Brad Wheal

{{Infobox cricketer

| name = Brad Wheal

| image =1 19 Brad Wheal.jpg

| caption = Wheal in 2025

| country = Scotland

| fullname = Bradley Thomas James Wheal

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1996|8|28|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

| heightft =

| heightinch =

| heightm =

| batting = Right-handed

| bowling = Right-arm fast medium

| role = Bowler

| international = true

| internationalspan = 2016–present

| odidebutdate = 26 January

| odidebutyear = 2016

| odidebutagainst = Hong Kong

| odicap = 57

| lastodidate = 4 November

| lastodiyear = 2024

| lastodiagainst = Nepal

| odishirt = 58

| T20Idebutdate = 30 January

| T20Idebutyear = 2016

| T20Idebutagainst = Hong Kong

| T20Icap = 43

| lastT20Idate = 6 September

| lastT20Iyear = 2024

| lastT20Iagainst = Australia

| T20Ishirt =

| club1 = Hampshire

| year1 = {{nowrap|2015–present}}

| clubnumber1 = 58

| club2 = London Spirit

| year2 = {{nowrap|2021–2022}}

| club3 = → Gloucestershire (on loan)

| year3 = 2022

| club4 = → Warwickshire (on loan)

| year4 = 2022

| club5 = Trent Rockets

| year5 = 2023

| club6 = → Glamorgan (on loan)

| year6 = 2024

| columns = 4

| column1 = ODI

| matches1 = 18

| runs1 = 49

| bat avg1 = 8.16

| 100s/50s1 = 0/0

| top score1 = 24

| deliveries1 = 873

| wickets1 = 27

| bowl avg1 = 23.07

| fivefor1 = 0

| tenfor1 = 0

| best bowling1 = 3/34

| catches/stumpings1 = 3/–

| column2 = T20I

| matches2 = 23

| runs2 = 18

| bat avg2 = 9.00

| 100s/50s2 = 0/0

| top score2 = 8*

| deliveries2 = 462

| wickets2 = 22

| bowl avg2 = 29.86

| fivefor2 = 0

| tenfor2 = 0

| best bowling2 = 3/20

| catches/stumpings2 = 7/–

| column3 = FC

| matches3 = 57

| runs3 = 594

| bat avg3 = 11.88

| 100s/50s3 = 0/1

| top score3 = 61

| deliveries3 = 8,103

| wickets3 = 137

| bowl avg3 = 34.18

| fivefor3 = 1

| tenfor3 = 0

| best bowling3 = 6/51

| catches/stumpings3 = 18/–

| column4 = LA

| matches4 = 46

| runs4 = 138

| bat avg4 = 9.20

| 100s/50s4 = 0/0

| top score4 = 24

| deliveries4 = 2,102

| wickets4 = 72

| bowl avg4 = 24.56

| fivefor4 = 1

| tenfor4 = 0

| best bowling4 = 5/47

| catches/stumpings4 = 9/–

| date = 25 May

| year = 2025

| source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/scotland/content/player/807535.html Cricinfo

}}

Bradley Thomas James Wheal (born 28 August 1996) is a South African-born Scottish cricketer who has played for the Scotland national cricket team since 2016. He is a right-handed fast medium bowler who bats right-handed. He has also played for several sides in English county cricket.

Wheal made his One Day International debut for Scotland against Hong Kong in the 2015–17 ICC World Cricket League Championship on 26 January 2016.{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/952183.html |title=ICC World Cricket League Championship, 17th Match: Hong Kong v Scotland at Mong Kok, Jan 26, 2016 |accessdate=26 January 2016 |work=ESPN Cricinfo}} He made his Twenty20 International debut for Scotland against Hong Kong on 30 January 2016.{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/953103.html |title=Scotland tour of Hong Kong, 1st T20I: Hong Kong v Scotland at Mong Kok, Jan 30, 2016 |accessdate=30 January 2016 |work=ESPN Cricinfo}}

Early life

Wheal was born in Durban, South Africa, on 28 August 1996 to a Scottish mother. He attended Clifton School in Durban, where he matriculated in December 2014. He began his cricketing career with the Kwazulu-Natal youth teams, where he played up to under-19 level. He also represented the province in youth field hockey. While playing under-19 cricket, he was spotted by Hampshire coach Dale Benkenstein, who is also an assistant coach with the Dolphins in Durban.

Domestic career

Wheal impressed Benkestein and was offered a development contract with Hampshire for the 2015 season due to a shortage of fast bowlers at the county, with only Chris Wood and Tom Barber as available backups to the first team side.

Wheal impressed greatly in pre-season, performing well in games on the tour of Barbados and in a friendly against Kent. A strong performance then against Middlesex 2nd XI for Hampshire's 2nd XI where he took 10 wickets in the match and earned himself a call up to the first team for the match against Middlesex on 17 May 2015. Hampshire batted first in this match where Wheal batted at number 10 finishing 3 not out. In Middlesex's 1st innings Wheal took the wicket of opener Sam Robson for 10 runs by bowling him out. He finished with figures of 1/97 from his 20 overs as Middlesex where bowled out for 362. The match, which was rain affected, would end in a draw.

In April 2022, he was bought by the London Spirit for the 2022 season of The Hundred.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/60477088 |title=The Hundred 2022: latest squads as Draft picks revealed |work=BBC Sport |date=22 February 2022 |access-date=5 April 2022}}

International career

Wheal holds a British passport through his parentage. After joining Hampshire, he expressed an interest in representing England upon fulfilling the residential qualifications.{{cite news|last1=Walter|first1=Simon|title=Wheal could make Hants debut as pair are ruled out|url=http://www.hampshirechronicle.co.uk/sport/12883997.Wheal_could_make_Hants_debut_as_pair_are_ruled_out/?ref=mr|accessdate=3 January 2016|work=Hampshire Chronicle|date=11 April 2015}}

Wheal is qualified to represent Scotland through his mother. In August 2015 he played for a Scotland XI against MCC at Titwood, Glasgow, taking seven wickets. He was subsequently fast-tracked to selection for the full Scotland team, and in December 2015 was named in the squad for the tour of Hong Kong, that took place the following month.{{cite news|title=Scotland name Brad Wheal in squad for Hong Kong tour in January|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/35113361|accessdate=3 January 2016|work=BBC Sport|date=16 December 2015}}{{cite news |title=Scotland call up Wheal for HK tour |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/scotland/content/story/952777.html |work=ESPNcricinfo |publisher=ESPN Sports Media |date=16 December 2015 |accessdate=16 December 2015 }}

In September 2021, Wheal was named in Scotland's provisional squad for the 2021 ICC Men's T20 World Cup.{{cite web|url=http://www.cricketscotland.com/captain-coetzer-leads-scotland-squad-to-icc-t20-world-cup/ |title=Captain Coetzer leads Scotland squad to ICC Men's T20 World Cup |work=Cricket Scotland |access-date=9 September 2021}}

In May 2024, he was named in Scotland’s squad for the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup tournament.{{Cite web |title=Scotland's 15-Player Squad for ICC Men's T20I World Cup |url=https://www.scorewaves.com/news-details/scotland-squad-for-t20-world-cup |access-date=2024-06-11 |website=ScoreWaves |language=en}}