Big-hitter Chris Lynn concedes he hasn’t done enough to clinch World Cup spot
Big Bash star Chris Lynn was hoping to prove himself to selectors ahead of the upcoming T20 World Cup, but his campaign never got rolling. He lets us know his thoughts on his BBL09 season.
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Chris Lynn conceded his Twenty20 World Cup hopes were hanging by a thread after a disappointing Big Bash tournament that was mirrored by his Brisbane Heat.
Lynn’s 387 runs ranked 10th in the BBL as the six-machine posted just two half-centuries in a campaign that never got rolling.
While the Heat captain destroyed Sydney Sixers with 94 (35) and Hobart Hurricanes with 88 not-out (55), he averaged just 17 runs in the other 12 games.
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Lynn will partner Melbourne Stars Haris Rauf and Ben Dunk at Lahore Qalanders in next month’s Pakistan Super League before jetting straight to the Indian Premier League.
“I definitely haven’t put the runs on the board (to demand selection for this year’s T20 World Cup),” Lynn said after the Heat’s season ended at Marvel Stadium.
“I’m going to have to bang the door down with runs in these overseas tournaments, because my performances in the Big Bash were definitely sub-par.
“I’m my harshest critic, I know that, I’m going to go away and work as hard as I can to not only be a better batter but a better leader as well.
“I’ve got basically three months in the subcontinent, which is a great opportunity and challenge for me to again work on my play against spin.”
Lynn, 29, was purchased for $408,000 by Mumbai Indians, where he will play alongside Rohit Sharma, Trent Boult, Quinten de Kock and Nathan Coulter-Nile.
The Aussies have locked in Aaron Finch, David Warner, Steve Smith and Glenn Maxwell for their T20 top order.
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That means that Lynn’s best chance of earning World Cup selection would be as a middle-order finisher, a task made difficult by opening the batting in franchise cricket.
Lynn declared he wanted to keep the Heat captaincy next summer despite the pre-tournament favourite finishing second-last under former Australia coach Darren Lehmann.
“On our day I think we’re the best team in the competition. We seemed to either get 200 or all-out 100,” Lynn said.
The skipper echoed Virat Kohli’s thoughts that Marnus Labuschagne – “a great player of spin” – would excel as a three-format player for Australia and said he would put his arms around Jack Prestwidge.
The 21-year-old dropped Aaron Finch in the 18th over and then gifted the Renegades skipper a boundary as Brisbane’s season slipped away.
“We’ve all had games like that and he’s only early in his career and he’ll actually be better off for it,” Lynn said.
“I’ve had those matches, AB’s had those matches.”
Originally published as Big-hitter Chris Lynn concedes he hasn’t done enough to clinch World Cup spot