[2] As a young up-and-coming cricketer, he built up his strength by spending the winter months felling trees at Stuart Surridge's willow plantation, where he worked alongside Alan Moss.
[2] A period of National Service followed,[3] before he eventually made his debut in first-class cricket for Hampshire against Leicestershire at Leicester in the 1954 County Championship,[4] replacing the injured medium-pacer Victor Cannings.
[8] Heath made a further eleven first-class appearances in 1956,[4] taking 36 wickets at an average of 26.05.
[2] With Cannings career beginning to come to an end, Heath began to form a new ball partnership with Derek Shackleton.
[2] Hampshire, who had been top of the County Championship table in mid-August, ended up losing the match at Burton, despite Heath's 13 wickets.
This defeat helped Surrey to surpass Hampshire in the latter matches of the Championship to claim their seventh successive title.
[4][6] On the day the Hampshire committee met to decide his future, Heath ran laps around the County Ground to prove to them his fitness.
[2] By 1964, he had relocated to Lincoln, where he played for Lindum Cricket Club,[12] before joining Bourne later in 1964.