Firebirds batter Tim Robinson has moved to a casual contract with Cricket Wellington for the 2026/27 season to take up an opportunity with the Brisbane Heat in the Big Bash League.

Robinson will miss the entirety of the 2026/27 Super Smash campaign, as well as a Plunket Shield match, while he is in Australia with the Heat. He will be available for the Firebirds for the remainder of the season outside of his time with the Heat.

Robinson said he was excited by the opportunity.

“I was flattered to get a call from the Brisbane Heat. The opportunity to play in Australia, against the best of the Australians, is one of the ultimate cricketing challenges.

“But the Firebirds are my home team. Cricket Wellington has enabled me to get to this level, so it’s very much a case of mixed feelings.

“I’m certainly excited about still being a major part of the ‘Birds outside the BBL window. The long-form version of the game is a huge priority for me, as well as the 50-over series, so there’s plenty of cricket to play in New Zealand over the summer and I’m very, very motivated to be part of both.”

Firebirds Head Coach Shane Jurgensen said the opportunity was a significant endorsement of Robinson’s development and the quality of New Zealand’s domestic cricket.

“This signing is significant for many reasons. It’s a huge endorsement for the quality of players in New Zealand, from the BLACKCAPS through to our domestic programmes.

“Tim has shown over the last two years his talent, with a T20 hundred against Australia, and he has had fantastic winter form in the Caribbean and the MLC.

“He has the ability to play an explosive game in the powerplay, as well as the skill set to adapt if the team needs some batting smarts through the middle of the innings.”

Cricket Wellington General Manager High Performance Dave Wildash said the opportunity was a reward for Robinson’s continued development.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for Robbo to test himself and continue his development in one of the premier T20 competitions in the world.

“We’re really pleased for him and wish him all the best for the opportunity. We look forward to welcoming him back into the Firebirds environment in February.”

Cricket Wellington will announce a replacement for the vacant Firebirds domestic contract early next week.

Article added: Friday 11 September 2026