Chris Lynn’s consecutive centuries in one day, Banton blow for Brisbane Heat

While Chris Lynn has been firing in club cricket, Brisbane Heat has lost one of their other stars ahead of this year’s Big Bash campaign.

Englishman Tom Banton has pulled out of playing BBL10 with Brisbane Heat. Picture: AAP Image/Richard Wainwright

Chris Lynn has continued his rampaging early season club form with two freakish centuries in one day but his Brisbane Heat team have suffered an untimely Big Bash setback.

English batsman Tom Banton has been granted a release from his Heat contract due to the strain of a year of biosecurity bubbles and COVID induced tension.

Following his stunning 154 off 55 balls in his first innings out of quarantine for Toombul last Sunday Lynn scored two more hurricane T20 centuries on Saturday in morning and afternoon games for his club.

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Chris Lynn's @MyCricketAus stats make formidable reading just six days out from the Brisbane Heat's #BBL10 opener

430 runs off 159 balls. Average 143.33. Strike rate 270.44 💥 pic.twitter.com/e5MXPeu50y

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 5, 2020

First up Lynn smacked 11 sixes in a powerhouse 104 off 41 balls to allow Toombul (1-148 off 13.2 overs) to romp to victory in a T20 game against Sandgate-Redcliffe (145).

Lynn showed no mercy on Queensland Bulls batsman Bryce Street whose medium pace was dispatched for four sixes.

Lynn finished the match by swatting two sixes in two balls off new Heat recruit Tom Cooper before raising his bat for an extraordinary century off the last ball of the game.

In the afternoon he was even more brutal, scoring 143 off 43 balls including 14 sixes as his team made 4-245 against Wynum-Manly.

Powerhitter Banton was expected to be available for the Heat after Christmas but contacted the club to withdraw from his contract for this season.

Chris Lynn has been in hot form ahead of BBL10. Picture: AAP Image/Darren England

Banton made his 50 over debut for England recently and featured in white ball series against Ireland, Pakistan and Australia plus the Indian Premier League and Pakistan Super League.

“It has been harder than I thought spending so much time in the hubs and bubbles and I came to the realisation that it wasn’t doing me much good,’’ Banton said from South Africa.

“I know the Heat looked after me really well during the BBL last year and I was confident that they would understand when I spoke to Boof (coach Darren Lehmann) and Lynny (captain Chris Lynn) about going home to regroup.”

Lehmann said he understood Banton’s decision.

Tom Banton with Brisbane Heat coach Darren Lehmann. Picture: Mike Batterham

“Look firstly Tom is a terrific young man. He’s an impressive person and someone who we know would not have made a decision like this lightly and not without a great deal of soul-searching,’’ Lehmann said.

“After speaking with him at length, the best option for him is to head home to his family and loved ones and give himself every chance to recover. We’ve always been strong as a club that your family comes first and so we back his decision 100 per cent and hope he is feeling restored and mended very soon.”

“It is a very challenging time for many people and cricket is no exception. There is no normality or work life balance which is so important, especially in elite sport.

“The wellbeing of the players is paramount and I am sure everyone – fans, coaches, administrators, sponsors – recognises that.

“We shouldn’t be critical of individuals making tough decisions so the best thing to do is to support them and back them.”

“It’s a setback for us, but we know there are people in our group, or those coming into our squad, who can rise to the occasion.”