Brisbane Heat announce explosive batsman Chris Lynn will captain the team this Big Bash season

Chris Lynn will captain the Brisbane Heat in this summer’s Big Bash League. Lynn will take over from New Zealand legend and fellow ‘Bash Brother’ Brendon McCullum as skipper.

Chris Lynn will captain the Brisbane Heat this summer.

Chris Lynn will captain the Brisbane Heat in this summer’s Big Bash League.

Lynn, Brisbane’s all-time leading runs-scorer, will take over from New Zealand legend and fellow ‘Bash Brother’ Brendon McCullum as skipper.

It will be the second stint as captain for Lynn, who led the Heat in eight games in 2015-16 when he was named player of the tournament.

Brisbane open the BBL next Wednesday when the Gabba hosts defending champions Adelaide Strikers in a double header that also features the WBBL Heat taking on the Melbourne Stars.

Chris Lynn will captain the Brisbane Heat this summer.

Heat coach Dan Vettori said the captaincy change had been in the pipeline for some time.

“The timeline is pretty much as we mapped out when we all came together a few years back to do some planning around succession and future recruiting,” he said.

“Brendon has been an integral part of our club as captain, and just as importantly he has been instrumental in us arriving at this point. He is a selfless leader and has been a strong influence on Chris along the way.

“Chris has shown us already that he enjoys the responsibility that comes with the role. It was evident during the JLT One Day Cup for Queensland earlier in the season that he was relishing the chance to fill a leadership role again, which he did with some success a few seasons ago for the Heat.”

Chris Lynn (right) replaces Brendon McCullum (left) as Heat captain. Picture: Annette Dew

McCullum said he had enjoyed stepping back to a senior batting role in the teams had played for this year and was excited about the coming season with the Brisbane.

“Having Lynny as captain is right on the money,” he said.

“He’s a senior player with lots of expertise and has been a part of winning teams and successful clubs all over the world.

“I have enjoyed being able to tap into his thinking when I was captain and I know he is more than ready as skipper to enable us to play exciting, fearless cricket again this summer,” he said.

Lynn said he was honoured to take on the captaincy and thanked his teammates for their support.

“Baz has been an enormous influence on me as a player and a person and I am grateful for all the opportunities I have had to play alongside him,” he said.

“Likewise with Dan as coach – I appreciate the faith that heand the club have shown in me. The players have been excellent since this was proposed and the confidence they have in me is certainly something I have in return.”

“I really enjoyed the experience I had as Heat captain previously and likewise with Queensland. Leadership is something I have enjoyed since I was a young bloke starting out and I’m confident I am ready to handle it in the BBL.”

The Heat squad assemble this week, with an intra-squad practice game scheduled for Wednesday evening at Metricon Stadium on the Gold Coast where Brisbane will play BBL matches on December 22 and 1 January.