). "QUALIFICAZIONI WORLD CUP T20 2026: TRIONFO ITALIA. AZZURRI ALLA SECONDA FASE REGIONALE".